Confession: The end of daylight savings is killing me. It’s dark by dinner time, the cold is creeping in, and the stress is high, and I just want to hibernate forever. One surprising thing that’s helping me? Candles. They add warmth, a beautiful scent, and a cozy feeling that keeps the darkness at bay. And I’ve found a subscription that lets you give this gift of light to yourself — or to a friend — this holiday season.
With Vellabox, you simply sign up for one of three different plans, and this candle subscription box services ships one or more candles to your doorstep every month. The candles are non-toxic, lead-free, hand-poured, and come from the best candle artisans in the country — no paraffin here, folks. We’re talking high-quality wax.
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I got to try the Vivere subscription, which gives you one 4oz. candle and one 8oz. candle, as well as the Ignis subscription, which gives you one 8oz. candle. The cheerful yellow box feels so friendly in your mailbox, and the packages are wrapped beautifully, with each candle individually tied into pretty cloth or paper. And the candles themselves are, in a word, amazing.
My favorite of the bunch is Sugared Grapefruit from Botany and Wax in California — made of soy wax with essential oils, which is perfect for those, like me, who worry about chemicals in everyday home fragrances. The San Francisco Fog from Denver-based Wooly Wax is more masculine and woodsy with hints of sea salt and eucalyptus; and I think their warm-scented Burmese Teakwood is ideal in someone’s library or study.
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Vellabox offers 3-, 6-, and 12-month subscriptions, which means there’s no 1-month option, although you can cancel your subscription at any time. If you just want to try it out, though, I’d recommend going for the Lucerna subscription, which comes with one 4oz. candle every month, making a 3-month subscription only $36, including shipping. Which also makes it a perfect gift of indulgence, without breaking the bank, for all those on your list who could use a little pampering this year.
Sometimes, a little light in the darkness can change your whole outlook, you know?
You can select a gift subscription from the Vellabox site. If you try a candle you love or just appreciate their thoughtful curation, you can also check out their Candle Shop to choose scents for yourself. Thanks to Vellabox for the two beautiful gift boxes I’m still enjoying!
