Hello Christmas Elves,
Did you leave someone’s Christmas gift until the last minute, or decide you need one more item to stuff a stocking? Don’t worry, I gotcha with 5 perfect options that they’ll love a lot more than whatever’s near the register at CVS.
Five Last minute Christmas Gifts that require no shipping
Preorder a book by a favorite author. Everyone knows anticipation is half the fun of any experience. Give the gift of anticipation by pre-ordering a 2024 new release by their favorite author. Here are a few of my favorites.
E-gift cards to their favorite stores. If this is a stocking stuffer, think about pairing it thematically with another gift you’re giving them. Think travel mug + Starbucks card or headphones + a few free months to libro.fm or comfy blanket + egift to Bookshop.org.
Digital or print subscription to a magazine or blog you know they’ll love. A few great ones for writers include Poets and Writers, American Short Fiction (use promo code ASFCHEER23 to save $6) Ploughshares, and Lit Mag News for writers who are sending work to lit mags. And you’ll never go wrong with the tried and true New Yorker, Atlantic, or Harpers.
Membership to a museum or other cultural organization. (Might I suggest Grub Street?)
Take a class together! This winter I’m teaching classes on novel writing, journaling, flash fiction, and more — many of the classes are online, so you can even attend from the comfort of your own home. See my complete list of classes at https://www.kayleighshoen.com/classes
Read Together all Winter Long and Save $50
While space permits, I’m offering a special pair rate of $200 for the virtual Read & Discuss: Best American Short Stories 2023 class. It’s the perfect way to connect with a friend or family member, whether you live in the same house or on the other side of the country.
Read & Discuss: Best American Short Stories 2023
The Best American Short Stories series has aimed to anthologize the best short fiction published in North America every year since 1915. We’ll read the 2023 anthology, guest edited by Min Jin Lee. Each week we’ll discuss topics including: What perspectives are reflected in this collection and who is missing? What makes a short story “American”? How do these stories build on and/or reject the literature that came before? How do these stories reflect the year 2023?
Meets 8 Fridays, Jan. 19 - Mar 15 (no class Feb 23) | 7:00–8:30 pm EST | Online | $125 (or $200/pair) | Sign up via google form: https://forms.gle/5ShwoyAtxrGdSy2s9
Thanks for reading! I hope you have a relaxing holiday full of warmth and cheer.
Kayleigh