The holidays can be stressful because of all the preparations, gift-buying, and parties.
Holiday stress is so common that the American Psychological Association offers a complete guide. resource centerThis topic is covered in a dedicated section. The Association offers suggestions in a section called “Dealing with the pressure of gift giving” that range from relaxation and rest to creating a holiday list.
Many people keep a list of the people they want to buy gifts for. However, anxiety is a common side effect.
According to a survey by Barnes & Noble of nearly 1,000 of its booksellers, customers in their stores have the hardest time shopping for people they don’t know well, like co-workers, distant relatives, and friends’ children.
It can be difficult to shop for others. But there is a resource that you often overlook: the associates at the store you see when you shop.
This survey found that it usually takes less than 10 minutes for a Barnes & Noble bookseller to match a shopper with the perfect book.
Case in point – we asked four Barnes & Noble booksellers to make a gift recommendationThis is based on very limited information about the recipient.
* For the thrill-seeker: Buying for someone who is always looking for the next good page-turner? Barnes & Noble bookseller Bill Gibson recommends James Patterson’s latest, Target: Alex Cross.
“This thriller keeps you moving, and as always with any James Patterson book, there’s a twist that boggles your mind,”Gibson:
* For the lit-lover: Barnes & Noble bookseller Jennifer Welsh knows a thing or two about books, being an avid reader of fiction. Is there a book she recommends that is both thought-provoking and great for the holiday season?
“Fans of Barbara Kingsolver have been waiting years for her next work of fiction, and newly released Unsheltered is everything they’ve been waiting for – a smart read that combines history, science, and politics with family dysfunction,”Welsh sayings “Barnes & Noble is offering an exclusive version of Unsheltered, where Kingsolver shares her historical research and inspirations for this novel, as well as a provocative essay on the challenges we all face in the future.”
* For the Harry Potter fans: Have a niece or nephew who loves all things Harry Potter? Renata Borka is a bookseller who can guide you to the latest Harry Potter books, and accessories.
“We have an amazing assortment of everything Harry Potter – books, wands, LEGO products,”Borka: “For your Harry Potter fan, we are the place to shop.”
* For the political junkie: For people who love politics, bookseller Carlos Morales points to a new book by acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Leadership: In Turbulent Times.
Morales states that “this is the perfect gift for the history buff. For someone who is a fan of Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals or Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream, this is a great follow-up.”
The holidays can be stressful, but they are not always unpleasant. It is possible to ask for help and ease the stress.
