Three Great Presents Perfect for a Bookish Sweetest Day

Posted by Eric Smith

I didn’t realize that Sweetest Day was a holiday until I started dating (and later got engaged to) a lovely gal from Michigan.

Founded in the 1920’s with the intention of giving out candy to people who had fallen on hard times, Sweetest Day is generally celebrated in the Great Lakes region of the United States… which means a majority of my friends haven’t heard of it. Though thanks to my fiancee it is now regularly celebrated in at least one confirmed apartment in Philadelphia. Mine.

I’ve long since given up the hope of trying to hunt down anything Sweetest Day related in Philadelphia. Bringing up the holiday to friends simply gets me strange looks. So when it comes to finding the perfect gift, like most gentlemen in crisis, I turn to Etsy.

Behold! Three perfect presents for your bookish Sweetest Day sweetheart. If one of these is out of stock by the time this blog post goes live… it’s because I bought it. I’m not even sorry.

1. Handmade Bookmarks: Why not give your significant other a little something that’ll make them think of you every time they open a book? Artfully Sew in Wisconsin makes these by hand for only $10, and has several other lovely designs.

2. Bookish Charms: While some of these charms might not work for the love of your life (it was the best of times, it was the worst of times might not be appropriate), Etsy shop Bookish Charms has a number of gorgeous little pieces of jewelry with quotes from all over the literary spectrum. I think the Jane Austen ones are my favorite. Oh Darcy. <3

3. Repurposed Book Page Art: I’m a big fan of upcycling old book pages into prints, which is a frequent trend on sites like Etsy. Some have quotes from literature, others have misc. prints screened on, and others, like this adorable lovebird piece, feature scenes of love. Aw. <3

Pair one of these prints with a nice frame, and you are set.

Find anything on Etsy you’d give as a Sweetest Day gift? Share it in the comments! 

Eric Smith

 

ERIC SMITH is the cofounder of Geekadelphia, a popular blog covering all-that-is-geek in the City of Brotherly Love, as well as the Philadelphia Geek Awards, an annual awards show held at the Academy of Natural Sciences. He’s written for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, and Philly.com