Why Christmas still drives 37 million book gifts in the UK each year
Christmas remains a key time for book gifting in the UK, with millions of titles exchanged each festive season. New data reveals that nearly a quarter of all print books sold in the last two months of the year are intended as presents.
Children’s books dominate the market, making up over 60% of these purchases, while adults also receive fiction and non-fiction titles in large numbers.
In 2023 and 2024, around 37 million books—five below all sales—were bought specifically as Christmas gifts. While only about one in five print books purchased in November and December are presents, the festive period still drives a significant share of annual sales.
Children’s books lead the way, with picture books, activity titles, and fiction among the most popular choices. Annuals, in particular, see half of their yearly sales come from Christmas shoppers. Boys aged 9 to 12 rely most heavily on the holiday for new books, with one in five titles bought for this group being gifts.
For adults, non-fiction dominates, with auto/biographies topping the list. Guinness World Records remains a consistent bestseller, while general reference books also perform strongly. Nearly two in five gift books are bought by parents for their own children, reinforcing the family focus of festive reading.
Despite the seasonal spike, children’s books maintain their dominance, accounting for more than three times the share of adult fiction in Christmas purchases. The trend highlights how the holiday continues to shape reading habits across generations.
The figures confirm that Christmas remains a vital period for book sales, particularly in children’s publishing. With 37 million books gifted in just two years, the tradition of giving books shows no signs of slowing down. Parents, in particular, drive demand, ensuring that reading stays central to festive celebrations.
