On the theme of Mother's Day Every Day, I think the idea of sending a subscription box gift is quite perfect. I mean, if we're being honest, Mother's Day really should be celebrated once a month. Once a year just isn't enough given all the hard work we mothers do! Which is why a subscription box is so awesome. Once a month (or once every second month) you go to your mailbox and instead of finding bills (depressing!) or flyers (annoying!) you find a present chosen and packaged just for you.
These subscription box gifts are also great for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, new babies, or anything else that requires you to give a gift. There's nothing like a gift that keeps on giving!
For the stylish mom (or the mom who wants more style in her life): Wantable
In March, I was given the opportunity to try out Wantable—a gift box service that provides hand-picked boutique makeup, accessories, and intimates in the form of a monthly subscription box. Wantable is new to the Canadian market, and they were hoping I'd "try out" the service and let them know what I thought. I was more than happy to oblige. The way Wantable works is you choose a category—accessories, intimates, or makeup—and then answer a series of questions in the form of an online quiz to help the team behind the scenes understand your style preferences.
Here is an example of one of the quiz questions:
If you're sending Wantable as a gift, the recipient of your gift will get an e-card telling them what they've been gifted and then they'll have the opportunity to respond to the quiz themselves to ensure the gift is chosen based on their personal taste/preferences/style. Pretty awesome, right?
I had so much fun filling out the quiz. It was like reading through a fashion magazine and getting to provide instant feedback on what I saw. Once you've finished the quiz, your gift box is hand-selected based on your preferences. The subscription is $36/month or you can purchase a single box for $40 (note: in Canada, additional shipping and taxes apply). One thing I'd want to know if I was ordering this subscription for myself, or if say my husband was ordering it for me for Mother's Day (*hint hint), would be, what if you don't like what comes in the box or what if you want to stop the subscription or skip a month? According to the folks at Wantable, you can skip, return, or cancel at any time.
For my box, I chose accessories, because I love jewellery and scarves and am always looking for affordable pieces to spice up my outfits. I try to use natural cosmetics and don't use much makeup...so that one wasn't as appealing to me. And, as far as "intimates" go...well, I have two kids under four, and by the time I go to bed at night all I want to wear is flannel PJ pants and a baggy t-shirt.
So, I filled out the survey and waited. I kept checking the mailbox, anxious for my present to arrive.
It seems as though whatever algorithm Wantable used to pair my preferences with a gift was pretty bang on. The company calls it: it’s "a combination of talented curators and cool technology." Inside the box I found a pair of really nice silver earrings that I wear all the time, a beautiful necklace that I've worn once, but keep dreaming of having something "fancy" to go to so I can wear it again, and a peach scarf that's quite pretty...I just have to find something to wear it with. All in all, I was really happy with this gift and was definitely left wanting more!
For the new mom who is eager to try new products: LittleEcoFootprint
LittleEcoFootprint is a Canadian company started by a mom named Kristy. This gift service is meant for moms and children ages newborn to three years. Each gift box is customized based on the age, stage, and gender of the child. While this subscription might be more of a gift for baby than for mom, each box is filled with really useful, natural, products that mom can feel good about! While this could be a Mother's Day gift, I'd lean toward giving it as a gift to celebrate a new baby. It helps moms access products that are safe, eco-friendly, and mom-approved, taking out a lot of the guess work that's required when you're standing in front of a shelf full of products trying to decide what to buy. LittleEcoFootprint boxes are delivered six times a year (one every other month) in April, June, August, October, December, and February. You can subscribe or make a one-time purchase. Each box is filled with toys, accessories, bath and body products, and other things mom and baby will love. The cost is $36 per month + shipping and taxes.
Here's what my LittleEcoFootprint box looked like:
Nestled in the back is a bottle of Ella's botanicals Bubblemania, a lavender body wash and bubble bath that my kids both love. What's awesome about this service is that it not only provides new moms with a fun gift, it also introduces them to brands they may not otherwise have known about. I had never heard of Ella's botanicals before, but given we've almost used up the whole bottle of bath soap, I'll likely be shopping for it soon!
There are many other subscription boxes that make awesome gifts. Some other ones that I'd love to try out or have heard good things about include:
Tell me, have you ever received a subscription box as a gift? If so, did you like it?
Check out The Loveliest Mother's Day Gifts...Under $50, and these 10 Unique Mother's Day Gifts for the unique mom who has no desire for flowers, chocolates, or diamonds.
Printer-friendly version