There are 365 days in 2022 – and seemingly as many gift-giving opportunities: birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day and so on. If it all feels like too much, especially on the heels of the holiday season, then keep it simple. Shower the people on your year-round gift list with boxes. Subscription boxes, that is.
A subscription box, for the uninitiated, is typically a themed, curated box of goodies that arrives at the doorstep of the lucky person in your life every month, or whatever the terms of the subscription are. (And yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to buy a subscription box for yourself, too.) Amazon’s subscription box marketplace boasts hundreds of options, enough to serve everyone from the dog lover in your life to the Harry Potter fanatic. Many of the merchants selling through Amazon offer free shipping, and Amazon itself offers a hassle-free, cancel-anytime policy for any box sold via its site.
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So, what are you waiting for? Here’s a list of top picks to inspire your gift-giving journey. Each recommendation is available to purchase through Amazon, and each is rated four stars or higher (based on at least 250 user reviews). Let’s start unboxing your options.
BarkBox: Dog Subscription Box
BarkBox promises a monthly delivery consisting of two dog toys, two bags of dog treats and a chew; each box is built around a monthly theme. Just select what size dog you’re buying goodies for: small, medium or large. No matter the size, the boxes are the same price: $35 a month. Shipping is free within the contiguous United States (i.e., not Alaska or Hawaii).
Allure Beauty Box Subscription
This box from Allure basically pledges to deliver value and expertise — and, oh, yes, also makeup. Allure says each monthly box boasts six or more editor-tested products, at least three of which will be full-sized. This past October, for instance, Allure says subscribers received items by Boscia, Kaja, Whish and more. The subscription box costs $23 a month; Allure pegs the retail value of one month’s contents at more than $100.
Allure Beauty Box, $23 a month
Bitsbox: Coding For Kids
Bitsbox is aimed at children who want to learn coding – or, frankly, whose parents or guardians want them to learn coding. Each monthly box comes with about a dozen app projects, plus stickers, an explainer for the grown-ups and more. New subscribers will start off with the Level 1 box. From there, the boxes level up sequentially. As your child’s coding skills mature, so do the materials offered by Bitsbox. Coding is done through the Bitsbox website. Recommended for ages 6-12.
Note that Bitsbox teaches typed coding, so your pint-sized coder needs access to a physical keyboard (and, yup, the internet). On the whole, no special equipment is needed: Bitsbox says any laptop or desktop computer capable of running “any modern web browser” will do. At last look, a basic Bitsbox subscription is $23.77 for the first box; after, the subscription renews at $33.95 a month. There’s also a deluxe Bitsbox subscription: It ships in the first month for $31.47, and then $44.95 for every month after.
Bitsbox, $23.77 and up for the first month
TheraBox: Self Care
This subscription box is perfect for someone who needs pampering and de-stressing. Each monthly TheraBox comes with six to eight full-sized products, such as organic bath soaps and scrubs, plus a happiness activity. One box from 2020, per TheraBox, delivered items from brands such as Meg Cosmetics, J&L Naturals and Clear My Head, and included a felt-letter board that was just waiting for an inspirational quote to be spelled out on it.
TheraBox is offering its first box for $29.99, and then for $45 a month after. It estimates that the contents of each monthly box are worth more than $120. Shipping is free.
TheraBox, $29.99 for the first month
Bokksu: Snack Subscription Box
Okay, so, there are a lot of subscription snack boxes to choose from on Amazon: from nutrition bars and nuts to keto. We’re highlighting the Bokksu box because, if you’ll pardon the expression, it’s a bit outside the box. Plus, it’s got extremely positive notices on Amazon: a four-and-a-half stars rating based on more than 1,000 user reviews.
Bokksu offers a monthly, themed dose of 20-25 Japanese-made snacks (mochi puffs! seaweed tempura! sake candy!), shipped directly from Japan – with no added shipping cost to you. Each box also includes a guide that informs your snacking experience with background and information on the month’s theme, the box’s flavor profiles and more. The first Bokksu box is priced at $44.95; then, it’s $49.95 for every month after. At last look, there’s a deal for $5 off the first box.
Bokksu, $44.95 for the first month
Subscription box for people who are literally here for the tea: Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company
Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company offers a number of subscription boxes: ones focused on loose-leaf black teas, loose-leaf green teas, loose-leaf herbal teas and a loose-leaf sampler. Each kind of box ships free, and is available as a four-tea, three-tea or two-tea pack. In the name of flavor-saving, the teas come in resealable pouches. Your initial box even comes complete with reusable, linen filters. As of publication, Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company is offering its first boxes – of the two- three- and four-tea collections – for just $5. The two-tea collection is $14.90 for every month after. The three-tea selection is $19.90 a box after the first month; the four-tea box is $24.90.
Simple Loose Leaf Tea Company (four teas), $5 for the first box
Subscription box for people with cold feet: Sock Fancy
With this subscription box (or, package, really), Sock Fancy will deliver you (or your giftee) a new pair of crew or no-show socks once a month — or, at about the rate you (or your giftee) probably loses a pair. Sock Fancy won’t tell you in advance what kind of socks you’ll be getting — that’s because it’s supposed to be a surprise. Sock Fancy does promise that all of its combed-cotton socks are stylish, durable and made on a 200-needle knitting machine. So, basically, this subscription box is supposed to deliver a good surprise.
The packages ship free. An initial shipment of no-show socks in men’s or women’s sizes can be had for $9.60, and $12 a month after. Prices for the crew socks vary depending on whether you’re buying men’s socks or women’s sizes.
Sock Fancy (no-show socks, men’s or women’s), $9.60 for the first box
Subscription box for Harry Potter fans: Harry Potter T-shirt Club
Are you, or do you know, the Harry Potter fan who has absolutely everything Harry Potter? The Harry Potter T-Shirt Club may be the ticket to keep things hopping at Hogwarts.
Every month, you’ll receive one officially licensed Harry Potter T-shirt that’s exclusive to club members. Men’s, women’s and youth sizes are available. At last look, the subscription price is the same no matter who you’re buying for: $17.99 for the first month, and then $19.99 a box for every month after. Shipping is free. (And, in full disclosure, it appears the only box involved in this subscription box are the Amazon boxes that the shirts are shipped in.)
Harry Potter T-shirt Club, $17.99 for the first box
