A Christmas Carol Book Coaster

Description:

A deep red cover with a gold wreath of holly and ivy, tied with a bow at the bottom, and the title and author's name set inside it. Nothing else: no picture, no scene, just the wreath on the red. The story: a mean old man is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve and wakes up a changed person. A handmade coaster modeled after a little hardback, spine and all.

This is what the very first copies looked like. Charles Dickens paid for the printing himself and chose every detail: red cloth, a gold wreath on the front, gold edges on the pages, and colored pictures inside. He wanted it to feel like a present. Then he set the price low enough for an ordinary family to afford it. It sold out by Christmas Eve. The fancy finish cost so much that he made almost nothing on it, and he never regretted a penny.

Why you'll love it:

• The original red-and-gold cover — the holly wreath, the bow, and the hand-lettered title
• Handmade from reclaimed wood and shaped like a miniature hardback, printed spine and all
• Fully sealed with a semigloss high-performance top coat — condensation and spills wipe clean
• Felt feet on the back keep your table free of scratches

Perfect for: Christmas decorators, cocoa drinkers, or anyone who starts the season a little early.

Details:

• Material: reclaimed wood, handmade
• Dimensions: approx. 4.25" × 3.75" × 0.5"
• Finish: fully sealed, semigloss top coat
• Backing: felt feet
• A solid piece — modeled after a book, does not open

The kind of coaster you leave out on purpose.