Randi Kreiss

Going under cover for holiday gift giving

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Did you know that it takes 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter? Or that people actually suffer from arachibutyrophobia? Well, if you read “5000 Awesome Facts (About Everything)” by National Geographic, instead of playing Candy Crush, you’ be more enlightened on the subject.

With that in mind, for the holidays, I intend to send copies of this compendium of factoids to my grandkids, who surely will be delighted to learn the term for the fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth.

It seems quite retro to give an actual book as a holiday gift, so my friends, let’s just do it.

What would I do with a ribbon-tied basket of assorted chocolates or a gift card for iTunes this season (not that there’s anything wrong with these products)? To me, the proof of caring is in the match you make, finding the just-right gift for the person on your list. This year I’m giving books, and not just any old books. I’m taking the time to think about which new or classic novel or memoir or history will bring a laugh, or some comfort, or a spark of inspiration to the people I love.

I’m giving books because reading and talking about books is an incomparably uplifting experience. And we need lifting up. Read a great book, and talk about it with a friend over lunch or at your book group, and you’ve found a time-out from the distressing chatter of everyday life.

December is already fraught with challenge: terror attack in California, bitter political fights, stepped-up military presence in war zones, anxiety on Main Street, and a Congress that seems deaf to the sounds of gunfire throughout America. With this in mind, wouldn’t it be unseemly to go for the $25 million jeweled watch by Chopard or the $2.4 million diamond-studded iPhone? My kids might disagree, and certainly the grandchildren’s lust for toys knows no bounds, but books it is this year.

But what to buy, and for whom? Here’s a sampling.

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