My Final Simple Christmas Present: 2024

It’s time. For the sixth yr operating I deliver you my final, straightforward, budget-adaptable Christmas present. The one which feels considerate and private but takes seconds to purchase and is simple to wrap and low-cost to put up. Sure, expensive readers, it’s the preferred put up of the season: my Christmas Books ‘n Sweets!

Do you need to appear like probably the most trendy and thought of gift-giver, one that actually has their life collectively, but expend just about no vitality? Then that is the put up for you. A fastidiously curated collection of the best books, matched artistically and with nice aptitude to the daintiest, prettiest bars of chocolate. Or probably the most cool and graphic slabs. All wrapped up in plain brown paper, tied with striped string, the ultimate package deal by no means fails to please.

The purpose of this book-and-choc pairing is that the recipient feels as if they’re being given one thing just a little bit luxurious. So we’re speaking excessive finish books and high quality goodies however that’s not all: each the ebook cowl and the chocolate wrapping should be aesthetically pleasing and likewise matched collectively in a method that makes folks suppose, “wow, this individual has type”. These persons are to not know that you simply ordered every thing on the web, sporting fleece polar bear pyjamas and a flammable dressing robe.

Earlier than I current you with this yr’s spectacular book-and-choc pairings, I ought to say that there’s a complete again catalogue of those annual posts. And so for those who’d like to take a look at dozens and dozens extra examples then click on the hyperlinks on the backside of this web page.

Proper, with out additional ado: the Final 2024 Books and Sweets Spherical-Up!

[AD-info: this post contains affiliate links, marked *.]

Buy All Fours here*

Buy Charbonnel & Walker Sea Salt Truffles*

I’m going to speak extra about All Fours by Miranda July subsequent week. The story is completely mad. I get the sensation it might be a kind of Marmite form of books, as a result of it’s so far-fetched and unhinged, however for those who submit (ooh err) and permit your self to have a superb sense of humour about all of it then it’s an absolute riot. I discovered myself laughing simply out of pure glee at how batshit loopy it was, in locations. And, on a extra critical notice, it tackles some huge midlife points head-on and utterly unapologetically. Not one to present to Auntie Maud whereas she’s having her hip substitute, maybe, or anybody you don’t know moderately effectively, as a result of it’s fairly…intimate…in locations, however this might be probably the greatest reads to present a girlfriend that you simply’ll discover this yr. Or the worst. No matter, it’ll be a dialog starter…

Buy Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors*

Buy Ocelot Sea Salt Chocolate

4 sisters’ tales, one ebook. However there’s a tragic absence all through that binds the separate tales collectively. Poignant and touching however not too hair-clawingly depressing, it’s a superb winter vacation learn. Particularly for those who’re breaking right into a bar of the previous Ocelot Sea Salt on the similar time. Be nonetheless my chocolate-loving coronary heart.

(Ocelot’s very graphic packaging is ideal for my books and chocs pairings. You nearly can’t go flawed, they appear good with every thing!)

Buy Long Island by Colm Toibin*

Buy Ocelot Sea Salt Chocolate

I wrote about Colm Toibin’s Lengthy Island here, however to avoid wasting you having to open a brand new window, in brief I known as it “scrumptious” and mentioned this about it:

“I love anybody who can take lives which can be identical to anybody else’s lives – seemingly pedestrian, with nothing that stunning or stunning occurring – and make the shortage of something notably notable into the factor that’s attention-grabbing. Not simply attention-grabbing: valuable. Each little life and each a part of that life made so valuable, so value dissecting and giving thought to… it actually makes you cease and respect how densely-packed every of us is with all of our reminiscences and feelings and hyperlinks to different folks.”

What a gorgeously slow-paced, delectable little treasure-chest of a ebook. Arduous suggest.

Buy James by Percival Everett*

Buy Waitrose No1 Chocolate

Oooph. I hate the phrase “onerous suggest” however I’m making an attempt to be extra down with the youngsters and so I’ll use it once more: Percival Everett’s James is totally excellent. Should you learn The Bushes and had been blown away by that then undertake the brace place since you’re about to start out one other masterpiece that you simply received’t be capable to put down.

