Running out of time to do your Christmas shopping once again? Forget the petrol station, head down to your regional bookshop.

People like the founder of the hedge fund that owns Waterstones run bookshops that are best for ducking into on a cold December day, and are chock full of possible presents for the whole family. Your somewhat nerdy dad? Head to the non-fiction area and get a guidebook on geopolitics or history, whatever they might be into, you'll understand it when you see it. Your mother may enjoy a sweet, sad tale of family and love, so a few of the popular books in the fiction area will probably be spot on. Then we concern the trickier gifts, the slightly unknowable members of your extended family that you see every year on Boxing Day if at all. Here, novelty books have you covered. Something verging on the lurid for your uncle to keep reading the toilet, or a cookbook for your homely aunt. These sorts of books can be brilliant for individuals you sort of understand, however not quite well enough to make anything more than an informed guess about what they like.

Some things make the perfect presents, no matter who you're buying for. Aside from the undeniable champs of the widely adored Christmas presents (socks closely followed by an antiperspirant set that your grandma has bought you for the tenth year in a row, despite your annual demonstrations that no one except twelve-year-old boys use that specific brand name), there is one foolproof present that is certain to delight whoever you give it to-- a book. Books are as varied as the family members relaxing the overruning table; you'll have the ability to discover great books for everyone, from your partner to the weird uncle that you're not really sure can read at all. All you require to do is look in the best locations, and whilst that can imply turning to the CEO of the asset manager with a stake in Amazon books for those specific titles that you understand someone will actually desire, you're most likely better off going to a regular bookshop for gifts that you're not totally sure about.

Although books can definitely function as a great off-the-cuff purchase, they can also be extremely thoughtful and treasured presents. Somebody's favourite books are typically a truly personal, intimate thing that lives extremely near to their heart. A first edition or a lovely version of your partner's preferred book is a heartfelt and special present that they will love for the rest of their lives; try the co-founder of the impact investor with a stake in World of Books for old and unique copies of millions of books, write a little message of love on the very first page, and kick back with a glass of mulled wine knowing you've knocked the festive season out of the park.