Gift Idea: Subscription Boxes That Are So Good, You'll Want Them For Yourself

Books, wine, tea, crafts and way more — there's a subscription for just about everyone in your life.
Clockwise from left: a "seasonal" set from UrbanStems, Atlas Coffee Club,a box from Decorated, and Winc.
UrbanStems, Atlas Coffee Club, Winc, Decorated
Clockwise from left: a "seasonal" set from UrbanStems, Atlas Coffee Club,a box from Decorated, and Winc.

Netflix. Substack. OnlyFans. Subscription-based services are bigger than ever. And when it’s time to do your holiday shopping, subscription boxes are the gift that literally keeps on giving. (They also make great “to me, from me” gifts for yourself.)

For David Tao, co-founder and CEO of the at-home teeth-whitening brand Laughland, subscription services are a great mode for presents or self-care treats. What’s more luxurious than doing a face mask or enjoying a new candle? Not having to brave a checkout line for it. Oh, and getting all the membership perks that go along with many of the subscriptions, like free shipping or access to exclusive products.

“Many find subscription― which you can pause or cancel any time ― as a preferred alternative to getting in the car, fighting traffic, finding parking, stumbling through the endless aisles,” Tao told HuffPost. “Once a user discovers this new experience, it’s hard to imagine they’ll prefer the hassle of driving to the store over clicking a few buttons.”

Adam Levinter, founder and president of Scriberbase and author of “The Subscription Boom,” added that subscription brands make people feel special. Instead of trying to find the right sweater for your mom and inevitably getting something itchy, or making a “spa basket” for your friend that you’ll likely drop on the train, you can set them up with a recurring gift. Something just as nice as they are.

“Getting a curated box, shipped to your door every month, makes that shopping experience so novel and delightful for the customer,” Levinter said. “It’s a thing. It’s a story. It’s a community.”

As Levinter explained, subscription boxes can be packed with perks. You get to try new selections of perfumes or different herbal teas. You get the monthly excitement of finding something other than bills and pizza shop flyers in your mailbox. And, when your subscription box has an online community, like the Stitch Fix Facebook page, Book of the Month’s online book clubs or Urban Stem’s #sendhappy hashtag, you get to connect with a larger community who share your interests ― and impeccable taste.

For Amy Konary, vice president of the Subscribed Institute at Zuora, a software company for subscription-based services, finding the best subscription for a loved one means taking note of their benefits. Your road-tripping barista brother may love a subscription to monthly coffees from around the world. There’s a box for that. Your music dad who still collects vinyl? There’s a box for that. And you’re sober-curious bestie that lives to host, you guessed it, there’s a box for her too.

“What makes a good subscription is lots of different elements,” Konary says. “Whether it’s duration, surprise, entertainment or community delivered all-around a specific outcome.”

If you’re looking for a holiday gift-worthy subscription box for you or a loved one, we’ve rounded up some fun options below.

HuffPost may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.

1
A globally curated coffee collection
Fancy a cup of joe from around the world? Atlas Coffee Club has your number. Monthly subscriptions range from half a bag of beans to four bags.

Get it from Atlas Coffee Club starting at $9.
2
Vinyl of the month club
For old souls and vintage-lovers alike, the Vinyl of the Month Club sends one record to your door every month. Select the genre of your choosing, from R&B to the 1970s.

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
3
The gift of a recurring wine delivery
Red, white and everything in between, Winc brings world wines to your doorstep. Sign up for a membership to get Winc credits that you can use to set up a monthly wine shipment.

Get it from Winc for $29.95.
4
Flowers on repeat
To add some bloom to your life, UrbanStems offers three tiers of flower arrangement subscriptions: classic, seasonal and luxe, each on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis.

Get it from UrbanStems starting at $55.
5
The gift of pearly whites
Jumpstart your teeth whitening without going to the dentist. Laughland offers at-home teeth whiting kits with bimonthly refills for members.

Get it from Laughland starting at $35.
6
A scent for every month
For all your perfume needs, Scentbird will send a curated box of refillable 8-milliliter bottles of scents. Your first month is $11.96, after that, it's $15.95.

Get it from Scentbird starting at $11.96.
7
A monthly cocktail or mocktail kit
For the hostess with the mostess that's impossible to shop for. Shaker & Spoon is a cocktail (or mocktail) kit that comes with three monthly recipes and all the syrups, bitters, mixers and garnishes you could want. Liquor is not included, but it's totally #instagrammable anyway.

