Top 5 Christmas Presents
Top 5 Christmas Gift Ideas in Ireland
Looking for a Christmas present they'll genuinely enjoy?
We've chosen five of our favourite Christmas gift ideas for different kinds of people — from the person who loves a surprise to the reader you'd like to spoil for an entire year.
Whether you're buying for your mam, sister, partner, friend or somebody who is notoriously difficult to buy for, these are five Christmas gifts we'd be very happy to find under our own tree.
If you'd like to see the full range, browse our Christmas Gifts.
1. Surprise Christmas Gift Hamper
Best for: The person who loves a surprise
There's something particularly good about a Christmas present when you don't know exactly what's going to be inside.
Our Surprise Christmas Gift Hamper is made for exactly that.
Rather than giving them one thing to unwrap, you're giving them the fun of discovering a whole hamper of Christmas treats and gifts.
It's a particularly good choice for someone who is difficult to buy for, because the surprise itself becomes part of the present.
And unlike a gift voucher, there's still a proper parcel waiting for them under the tree.
2. Advance Book Subscription
Best for: The reader who deserves more than one present
If you're buying for someone who always has a book on the go, give them something that keeps arriving after Christmas is over.
An Advance Book Subscription turns one Christmas present into a series of deliveries to look forward to.
Instead of everything being opened and finished on Christmas morning, they'll have another Book Resort delivery waiting for them in the months ahead.
Each delivery gives them a new book to discover along with the treats that make receiving it feel like a proper gift.
It's one of our favourite Christmas presents for readers — particularly when you're buying for someone who doesn't really need more things.
Explore Advance Book Subscriptions
3. 12 Months of Reading
Best for: The serious book lover
For the person who can never have enough books, 12 Months of Reading does exactly what the name promises.
It's an entire year of reading wrapped up as one Christmas present.
This is the gift we'd choose for someone whose favourite question is “What should I read next?”, someone who disappears into a book every weekend, or the reader who is always recommending their latest discovery to everybody else.
There's also something lovely about giving a Christmas present that will still be arriving long after the decorations have come down.
4. Pearl Gift Hamper
Best for: Someone you really want to spoil
Sometimes Christmas calls for something a little more special.
Our Pearl Gift Hamper is for the person you want to properly spoil — whether that's your partner, your mam, your sister, a close friend or someone who has had a year that deserves a particularly good ending.
A larger hamper also gives them one of the best parts of Christmas morning: plenty to unwrap.
Rather than one big present, they get a collection of things to discover and enjoy at their own pace.
5. Classic Christmas Gift Box
Best for: A brilliant all-round Christmas present
Sometimes you don't need to reinvent Christmas gifting.
You just need a really good present.
The Classic Christmas Gift Box is our all-rounder: festive, easy to send and suitable for the person you want to treat without making the gift overly complicated.
It's a particularly useful option when you're buying for a friend, sister, colleague, neighbour or family member and want something that feels properly Christmassy when it arrives.
It's also one of our established Christmas favourites, with customers returning to it year after year.
Which Christmas Gift Should I Choose?
If you're still undecided, start with the person rather than the price.
They love surprises: choose the Surprise Christmas Gift Hamper
They're always reading: choose an Advance Book Subscription.
Books are practically their personality: give them 12 Months of Reading
You really want to spoil them: choose the Pearl Gift Hamper
You want a great Christmas all-rounder: go for the Classic Christmas Gift Box
And if none of those sounds quite like them, you can browse all of our Christmas Gifts to find something that does.
Sending a Christmas Gift Directly to Someone in Ireland
You don't need to have the gift delivered to yourself first.
When ordering from The Book Resort, enter the recipient's address as the shipping address and we'll send their Christmas gift directly to them.
Add your personal message when ordering and we'll handwrite it on a card to include inside their gift.
We don't include pricing or a receipt inside the hamper.
If you're ordering Christmas gifts early, you can also use the Choose Your Shipping Date calendar in the cart to tell us when you'd like the gift dispatched.
Ordering a Christmas Gift from Abroad for Someone in Ireland
If you're living in the UK, USA, Australia, Canada or elsewhere, you can still send a Christmas present to someone at home without posting an international parcel yourself.
Order online from The Book Resort, enter your recipient's Irish address and we'll prepare their gift in Waterford and send it directly to them.
If that's what you're trying to do, our guide to sending a gift to someone in Ireland when you live abroad explains how it works.
When Should I Order Christmas Gifts in Ireland?
Christmas is much busier than the rest of the year, so it's always better to order early when you can.
During normal periods, orders placed before 3pm Monday to Friday are usually dispatched from Waterford that same working day, with delivery within the Republic of Ireland normally taking 1–2 working days after dispatch.
Christmas ordering deadlines are different, so check our current Christmas shipping information when ordering close to Christmas.
If time has already got away from you, read our guide to Last Minute Gifts in Ireland.
Five Gifts, Five Very Different People
There isn't one "best" Christmas present.
The best gift for a lifelong reader isn't necessarily the best gift for your sister, your mam or the friend who seems to own everything already.
That's why we'd start with them.
Choose something they'll open on Christmas morning and immediately know was chosen with them in mind.
The gift they'll remember long after it's opened.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best Christmas gift ideas in Ireland?
Some of the best Christmas gifts are those matched to the recipient's interests. Gift hampers, books, book subscriptions, Irish chocolate and gifts from Irish brands are all good options, particularly when you can choose something based on what the recipient genuinely enjoys.
What is a good Christmas gift for someone who loves books?
A book hamper, prepaid book subscription or year of books can make an excellent Christmas present for a reader. A subscription has the added benefit of giving them something to look forward to after Christmas.
What is a good Christmas gift for someone who has everything?
Gifts designed to be enjoyed rather than stored are particularly useful for someone who already owns everything they need. Books, chocolate, skincare, candles, subscriptions and gift hampers all give them something to experience or use.
Can I send a Christmas gift directly to someone in Ireland?
Yes. Enter the recipient's address as the shipping address when ordering from The Book Resort. You can add a personal message for us to handwrite on a card, and no receipt or pricing is included inside the gift.
Can I order a Christmas gift in Ireland if I live abroad?
Yes. You can order online from outside Ireland and have The Book Resort prepare your gift in Waterford and send it directly to your recipient in Ireland.
Can I choose when my Christmas gift is shipped?
Yes. If you're ordering ahead, use the optional Choose Your Shipping Date calendar in the cart to select your preferred dispatch date.