Sleigh Your Gift List with Customized & Branded Journals

Turn page-turners into memory-makers with customized journals this holiday. Books make great gifts, but pairing them with a personalized journal turns holiday gifting into a memorable experience. Think of the journal as the upgrade: a place to capture recipes, reflections, travel notes, or big ideas long after the wrapping paper is gone. With customized journals, you can add that special touch to elevate your holiday gifting. However you style it, a custom notebook makes your gift feel thoughtful, useful, and distinctly yours.

Why Branded Journals Work

Branded journals work because they’re both thoughtful and useful, gifts people actually keep and use, so your gesture sticks long after the holidays. They’re easy to personalize with names, dates, or quotes via deboss, foil, or custom tip-ins, and they scale effortlessly from a handful of VIP clients to large team or event orders. Plus, you can match values and budgets to find the perfect journal to match your gifting. 

Journal Customization Options

• Logo Imprint: Depending on the style of journal selected, you can add an elegant foil or deboss logo imprint to the front of your journals or planners.
• Tipped In Pages: Insert custom tipped-in pages to personalize your gift, like a calendar insert, recipe cards, maps, and gratitude prompts
• Personalization: Go the extra mile to show clients and employees you care by personalizing their journals with their names.
• Belly Bands: Give your brand an extra boost by adding a belly band that wraps around the entire journal.

Our Go-To Book + Journal Gift Sets:

1) Cookbook + Recipe Journal

Cookbooks are already a holiday crowd-pleaser, but pairing them with a customized recipe journal turns adelicious gift into a lasting cooking companion. Include a recipe tip-in so home chefs can remix dishes with confidence and finish with a kitchen-measurement reference on the back page. 

For an eco-forward twist, choose an Apeel notebook (apple-peel–based cover) and elevate the experience with a subtle, customized scent, perfect for tying your brand to warm, seasonal flavors. It’s a thoughtful, useful duo that keeps your brand top-of-mind long after the last slice is served. 

Recommended Journal: Apeel Notebook

Great for: Food & Beverage brands, Hospitality, Grocery/Retail, Employee Gifting

2) Travel Book + Pocket Notebook 

Travel books inspire the trip, but pairing it with a journal captures the journey. Compact and sturdy, these go-anywhere notebooks slip into a jacket or carry-on, ready for flight numbers, foodie finds, and on-the-go reflections. 

Elevate the experience with a map tip-in of dream destinations or a favorite city, plus a travel checklist to keep packing and planning stress-free. Paired with the perfect book, you’ve created a keepsake that travels far beyond the holidays.

Recommended Journal: Pocket Tucson Notes Journal

Great for: Travel & Tourism, Airlines, Hotels, Outdoor/Adventure, Universities (study abroad), Credit Card/Rewards Programs 

3) Personal Development Book + Planner 

Pair personal growth or leadership books with a customized planner or guided journal to turn inspiration into action. A yearly or quarterly goals page helps readers set milestones, a habit tracker insert builds momentum, and name personalization makes it feel truly personal. Add your logo and you’ve created a daily touchpoint that keeps your brand present as they plan, reflect, and grow all year long.

Recommended Journal: Castelli Tucson Weekly Perpetual Diary

Great for: HR/People Teams, Professional Services, Financial Services, Tech 

4) Coffee Table Book + Luxury Branded Notebook

Turn a stunning coffee table book into a statement gift by pairing it with a luxury, imitation leather–bound notebook. Add a gold foil logo for a refined finish, include a custom belly band to tie the set together, and complete the experience with a matching pen set. The result feels premium, personal, and display-worthy. An elegant reminder of your brand every time they jot a note or host a meeting.

Recommended Journal: Medium Banded Tucson Journal Gift Set

Great for: Real Estate, Wealth Management, Luxury Retail, Design Studios, Executive/Board Gifting

5) Teacher Reads + Personalized Journal

Pair educator reads or classroom-themed titles with a personalized journal or planner to create a gift that’s both heartfelt and incredibly practical. Put the teacher’s name on the cover for an instant smile, add a class planner tip-in for schedules and grading, and finish with a school crest for extra pride. It’s a daily-use tool that organizes lessons, captures ideas, and celebrates the educator behind the magic.

Recommended Journal: Mid-Size Tucson

Great for: K–12 Schools, Districts, Libraries, University Departments

6) Nature & Sustainability Book  + Eco-Friendly Journal 

Make your holiday gifting feel good and do good with eco-forward notebooks that tell a values-driven story. With many different notebook options with different sustainability promises, such as Oceano, Vegan Leather, Carapace, or Apeel, there’s a sustainable notebook for everyone. Pair any of these with a sustainability tip-in that highlights your impact, and you’ve got a gift that resonates well beyond the season.

Recommended Journals: Oceano, Vegan Leather, Carapace

Great for this industry: Outdoor Brands, Higher Ed, Government, Energy/Cleantech

7) Literary Fiction + Reading Journal

Turn page-turners into shared traditions by pairing literary picks with a customized reading journal. Add a reading log insert to capture titles, ratings, and favorite lines, plus a TBR tracker to keep the next selections queued up. Personalize with the club name, or a beloved book quote on the first page, for a keepsake that feels communal and collectible.

Recommended Journal: Medium Tucson Journal with Pen & Loop

Great for this industry: Community Orgs, Libraries, Alumni Groups, Publishers, Corporate Book Club Participants

8) Fitness & Sports Book + Training Log 

Pair performance-minded books with a customized training log to turn motivation into measurable progress. As readers absorb lessons from the pros, they can apply them with workout grids, a hydration tracker, or a coach’s message tip-in for encouragement or programming notes. Perfect for athletes, fans, and coaching staffs alike.

Recommended Journal: Appeel Slim Medium Journal

Great for this industry: Gyms/Studios, Sports Teams, Corporate Wellness, Outdoor Clubs

  

This holiday season, elevate every gift by pairing books with branded journals, turning great reads into daily touchpoints and meaningful moments. With personalization, eco and luxury options, and smart inserts tailored to each theme, your gift becomes both memorable and immediately useful. Thoughtful and distinctly yours, these book-plus-journal sets keep your brand in the story long after the wrapping paper is gone. Ready to start your personalized gift? Request a quote to get started with an account manager today. Happy gifting!