A TBR jar is a thoughtful, affordable gift for the book lover in your life, especially if they already have more books than they know what to read next.
You do not need crafting skills or an elaborate collection of supplies to make one.
All you need is a jar, a selection of reading prompts and a few simple details that make the gift feel personal.
What Is a TBR Jar?
TBR stands for “to be read.”
A TBR jar is filled with folded slips of paper that help someone choose their next book.
Each slip might contain a genre, reading challenge, story element or specific title.
When the reader cannot decide what to pick up next, they shake the jar, pull a prompt and use it to choose a book.
It turns an ordinary reading decision into a small surprise and gives someone a fun way to work through the books already waiting on their shelf.
Why a TBR Jar Makes a Great Gift
A TBR jar is useful, personal and easy to customize for the person receiving it.
It can help someone break out of a reading slump, explore different genres and spend less time deciding what to read.
It is also an affordable gift because the prompts become the main feature. You can keep the presentation simple or pair the jar with a book, bookmark or another small bookish treat.
A TBR jar works especially well for:
- Book lover birthdays
- Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers
- Teacher appreciation gifts
- Book club exchanges
- Reading challenge gifts
- Gifts for writers and authors
- Cozy care packages
- Just-because gifts for readers
What You Need to Make a TBR Jar
You only need a few basic supplies:
- A mason jar, decorative container or small box
- Printed or handwritten reading prompts
- Scissors
- Ribbon, twine or a gift label
- Colored paper or cardstock, if desired
Choose a container large enough to hold all your folded prompts without packing them too tightly.
A clear jar lets the colors and paper designs become part of the gift, while a decorative box may be easier to mail or wrap.
How to Make a TBR Jar Gift
Start by printing or writing your reading prompts on small slips of paper.
Cut the prompts apart, fold each one and place them inside your chosen jar or container.
Once the jar is full, add a ribbon, label or short instruction card explaining how to use it.
You could write something simple on the label, such as:
- Pick Your Next Read
- Your Next Reading Adventure Awaits
- Open When You Cannot Decide What to Read
- One Prompt, One Book, One New Adventure
You can finish the gift there or add a few decorative details that suit the recipient.
What Prompts Should You Put in a TBR Jar?
Your prompts can be broad enough to work with almost any bookshelf or specific to the reader’s favorite genres.
Here are a few examples:
- Read a book with a one-word title
- Read a story set in another country
- Choose a book with a blue cover
- Read a mystery
- Pick the oldest unread book on your shelf
- Read a book recommended by a friend
- Choose a story with an unexpected narrator
- Read a book that became a movie
- Pick a title with fewer than 300 pages
- Revisit a childhood favorite
You could also include specific book titles from the recipient’s existing TBR list.
A fuller jar usually feels more substantial as a gift, but writing 100 or more unique prompts can take time.
If you want to skip that step, the printable 400 TBR Jar Prompts include prompts based on genres, moods, settings, tropes, characters, book features and reading challenges.
A blank page is also included so you can add personal recommendations, favorite titles or inside jokes.
Get the printable TBR Jar Prompts here.
Ways to Personalize a TBR Jar
Once the prompts are ready, a few small additions can make the jar feel especially thoughtful.
You could:
- Color-code the prompts by genre or mood
- Add a handmade or bookish bookmark
- Decorate the jar with stickers or washi tape
- Include a gift card for a bookstore
- Pair it with tea, cocoa, chocolate or a candle
- Add a note explaining why you chose the gift
- Include several personal book recommendations
- Attach a charm or miniature book ornament
If the recipient reads several genres, color-coding the prompts can also make the jar easier to use.
For example, mysteries could be printed on blue paper, romances on pink and fantasy prompts on purple.
How to Make a TBR Jar Christmas Gift
A TBR jar also makes an easy DIY Christmas gift for book lovers.
Use red, green, cream or gold paper for the prompts, tie a festive ribbon around the jar and add a gift tag with a message like “Your Next Reading Adventure Awaits.”
It works well as a thoughtful standalone present, Secret Santa gift or addition to a Christmas gift basket with a book, bookmark, cocoa or bookstore gift card.
Turn It Into a Larger Book Lover Gift Basket
If you want to make the gift a little more substantial, use the TBR jar as the main item in a book lover gift basket.
Add one new book, a soft pair of socks, a bookmark and a favorite snack or drink.
You do not need to add everything commonly associated with reading. A few items chosen specifically for that person will feel more thoughtful than an oversized collection of generic bookish gifts.
A Thoughtful Gift for Someone Who Loves to Read
A TBR jar feels personal without requiring an expensive gift or a complicated craft project.
It gives a reader a fun way to choose books, try new reading challenges and make progress through the titles already waiting on their shelf.
You can fill the jar with handwritten ideas or use the 400 ready-made TBR prompts to put the entire gift together quickly.
Add a simple label and one or two personal touches, and you have a book lover gift they can continue using throughout the year.