Get it from Cratejoy for $40.
8
A sock subscription
For fun socks and plain socks alike, a monthly subscription to Foot Cardigan will keep your toes happy and warm. The basic plan is one pair a month for $12.99, and you can add an extra for $5 more.

Get it from Foot Cardigan starting at $12.99.
9
A quarterly box full of gadgets
For the tech lover in your life, a quarterly subscription to Breo Box will keep them updated on the latest gadgets. Each curated box comes with five to eight products. Pay $159 for a box every three months or get an annual subscription that comes to $147.75 per box.

Get it from Breo Box for $144.75.
10
Monthly bullet journal and planner
For the planners in your life, Silk & Sonder's monthly journal club is everything. On top of a new bullet journal and planner every month, your membership comes with access to guided journaling programs, a members-only app, and digital and online self-care events. A month-to-month plan is $22, a three-month subscription is $18 a month, and an annual plan is $14.90 a month.

Get it from Silk & Sonder starting at $14.90.
11
A monthly book box
Having started back in 1926, Book of the Month is one of the first monthly subscription clubs. Every month they feature five books; you pick the one or ones you want to read, and presto, they're brought to your door. You can even join online book clubs, leave and read reviews, and select extra books from the site. Your first month is $9.99, then it goes to $15.99.

Get it from Book of the Month starting at $9.99.
12
Self-care boxes for a party of one
From bath bombs to jewelry to home decor to snacks, these monthly curated boxes will keep you pampered. You select between 4-5 products for $24.99 or 7-8 products for $39.99.

Get it from SinglesSwag starting at $24.99.
13
A spice of the month subscription
For both cooking pros and those who mainly microwave, Piquant Post will level up all your meals. Get four freshly ground, small-batch spices each month with recipes for how to use them. Month-to-month memberships are $12.99 and a year-long account evens out to $9.99 a month.

Get it from Piquant Post starting at $11.99.
14
Elephant Books children's and picture book set
Elephant Books sends two newly published hardback picture books every month for $17.99. Select the age of your little readers to find the right fit.

Get it from Cratejoy starting at $17.99.
15
A clothing and accessories box from Stitch Fix
Get a personal shopper to do the legwork and send new styles at your door. After taking a style quiz and paying a $20 style fee (which is then credited toward your first purchase), Stitch Fix sends you a box of clothes, shoes and accessories. You keep and purchase what you like, and send back the pieces that don't work for you. You can decide how often you want your boxes and how many pieces you want to try.

Get it from Stitch Fix starting at $20.
16
A themed home decor box
Here's to never trudging up to the attic to detangle sparkle lights again. Decorated sends six to eight seasonally inspired home decor items to your door four times a year. These quarterly boxes are $79.99.

Get it from Decorated starting at $79.99.
17
A monthly dog treat and toy box
To keep your furry friend feeling special, BarkBox sends a themed box of dog treats and toys every month. A one-month subscription is $35, six months is $26 per box and a year subscription evens out to $23 per box.

Get it from BarkBox starting at $23.
18
A monthly clean beauty box
For makeup and skin care lovers, Kinder Box will send five vegan, cruelty-free, clean products to your door every month, a $165 value. Month-to-month plans are $26 a box, three-month plans are $24 a month, and six-month plans are $23 a month. You. can skip a box at any time, and the six-month plan allows you to choose your box before it comes.

Get it from Kinder Beauty Box starting at $23.
19
A monthly tea box
If trying new flavors is your cup of tea, you have to sign up for Sips By. After making a membership, you can hand-select the four teas you want to try each month. Boxes are $16 per box.

Get it from Sips By starting at $16.
20
A club for knitters and crocheters
Tired of running to the craft store when you run out of yarn? KnitCrate sends luxury yarn, needles, hooks and patterns to your door. Pick between specialized "clubs" that fit your style and skill level, like Knit & Crochet Monthly Club for $29.99 a box, Sock Knit & Crochet Monthly Club for $24.99 a month or the Mrs. Crosby Travels the World Quarterly Club, for $69.99 every three months.

Get it from KnitCrate starting at $24.99.
21
A monthly kid's crate
From crafts to games to at-home science projects, KiwiCo delivers monthly kids crates for little ones of all ages. After signing up, choose what types of crates you want for your kiddo (cooking, engineering or animals, to name a few types) as well as their age. Month-to-month plans cost $31.95 per crate, six-month plans are $27.95 per crate, and annual plans are $25.95 per crate.

Get it from KiwiCo starting at $25.95.

Before You Go

Blue Bottle

The Best Coffee Monthly Subscription Services Of 2020

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN SHOPPING