Christmas is coming soon, and I don’t know if you are like me, but I often feel overwhelmed by all the “stuff” of Christmas. There’s the parties, the sweets, the community events, and the worst part for me: the presents.

I really struggle with buying things for Christmas because half the time I don’t know if the person will actually use it or end up giving it away by February. Because of this, I have found myself gravitating toward things that will actually help the person.

These include things they can eat after the holidays like bottled jam, soup in a jar, and food staples. I also like to give things they can use. These include homemade soaps, bath salts, or practical cleaning supplies.

However, one of my favorite things to give someone is a book.

Books can open your mind to so many possibilities and places. It is also my personal way of combatting the decline of reading among people today. If you need more reasons to give someone a book this Christmas, check out these nine reasons below.

I don’t know about you, but when the box, or item, is nice and square, wrapping just goes a whole lot better. Odd shaped packages (large dinosaur toys anyone?) always end up being stuffed into gift bags because I don’t even want to try. However, a book has four squared edges that you can cut straight lines in your wrapping paper. It also has just enough height to tuck in those end pieces so it doesn’t look like your dog chewed the end of the present.

Plus, those nice square presents look pretty under the tree.

I have hated people giving me clothes ever since I was a kid. It was always the wrong size, color, style, cut, and just never fit right. When gifting a book, you don’t have to worry about that. There are new books, classic books, and all those in between. You can give them one to learn a new skill, or you can give them one to start them on a new adventure.

Books are biodegradable! They are made from plants, and can therefore be returned back to Mother Nature once they have hit the end of their life.

Books generally come with no extra plastic packaging, or recycling restrictions found for many other items you may buy as a gift for someone. They can also have a lower carbon footprint since more books can fit in the shipping box, and thus reduce the size of box needed for shipping.

Plus, if you are buying second books, they are generally local, and no extra paper is needed to print them.

Books have so much knowledge packed between their pages. From personal experiences on how to set up and run a restaurant to finding ways to nail your next business meeting, there is something for the gift receiver.

If you know what the person’s field of work or interest is, you can almost be guaranteed to find a book that can help them take that next step to achieving their dream.

Books, especially fiction books, can take the reader on wild adventures, through uncharted lands and seas, and even planets. Readers can experience these new lands, peoples, and cultures from the comfort of their couch. Much cheaper than airfare to that resort destination you’ve been looking at.

However, something even more neat can happen when we read. We develop empathy. We learn to see things from multiple perspectives. We can follow a character on a hard journey and feel empowered to tackle our own challenges in life. Because if Frodo can carry the ring to Mordor, maybe I really can ace my next exam.

Repeated research has shown how reading a book, for even five minutes, can reduce stress levels significantly. The act of reading lowers your heart rate, and reduces muscle tension. It can also act as a distractor from things that stress you out, giving you that mini vacation that many of us need throughout our day.

To learn more about the benefits, you can check out this article on WebMD.

Unless you are buying the complete omnibus special edition with gilded covers, sprayed edges, and character cards, you will generally be into a book for the price of one to two coffees. Most paperbacks will cost you anywhere from $10 to $20 depending on thickness and size. And if you are a thrift shopper, you could be looking at $1 to $5 per book.

Your wallet just said thank you.

Reading engages your brain, making you actively think, and problem-solve along with the characters. Your right brain also gets a boost from visualizing the scenes from the book, transporting you into the story.

Studies have also proved that reading with your children significantly increases their vocabulary and intellectual IQ. Check out another cool article on this topic from the Child Mind Institute.

This is one of the things I love most about buying books. Whether you buy them from a local independent bookstore, or from Amazon, you are generally purchasing from small businesses. You can also get a more personalized touch if you purchase books from the author’s websites because they may offer signed copies or swag along with your purchase.

So instead of sending money to giant corporations where your dollars are a drop in the hat, consider buying from a small business or author. It could make all the difference to them.

This Christmas season, please consider buying a book for those you love. Knowledge and stories are powerful, and there is so much contained between the pages of a book.