By no means have I needed a personality to outlive so badly – and never simply survive, I used to be prepared Jim (an escaped slave who is ready on shopping for his spouse and baby’s freedom) to rewrite historical past. Highly effective, past unhappy and with the capability to make you are feeling determined, nauseating ranges of rage.

By the way in which, you could discover (for those who’ve seen earlier books-n-chocs posts) that I’ve slipped a brand new chocolate bar in right here. I needed to discover a easy, graphic bar that didn’t price an absolute fortune and by God I’ve carried out it. Waitrose No1 vary – a great deal of totally different variations. Approx two quid, relying on while you replenish…

Buy Tony’s Chocolonely*

My different bargainous model of selection, as you already know, is Tony’s Chocolonely. I really like the massive, daring graphics on these chunky slabs of choc. A great deal of colors, nice worth, I can’t think about a time after they received’t be included.

Buy Intermezzo here*

Buy Ocelot Violet Milk here

Intermezzo, one other superb learn for a slow-burn, wintery form of week. My first Sally Rooney ebook and I’ll most positively be going again for extra – I really like these detailed examinations of individuals’s character and internal turbulence.

Buy Rabbits by Hugo Rifkind*

Buy Pana Organic Peanut Caramel

Teen angst and darkish goings-on, Rabbits by Hugo Rifkind makes you need to rent a battered mini and relive your youth. Kind of.

Buy Brotherless Night here*

The one ebook within the ebook pile that I’ve began however received’t end earlier than this put up goes reside. Disgrace on me! I used to be doing so effectively. Brotherless Night time by V.V. Ganeshananthan received this yr’s Girls’s Prize for Fiction which is the way it caught my eye, it’s superbly written thus far and with sensible consideration to historic element. I’ve a sense I’m in for a really emotional experience…

Buy I Who Have Never Known Men*

Buy Charbonnel Truffles*

What a ebook! I Who Have By no means Identified Males by Jacqueline Harpman isn’t a brand new launch however has had one thing of a resurgence this yr and I’m so happy that it has. It’s glorious. Totally mysterious but additionally bleak and barren. I don’t need to say an excessive amount of about it, however it’s a incredible decide. Correct dialog starter!

Buy Tacos here*

Buy Cherry Bomb chocolate

It doesn’t should at all times be about fiction with regards to the Books ‘n Chocs present. I do moderately like sending out cookbooks, too, particularly if I can pair them with a related spice or condiment or accent. Fairly partial – and stick with me right here – to pairing a cookbook with a pleasant tea towel. It packs flat, nonetheless, is light-weight and simply feels acceptable and enjoyable. I like M&S cotton ones which are available in a pack of 4 (£8 here*) and add a grand whole of two kilos to the present value for those who break up the pack down.

I couldn’t resist including on this Cherry Bomb chocolate bar, although – I not too long ago found the web store Delli for area of interest and attention-grabbing storecupboard buys and condiments and so forth. Went to city a bit on the previous confectionery..

Buy How Not to be a Supermodel here*

Buy Fatso Sweet Tart chocolate here

Indulge me, momentarily, if you’ll. As a result of I’ve waited many, a few years to get pleasure from this second: my very personal ebook featured in my very personal “books n chocs” put up. What an absolute thrill! I ask you on your consideration solely briefly, as a result of I’m coming again at you with a complete put up about How To not be a Supermodel subsequent week, when the hardback turns into extensively out there within the States, which is a HUGE factor to be occurring.

I even have some various chocolate pairings and a load to say about how a lot you’ll get pleasure from studying this ebook for those who haven’t carried out so already. It will be my “decide of the yr” if that was allowable, which clearly it isn’t as a result of I’d appear like a proper previous berk if I selected my very own ebook, however you get the gist. I adore it and I believe that you’ll adore it. It has been making folks snort out loud at very inappropriate instances and that’s the absolute best evaluation I might want for.

In case you have learn the ebook then you definitely’ll respect the selection of chocolate model…

I hope you’ve loved this yr’s providing – bear in mind to take a look at the hyperlink under for earlier editions and masses extra concepts!

My Ultimate Easy Christmas Gift: 2019-2023 Editions