Gifts for stationery lovers and journalers in Canada

Start with how they write

Stationery people are particular. Look at their desk before you buy. Someone using dot grid will not switch to ruled because you gave them a nice notebook, and a pencil person rarely becomes a pen person overnight.

Notebook people: the LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Classic covers most planners and journalers, and comes dotted, ruled, squared or plain. The Baltic Club pocket trio and Rifle Paper pocket notebooks suit lists and quick notes. The Moleskine reading journal is for a book-club member.

Pencil people: the TWSBI mechanical pencil survives a pocket, and the Blackwing Fender pencils suit a musician who sketches. For a kid or teen, the Faber-Castell tin is a real step up from a cheap pack, and it includes graphite pencils, a sharpener and an eraser.

Paper tablets versus paper

The reMarkable Paper Pro Move is for someone who fills notebooks and wants notes, PDFs and reading in one place. It includes its stylus and has colour, but cloud sync needs a paid subscription after the trial. If you are not sure they would use a tablet, buy a good notebook and pen instead.

Budgets and pairings

Under $25 covers the Baltic Club trio, the Ohh Deer notebook and the Rifle Paper pocket set. Between $25 and $60 sit the LEUCHTTURM, the TWSBI pencil, the Faber-Castell tin, the Baltic Club 2027 agenda and the Moleskine journal. Above that, the Baronfig starter set, the Beam Paints notecards and the reMarkable are for someone you know well.

Good pairings: the LEUCHTTURM with the TWSBI pencil, the calligraphy kit with a pad of plain paper, since the kit has no practice pad. Dated agendas are 2027 books, so give them between October and early January. Rifle Paper and Baronfig price in US dollars, so expect exchange costs. Order early in December, when Canada Post runs slow, and check the shop ships from inside Canada to avoid duties.

Questions people ask

What is a good stationery gift for someone who has everything?

Go for something they use up or would not buy for themselves. A box of refills for the pen they already love is never wasted. Otherwise, try a format they have not used: a Hobonichi page-a-day planner, the Ugmonk Daily Focus Kit, or a calligraphy starter kit. A paper tablet like the Supernote suits a heavy note-taker who has run out of shelf space.

What is the best fountain pen for a beginner?

The Pilot Metropolitan is the usual first pick: a metal body, a steel medium nib, and a cartridge plus converter in the box. The LAMY AL-star is light and colorful but has a moulded grip some people dislike. The Kaweco Skyline Sport is the pocket option. Whichever you choose, add a pack of matching cartridges.

Dotted, ruled or plain notebook?

Look at what they use now and match it. If you cannot check, dotted is the most flexible: it works for writing, lists, bullet journaling and rough sketches. Ruled suits people who mostly write prose. Plain suits sketchers. The LEUCHTTURM1917 Notebook Classic comes in all of these, which makes it an easy notebook to get right.

Is a reMarkable or Supernote a good gift?

Only for someone who already fills paper notebooks and wants them in one searchable place. Both are expensive and both have extra costs. The reMarkable includes a stylus but needs a subscription for cloud sync after the trial. The Supernote has no stylus in the box. If you are unsure, the Rocketbook Core tests the idea for far less.