Last year, we brought you 10 of the best subscription gift boxes we could find. And this year, we’re adding on to the list because there are so many new exciting entries. (Geez, remember when it was just Birchbox? Although we do still love them.) So put down that boring last-minute gift card and instead give a card promising indulgent goodies into the new year, even after all that Christmas glitter has worn off.
For the classy dame who’s not afraid to take beauty risks: Bergamot
This is hands-down my favorite subscription box ever. Each month, three carefully curated artisan perfume samples in 2mL spray bottles arrive in an elegant box along with a poetic guidebook and test strips. The boxes are themed; Indian Summer has been my favorite so far, but Wild Heart just arrived today. The scents are layered, luxurious, high-quality, and definitely not what you’re going to find at the perfume counter. If you fall in love, you can buy any of the monthly selections straight from Bergamot, and with each purchase, you earn another month’s free gift box for yourself or a friend.
For the hipster foodie guy: The Mantry Company
Nothing says exclusive like a wooden box handmade in Brooklyn and decorated in exquisite typography. The Mantry Company’s slogan is The Modern Man’s Pantry, which tells you that their focus group skews a little on the dude side. Each month, you pay $75 plus $10 shipping for a themed box of 5-6 lovingly curated artisan foods sourced from around the country and made with love and pride. These aren’t your usual supermarket finds– more like SlantShack Bronx Pale Ale Beef Jerky and Anarchy in a Jar Spiced Beer Jelly. If you got him a craft beer kit last year, this is the perfect follow-up. They’re shipping December boxes every day through the 20th
For the glittery girl who has it all but can handle more: RocksBox
RocksBox is basically Netflix for jewelry, allowing subscription members to “rent” three pieces of beautiful, star-quality jewelry each month based on a style survey she fills out, then buy if she really loves it. And we’re talking the designers you see on movie stars and in magazines: CC Skye, Gorjana, Ted Rossi, Samantha Willis, and House of Harlowe, just to name a few. You can purchase a three month gift subscription for $60, and even slip in some purchase credit, in case she falls in love with that one pair of earrings. Each month’s set will be worth more than $200, and members receive 20% off retail price on purchases.
For the all-indie, all-the-time pal with great taste: Mouth.com
Mouth is all about small-batch, hand-made goodies made with passion and pretty packaging. Also, unlike some of our other favorite subscriptions, you have a lot more choice over price, ingredients, and type of goodies. When they first launched they were all about Brooklyn purveyors (the original name was New York Mouth) but they’ve smartly expanded to all kinds of artisanal food gifts centered on caramel, salt, popcorn, pickles, cookies, vegan, and gluten-free treats, or you can grab a monthly subscription service like Pickles, Jerky, Sweets, or Cocktails every Month. They’re past the date for Christmas delivery, but a card promising goodies in January can restore holiday cheer.
For the pregnant mom-to-be who wants more than baby blankets for Christmas: Mommies First
Whether you splurge on the Gift Shower Box or give 3 to 12 months of subscription boxes, nothing makes a mom-to-be feel as special as receiving something in the mail just for her and exactly where she is in her pregnancy. Each monthly box includes 4-5 carefully chosen products for the new or expectant mom, plus information cards. The products seem nicely curated and you can never go wrong with Weleda.
For the super serious coffee geek: Tonx
Tonx is dedicated to helping you brew amazing coffee at home. You never know which beans you’ll receive in a coffee gift subscription, but you can rest assured that the Tonx team is chasing harvest cycles around the globe and buying green coffee from top producers to roast and ship directly to you. Rather than dealing only with fair trade or organically certified coffees, they try to get to know the actual brewers who are working to make coffee sustainable, of-the-moment, and high quality. What that means is that when you choose the size and frequency of your coffee gift, you know it’s going to be good. Your recipient will need a grinder, as the coffee comes whole, but Tonx is happy to help you pick the right one, too.
For the art collector, ex-zine writer, or Threadless devotee: Papirmass
Each month, the artists and writers at Papirmass will mail out a unique art print with an image on one side and writing on the other. Their goal? To spread real art and beautiful things instead of fake paintings and tired prints that everyone’s seen before. Subscriptions are sold by the year, and now through December 31, you can get two subscriptions for $120, which means one for you and one as a gift (they’re regularly $69 for a year). Scroll through their past mailings to see what piques your interest; monthly prints have included portraits, landscapes, illustrations, and graffiti-inspired prints, and you can learn more about the artist or buy more prints, too.
Indie and artisan? Meh. Just gimme the snacks and nobody gets hurt: Boxtera
I fell in love with this subscription over the summer, when a box full of 20 snack foods broke up the monotony and promised fun lunches in the fall. But now I see the value of giving it as a gift, too. Maybe to your scout leader to help tide over hungry Brownies, or to a teacher or coach? Or just someone who loves movies and would enjoy something besides the usual popcorn. We especially love that so many of their snack choices are healthy, organic, vegan, or gluten free.
For the proud parents of pampered pets or the friend who volunteers at the shelter: BarkBox
Because of course there’s a monthly gift box just for dogs. Of course. Choose from three different sizes–the dog’s size, not the box size–and they’ll send a glut of goodies catered to your dog’s needs. That means no Jumbo Kong for the Chorkie or Bitty Bones for the St. Bernard. Boxes run $19 to $29 per month and include 4-6 toys, bones, treats, hygiene products, and clever gadgets, and a portion of each box’s purchase price goes to help shelter pups in need. Which helps offset the indulgence of buying a monthly subscription gift for a pet.
For the geek you really, really love: Nerd Block
Every month, the geek in your life will receive 4-6 epically geeky items, including apparel, toys, and gadgets based on favorite movie, comic, game, and TV show properties. And since they partner with Marvel, Adventure Time, Star Wars, DC Comics, Nintendo, and more, you know you’re getting the good stuff. You also get to pick your exact shirt size, including children, fitted men or women, or unisex sizes. The box runs $19.95 each month, and you don’t get to pick what’s inside. But boy, would a geek like me freak out knowing that my relatives finally “get” me.
Also keep an eye out for our best subscription box gifts for kids!
