Book gifting Tuesdays - My Manifesto

I’ve always been challenged by the phrase Random Acts of Kindness (RAOK). Not because I don’t think it is a lovely gesture to randomly deliver an act of kindness but because I don’t often hear the other complementary phrase. In my view, the more important and well-known phrase could be Deliberate Acts of Kindness, or Intentional Acts of Kindness. Hence, the reason we at my manifesto simply refer to this style of blog as Acts of Kindness – great if they are random and spur of the moment – and great if they are planned and well thought-out.

One of my favourite Intentional Acts of Kindness is gifting a friend or family member a new book! Sometimes for a special occasion, sometimes because I just think they will love the book, and sometimes just because it is a Tuesday! I love books. I love the wisdom they contain and the opportunities for growth that lies within. Of course, not always will the recipient love the book I gift them, and sometimes they might not even read the book, but I think that’s okay – they know I have thought of them – and they know that I wish them well on their ongoing life journey.

I think my love for book gifting came from the pleasure of receiving book gifts from family and friends over the years. Having someone open my mind to a new book or share one of their favourite books is something I treasure. On Tuesdays, I find it extremely hard not to buy two (or more) copies of a new book that I am excited to read, sometimes I have a recipient in mind, on other occasions, it simply sits with my collection of ‘spare’ new books waiting for a moment when I can get excited all over again as I gift the book.

Three tips for book-gifting (none of which are aligned with money saving):

Have your favourite online bookstore bookmarked on your internet browser. When you come across a book recommendation, log on to your bookstore and simply pop it in your wish list (or maybe straight to the shopping cart)!
In line with motivational science, people prefer to invest their resources in the goal, not in the means, and many of us would rather pay a little extra for the price of the book (the goal) and earn free delivery and therefore not have to pay for the means. Look out for ways to get ‘free shipping’ – it almost feels like the books are free!
Pop into your local bookstore, and/or pop into a bookstore when you are away on a holiday. As you browse the shelves, think about your friends and family and what they may like. My kids know they can choose a book of their choice whenever we head into a bookstore.

My goal is to gift 50 books this year. I am already well underway, and I genuinely love doing it. The birthday of one of my close friends is still two months away, but the two books I have ordered for him have just arrived today! I wonder if I am even more excited than he is for his birthday to arrive; I think he will love these books! Happy book gifting.

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