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Shakespeare & Beyond

Eight Christmas gift ideas for Shakespeare fans

We’ve got eight Shakespeare-themed holiday gift ideas for you, selected from the Folger Shop. Most of them are less than $30 and several are less than $15, and all have a bit of William Shakespeare to make the holidays merry. Find something for your friends, your family members, or yourself. And if you would like more ideas, see our five present picks from last year and our nine present picks from the year before.

Member Holiday Shopping Days: Folger members can enjoy a special 20% discount (double the 10% member discount that they enjoy the rest of the year) on Saturday, December 8, and Sunday, December 9, in the Folger Shop, open noon to 5pm both days, or shop online 24/7.


1. Beaucoup books

These books are among our eight Christmas gift ideas for Shakespeare fans.

The Folger Shop has many Shakespeare-related books, but to start you off, here are some pop-cultural volumes to consider: Pop Sonnets (in which Erik Didriksen reimagines songs by Taylor Swift, the Beatles, and many others as Shakespearean “pop sonnets”)Two Gentlemen of Lebowski (in which Adam Bertocci combines Shakespeare’s style and The Great Lebowski), and William Shakespeare’s Star Wars trilogy (in which Ian Doescher recounts the original Star Wars trilogy in Shakespearean language).

2. Bard-style bath accessories

Splish splash! Try Shakespeare’s Bard of Soap or one of our favorites, the Shakespeare bath duck (posing the question, “to quack or not to quack”), for those who enjoy luxurious yet literary baths.

3. ‘Exit, Pursued by a Bear’ tote bag

This totebag is one of our eight Christmas gift ideas for Shakespeare fans.

The line from The Winter’s Tale on this “Exit, Pursued by a Bear” tote bag is one of the most famous stage directions in all of theater—and suggests an intriguing way to depart from any holiday social event.

Comments

I strongly recommend the Shakespeare Bath Duck. I picked one up at the Globe Theatre in London as a gift for my 3-year-old nephew. He won’t take a bath without it. A fun way to subtly introduce him to Shakespeare.

Paul Whealon — November 29, 2019