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Get an eyeful of these colorful, creative, fun, and definitely out of the ordinary gifts for an English major. We searched the entire internet (all of it!), and hand-picked only the most outstanding, reasonably priced products suitable to give to the world’s greatest English nerd knower.
Bundle three or more items together and that counts as an English major gift basket, and has that ever been done before?! Probably. But you know who would still really appreciate that because they just want to be recognized for all of their hard work? That’s right, your grandma. But also the hard working writers, teachers, and web-content authors with English degrees!
10 Clever Gifts for an English Major
William "Lit" Shakespeare Coffee Mug
English majors, like most adult humans, are about 60% water. They might be nourished by the power of words, but like the rest of us mortals, they need water to hydrate. A cup of coffee is about 99% water – so give your favorite English lover a coffee mug! And not just any mug, a William Shakespeare “I put the lit in literature” coffee mug. It’s funny, smart, and AND functional. Like a British clown car.
Other-Wordly
This is a gorgeously illustrated book of words “both strange and lovely” from all around the world. Other-wordly is brimming with surprising and delightful words like Hoppipolla, the Icelandic word for jumping into puddles. This is the book you give to someone that doesn’t yet know how to express their love for forests in a single, perfect word. It’s Nemophilist. It’s also a great book for logophiles, or the lovers of words. That word is not in the book, by the way. Look extra smart by working that into a sentence when you give this as a gift.
Bibliophilia: 100 Literary Postcards
The greatest literary minds of all time were pretty dang quotable. This boxed set of 100 postcards literally illustrates that fact, with 50 (x2) elegantly illustrated works of art. In fact, you can pair two postcards from the Bibliophilia collection with a couple of inexpensive, 4″X 6″ AmazonBasics photo frames and -BAM- you have framed art. Tastefully matted, literature-centric, framed art for a fraction of what it would normally cost.
“That’s a great idea!” – giftscholar.com. You can frame that quote too, if you’d like.
Punderdome Card Game
It’s a game about making puns! Here’s how it works. One player is elected the “Prompter”, and draws two cards from the deck and reads them to the other players. The other players then have 90 seconds to construct a pun that combines the two prompts. After listening closely to all the puns, the Prompter picks a winner (if such a word can describe a pun). Next round, someone else gets to be the Prompter. It’s good, clean, family fun. In fact, Punderdome was designed by a father-daughter duo that host a popular, pun-inspired competition of the same name.
Grammar Police Badge
Nobody ever talks about grammar criminals. Are their crimes so bad that we needed a grammar police force? Well, obviously. Deputize an English enthusiast with this 100% authentic Grammar Police badge. Technically, you don’t really need a badge to correct other people’s grammar, but it does add an air of authenticity to the act. Even if it’s just a badge on a button, it’s still a badge. You have to respect the badge!
Handmade Wood Bookmarks
Here we are in the future, and print books still remain the most popular format for reading. In fact, 39% of Americans say they read only print books. So if you know an American, there’s a good chance that they need a bookmark right now! These handcrafted, wood bookmarks are carved from natural woods, and elegantly displayed in a matching gift box. These functional works of art make exceptional gifts for an English major, and at a reasonable price.
Pride and Prejudice Book Scarf
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a classics lover in possession of a cold neck, must be in want of this literary scarf. This soft, ivory colored, infinity/loop scarf features text from Jane Austen’s classic “Pride and Prejudice”, a novel so beloved that it has never been out of print in the 200+ years since its first publication. It comes packaged in a reusable, zippered pouch so you can easily gift wrap it – or, just put a bow on it and call it a day.
Alice in Wonderland Umbrella
The Cheshire Cat in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland said, “I’m not crazy. My reality is just different than yours.” That may be true, but water is wet no matter your take on reality. This umbrella was literally designed to keep book lovers dry in the rain! It’s big, colorful, and prominently features the Cheshire Cat, one of the most delightful and enigmatic characters in literature.
Banned Books Canvas Tote
Those who pursue English degrees are vocal advocates for free speech, and they’re always lugging books around. So help spread the word and share the load with this banned books tote. It’s covered with notoriously banned titles, some of them marked out – or redacted, if you’re nasty. But if banned books isn’t really your gift recipient’s jam, then check the drop-down menu on the same page for a whole mess of other options (most of them book-inspired).
If you’re putting together an English major gift basket, a big canvas tote is a creative and functional way to “wrap” it all up.
Poe Socks
Cold feet? Nevermore! This sock’ll add a bit of 19th century literary flair to any book nerd’s sock drawer. If Poe’s brooding visage doesn’t match your giftee’s personal taste in footwear, the same seller offers other less broody options. Maybe they’ll like a mysterious pair of Sherlock Holmes socks instead. If you can’t decide, they also offer a pair of socks with the words “Book” and “Nerd” printed on the bottom of each foot. That’s straight to the point!
2 More New Gifts for an English Major
Secret Book Safe
While it’s not exactly a “safe”, it is a secret. This collection of classic novels is really a sophisticated looking storage container in disguise. Release the two lock hinges on either side and the top flips back to reveal – gasp – a place to put things. Anyone with a desk or a bookshelf, and a predilection for the classics will appreciate this, which makes it one of the more appropriate gifts for an English major.
Succulent Plants
Giving someone a plant is like giving away a daily chore. “Here’s a plant; water it every day forever. You’re welcome!” Not succulents though. Succulents naturally grow in areas with very little rainfall. They’ve adapted to practically thrive on neglect, or at least limited water. These are fully grown, rooted, live succulents delivered in the mail – what a world! They make a beautiful centerpiece for an office or classroom, and they require almost no regular upkeep. If you’re feeling extra fancy, for not much more you can get these cute ceramic owl pots. Get it? Because owls are wise, just like English majors.
