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Looking for the secret to the perfect last minute gift for every “hard to buy for” person on your list? Subscription Boxes!
While the fact that they don’t arrive until a month or two AFTER the holidays may seem like a problem, consider for a moment why that actually makes them awesome. The holidays create a gift deluge crammed into a single day or week of sharing the love. Subscription boxes remind your loved one you’re thinking of them each month for however long you subscribe them – whether it’s for one, three, six months or more. Every time that box arrives in the mail they’ll remember how much you care.

And the fact that there are about a million different subscription boxes out there these days, you can definitely find one that aligns to any interest and price point.

A few tips:

  1. Make sure to buy these through the site’s gift option so it doesn’t auto-renew on your credit card
  2. Print a picture of the box, or website, and wrap that up to have something to give them immediately.

Here are some of our 2020 favorites:

Universal Yums sends you a box of snacks from around the world featuring a different country each month.

In the video above we have the “Yum Yum” Italy box (mid size), but you can choose from three different box sizes. Prices range from $14 to $40 per box depending on size and how many months you buy.

This feels so perfect for this year when we all wish we could get out and travel but can’t. Universal Yums brings a taste of the experience to you!

Each box includes:

  • A variety of sweet & salty snacks.
  • A 12+ page booklet guides your adventure with trivia, recipes, and other surprises.
  • A fun way to introduce your kids foods from around the world without actually leaving your house.

You can give boxes as a gift for either 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. Bonus: boxes include free shipping (many subscription boxes charge separately for shipping).

I can’t talk subscription boxes without giving a shout out to my favorite way to encourage a love of reading: Owl Crate and Owl Crate Jr.

Boxes start at around $30 + shipping, with discounts when buying 3+ months. You can also purchase prior month boxes through their online shop.

Owl Crate Jr. is geared toward younger readers, around ages 8 to 12. Owl Crate is for young adult to adult readers with novels aligned with the “YA” (Young Adult) reading genre.

Boxes include:

  • A brand-new hardcover book
  • Letter from the author,
  • Cool themed activity or game OR additional book
  • 3-5 unique and usable items built around that month’s book

When a gift can also encourage a lifelong love of books and reading? I’m in.

Finally, we didn’t find a box that sums up 2020 better than SmartA$$ & Sass.

For your girlfriends, fellow moms, exhausted females in your life (AKA all of us), this monthly box sends a collection of super cute and fun snarky items.

WARNING: many items include profanity.

Each box includes 5-7 handpicked items. Not only are items adorably sarcastic and snarky, they also champion products made by artists & small businesses. Bonus: they pay fair prices for items (some boxes procure at deep discounts in exchange for exposure).

They offer three subscription options:
Shirt-only subscription: $16/mo
Product Box: $35/mo
Product box + shirt: $50/mo

The biggest challenge for subscription boxes is the cost. At $30 or more per box, gifting several months can add up quickly. So we tracked down some fun inexpensive options for the beauty lover on your list:

EarFleek costs only $3.50/mo (yep, you read that right – less than $4 per month!!) and they send you a pair of earrings each month. Choose from 4 different style preferences or you can opt to mix & match. Earrings are all hypoallergenic.

Ipsy Glam Box costs only $12/mo and includes 5 sample size beauty products in a super cute makeup bag.

Facetory 4-Ever Fresh Subscription costs just $8.90/mo and sends your loved one a set of four, super-trendy, specialty sheet face masks. So they can pamper their face every week!

Happy gifting, from our Nerdy family to yours!

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