A dear reader has asked for some holiday gift-giving advice, and I’m certain you’ll have some great suggestions:
With the holidays coming and most of us not gathering with our friends and family, what would be some cool monthly subscriptions we could send as gifts. You've given me great ideas for the artists in our lives, but what others could people recommend, say for cooks, readers, nature enthusiasts?
For example, as she mentions above the artists in your life might enjoy a subscription to Sketchbox. Each month a new box arrives, full of interesting art supplies primarily focused on drawing and painting. Here’s the contents of a recent box:
And a few more things from earlier in the year. Seriously, if you know somebody that’s into markers…
I’ve also received watercolors and brushes, pastels, colored pencils, and ink. It’s a fun treat every month.
So many markers!
I have a few more suggestions that I’ll add to the comments.
The question for you today is which subscription boxes do you recommend? Or perhaps you’ve got some other unique gift source for those hard to buy for folks? Do tell!
Two high-quality, small batch watercolors each month, with the colors inspired a National Park. I can confirm based on the first month's delivery that these are great! And they smell slightly of cloves...
Perfect for anyone who likes to scribble notes in little notebooks. This subscription comes quarterly, and I swear they outdo themselves every time. I've let this subscription lapse, then resubscribed when they lured me in with something too good to pass up. I've also used the the notebooks as gifts themselves, as nice little extras to go along with other things.
if you have kids, or middle aged women in your life who like sparkly things, i would recommend a pipsticks subscription! it's a sticker club, and for less than $15 a month you get the shiniest envelope known to man sent to you, full of stickers. they have adult packs and kids ones, but i won't lie; if you don't use a planner, don't get the adult ones. they aren't as fun as the kids ones. you can buy a few months at a time, or splurge and treat your loved ones to a year of stickers.
i'm also a huge fan of giving art supplies as gifts, more things to "do" than stuff, you know? dick blick, jerry's artarama, and jet pens all have excellent, easy to use websites and aren't amazon.
I am not a stellar gift giver. But I realize I should get people things I like. Lately my go-to shopping has been on Etsy for things like notebook covers, vintage ornaments, handmade items, etc. If I’m kind of stabbing in the dark I might get a grooming item (since I use lots of them). For example I recommend Kiehl’s Creme de la Mer ($$) or other more affordable lotions along with a luvscrub (http://www.theluvscrub.com/). In addition to Etsy, I look to the Strategist website for ideas or browse catalogs like the Grommet or Uncommon Goods.
One more from me - not a subscription box, but some really unique maps and tour guides from Herb Lester Associates. They're based in the UK, so shipping takes some time - but it's worth it!
They've got unusual maps, including "The Cryptid World," "Metal Mappa Mundi" (a map of world heavy metal), and my favorite, "Scarfolk and Environs." International travel guides, art prints, and other assorted bits and bobs are also available.
Perfect for your favorite pandemic armchair traveler!
Perhaps you want a gift for somebody who only wants to paint - then I suggest the Park Color Project from One-Per-Week.
https://www.one-per-week.com
Two high-quality, small batch watercolors each month, with the colors inspired a National Park. I can confirm based on the first month's delivery that these are great! And they smell slightly of cloves...
I'm going to kick off the conversation with another of my favorites - Field Notes.
https://fieldnotesbrand.com/
Perfect for anyone who likes to scribble notes in little notebooks. This subscription comes quarterly, and I swear they outdo themselves every time. I've let this subscription lapse, then resubscribed when they lured me in with something too good to pass up. I've also used the the notebooks as gifts themselves, as nice little extras to go along with other things.
if you have kids, or middle aged women in your life who like sparkly things, i would recommend a pipsticks subscription! it's a sticker club, and for less than $15 a month you get the shiniest envelope known to man sent to you, full of stickers. they have adult packs and kids ones, but i won't lie; if you don't use a planner, don't get the adult ones. they aren't as fun as the kids ones. you can buy a few months at a time, or splurge and treat your loved ones to a year of stickers.
i'm also a huge fan of giving art supplies as gifts, more things to "do" than stuff, you know? dick blick, jerry's artarama, and jet pens all have excellent, easy to use websites and aren't amazon.
FB keeps advertising those stickers to me! Anything but Amazon is always good.
Perhaps someone would like a skull, framed beetle, or stuffed rat? I mean, who wouldn’t? https://theevolutionstore.com/
Who among us does not want scorpion lollipops? A shark in a jar? An aluminum anthill casting (sorry out of stock)...
Luckily don't have to engage in gifting, but if I did, this would likely figure: https://persephonebooks.co.uk/products/book-subscription
I think this year all money goes to good causes, because what I really want is for Dems to have the Senate.
Those books look wonderful!
This one’s on my list this year: a subscription to McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern https://store.mcsweeneys.net/products/quarterly-concern-subscription
I have a couple of their early volumes which are fantastic.
This looks much better than the taxidermied cane toads...
I am not a stellar gift giver. But I realize I should get people things I like. Lately my go-to shopping has been on Etsy for things like notebook covers, vintage ornaments, handmade items, etc. If I’m kind of stabbing in the dark I might get a grooming item (since I use lots of them). For example I recommend Kiehl’s Creme de la Mer ($$) or other more affordable lotions along with a luvscrub (http://www.theluvscrub.com/). In addition to Etsy, I look to the Strategist website for ideas or browse catalogs like the Grommet or Uncommon Goods.
Etsy could become a very dangerous place. But it's good to shop there to support small-scale sellers.
One more from me - not a subscription box, but some really unique maps and tour guides from Herb Lester Associates. They're based in the UK, so shipping takes some time - but it's worth it!
https://www.herblester.com
They've got unusual maps, including "The Cryptid World," "Metal Mappa Mundi" (a map of world heavy metal), and my favorite, "Scarfolk and Environs." International travel guides, art prints, and other assorted bits and bobs are also available.
Perfect for your favorite pandemic armchair traveler!