Only 9 shopping months until Christmas! 8 until Hanukkah!

A little less, actually, and we in the kids' section aren't going to waste any more time. That's why we've started replacing our picture book display wall with a holiday display. Feel like it's been too long since you've seen old friends like Santa and the Grinch, Hershel and Judah Maccabee? So do we.

   


There's no excuse to wait until the last minute, or even the last month. Come on in! Start celebrating!

Holicraze

It's the time of year when us booksellers are bustling about non-stop, answering the phone in the back, grabbing the book to put on hold, and helping about 15 customers along the way to the register and then jumping in to help at the register for a quick sec that turns into an hour, then going in the back to call a pile of special orders, running downstairs to shrink wrap a pile of books, run out front to wrap a pile of presents, lather, rinse, repeat. It's crazybusy, hectic and we're ravenously hungry for empty carbs and sugar at all points of the day. BRING IT ON, BROOKLINE! We're hand-selling machines; we've got awesome ideas for everything and we're running on way too much coffee!

But the crowds definitely mean one thing...all the great books we have are flyin' outta here. So come get 'em while they're hot.

First of all, if you are shopping for your boyfriend or any human being that loved legos as a kid, snatch up a copy of Building Stories by Chris Ware. This box is a deconstructed graphic novel that you can build into a neighborhood block; then peak into the building's windows like a voyeur and follow the story there, and in the myriad pamphlets included. The print run of this magic puzzle box is out, and because of it's unique structure the next print won't be out until January. One of our dynamo booksellers wheeled and dealed all over town to get us some extra copies, but they're flying off the shelves so nab one now while you can. Perfect gift for all kinds of interesting people; readers or no.

We just got a huge shipment of even more gift wrap; really great paper and bags made out of beautiful materials recycled and otherwise with adorable designs. Be the envy under the tree this year!

Hanukkah is winding down, so be sure to snatch up some awesome platters from the Card and Gift room and pile in those latkes while it's still socially acceptable to do so! Also, how many Hanukkah rubber duckies do you have? THAT IS NOT ENOUGH COME GET MORE RUN DON'T WALK.

Come say hi! Bring us donuts! We'll lead you to the perfect gifts for you and yours! Love you, Brookline!

Black Friday is upon us!

Retail workers around the world are bracing themselves for the holiday rush, and though it officially starts today, the Booksmith is READY, cowboys and cowgirls. We've already had crowds the last few weeks (THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU), we have a big beautiful gift book table front and center, and we have this fancy gift guide on the internet! And this Tumblr with tons of recommendations on it! You can shop on our website or call us in the store and we'll wrap and ship your presents basically anywhere. If it's a really cool destination, like Hawaii, I think a lot of booksellers would be happy to deliver it personally for a nominal shipping and handling fee. Us Booksmithies are wildly aware of how lucky we are to have such a fiercely loyal customer base that shows up every year and takes our advice on gifts and walks away with presents for most of their family from our humble little shoppe.

But if I can get on my preachy high horse for a minute: if you're thinking of not buying local, reconsider. We may not carry a really obscure copy of an academic book on the statistics of manatee migrations that you think would be a killer gift for your dad, but because of our space, what we do offer is a highly curated and super-considered selection of anything lots of kinds of people will love. So if you re-calibrate your expectations to walk in our doors and see what we recommend, we have 51 years of experience in your neighborhood, and our staff has cumulatively some 20 higher ed degrees and hundreds of years experience reading and seeing what works for our customers. So keep it local this year! Fight the internet conglomerate beast! WE PAY OUR TAXES! Things are cheaper online because companies don't incur the costs of having a shop of crazy brilliant, super-excited booksellers running around helping you, with lights and heat on, with rent costs in our neighborhood and then funneling tax money back into the community we share. So yeah it would be nice to save a few bucks on a book or gift, BUT AT WHAT COST? Those discounts are doing something bigger. They're changing the world, and this year you can put your money where your ideals are and decide which world you wanna live in.

Here at the Booksmith we are eager to help you walk away with the best gift for your friend or family member because, really, gifts and books are all we care about. They're our full-time jobs and our hobbies at home. We know our stuff and we're so excited about it, that we want to help you choose the perfect gift. So stop in, say hi, and let us work our holiday magic!

A Booksmith Holiday Poem

by Julia; Card and Gift Room rockstar!

'Twas the day before Christmas
      and all through the store,
Through all of the aisles
      the customers pour.

All those young and old
      who waited too long,
Come to buy all their gifts
      Before they are gone.

We Booksmithees scurry
      From here and to there.
Weaving through customers
      All so unaware

Moms, dads, siblings, friends,
      Gather all of their gifts:
No Buttons! iPlunges!
      Whatever they can lift.

The register lines
      seems to go on for miles.
But we carry on,
      Giving everyone smiles.

As customers wait
      For their gifts to be wrapped,
At the gift-wrapping station
      UBC workers are trapped

As we sell, search and restock
      How our bodies strain,
But massages and free food
      Help ward off the pain.

So to all procrastinators
      --I mean customers--here,
We greet you all
      Full of holiday cheer.

For despite the chaos,
      we truly delight
In helping you pick out
      the gift that's just right.

Be it book, toy or jewelry,
      Even Handerpants, too,
We hope what you find here
      Brings fun and joy to you.

So until 8 o'clock
      When we turn out our lights,
And settle at home
      for a calm winter's night,

Booksmith's doors are wide open.
      And we welcome you in,
To do last-minute shopping
      'Ere Christmas begins.

So to you Merry Christmas
      And a Hanukkah so fine,
From us at Booksmith to you-
      Now, may I help the next in line?