Subscription Gift Boxes

Good morning! I hope it is less dreary wherever you are. I’m gearing up for a day filled with studying for my last final + a pedicure + a trip to the post office + a workout. I wonder which will take priority? 😉

I’ve also included for you a round up of my favorite subscription gift boxes based on my own experience. But first let’s cover breakfast, shall we?

BREAKFAST

My stomach was a little off this morning, so breakfast didn’t happen until about 9:30 a.m. I cut up a honeycrisp apple and peeled a clementine. I’ll likely grab something else in a little while, but fruit was all I was feeling for now.

On to the exciting part of this post!

FAVORITE SUBSCRIPTION GIFT BOXES

 

This has been the year of subscription boxes for me. Last Christmas, the family I nannied for gifted me with a 6-month subscription to Birchbox. As a beauty junkie, I loved my Birchbox and looked forward to seeing it in my mailbox every month. I fell in love with some of the products and still use them now, a year later.

Since then, subscription boxes have been my go-to gift for the special people in my life. They are unique, thoughtful and there is a box for everyone on your list. Finding the perfect gift for someone is one of my favorite tasks in life. For the most part, I always look for something that I would be excited to receive, and that I know the person wouldn’t buy for his/herself. I truly think this is the KEY to gift giving!

• Birchbox – obviously, I’d be including Birchbox in this round up. As far as I know, it was the first personal care subscription box and people love it. My favorite part each month was receiving beauty products that I’d never heard of and couldn’t find in the drugstore. I gifted a 6-month subscription to my mom for her birthday in October, and she sends me a picture of her box each month!

• Love with Food – the perfect box for the healthy foodie in your life. Each month, the recipient opens a curated box of natural or organic snacks tailored to his/her taste. For every snack box gifted, you are donating a meal to a hungry child in the U.S. It’s a win-win! I purchased a Love with Food subscription for my sister-in-law’s birthday a few months ago. She recently texted me this photo and said that the snacks were so good that she’d have to hide them from her husband (my brother!)

• BarkBox – your pup will enjoy “anything from toys, bones and all-natural treats to hygiene products and innovative new gadgets.” Ok, I’ve never given this one, but am just waiting for the right opportunity. I think it would make the perfect gift for someone with a new puppy. Kind of like a housewarming gift for the new addition 🙂

Buzz Feed recently published a list of twenty fantastic subscription boxes everyone needs in their lives.

1. Graze

2. Birchbox

3. Conscious Box

4. The Cravory

5. BarkBox

6. Julep Maven

7. Love with Food

8. Whimseybox

9. Club W

10. Citrus Lane

11. Bulu Box

12. BroBox

13. Tea Sparrow

14. Taste Trunk

15. Escape Monthly

16. Quince and Apple Cocktail Box

17. Dollar Shave Club

18. Green Kids Craft

19. Pop Sugar Must Have Box

20. MistoBox

If you need an idea for how to actually gift the box to the receiver, I created this flyer in PowerPoint and wrapped it like a regular present when I gave my mom BirchBox in October.

Questions for you:

• Have you ever gifted a subscription box?
• Which one from the above list do you want in your stocking? <– I’d love Graze or the PopSugar box!

xo,

Lizzie

Sunday Snaps

xo,

Lizzie

No Sugar + Sweat Everyday Challenge: Halfway There

Hey hey!

Hope your morning is off to a good start. In about five hours, it will be the official halfway point of my 7-Day No Added Sugar + Sweat Everyday Challenge. I thought I’d provide you with an update in case you’re interested into what the first few days have been like.

 

• HOLY headaches! I’m not someone that’s typically prone to headaches, so this has been quite the surprise. They usually start around 3 p.m. and pretty much don’t go away. I also don’t remember suffering from headaches the last time I cut sugar over the summer. Remind me to never do drugs because I can’t imagine what that withdrawal feels like haha.

• Fruit tastes SO good. I’ve always been a big fruit eater, but it’s amazing how different grapes can taste when they’re the only sweet thing you’re consuming. I always thought “nature’s candy” was a silly term, but I get it now. Even my gummy vitamins tasted like candy.

 

• Cravings weren’t too bad until day 3. Yesterday was the worst in terms of wanting everything sweet. I was okay between breakfast and lunch, but then I needed something…anything. I may have cheated a teeny bit and had a handful of Kashi Heart-to-Heart cereal. I know the first three days are supposed to be the worst, so hopefully today goes better.

• I’ve been sleeping really well! I’ve been falling asleep much quicker this week and had a very vivid dream last night. I still wake up semi-lethargic, but I know it only gets better from here.

• I actually like sweating everyday. Don’t get me wrong, after a long day of classes yesterday I didn’t really feel like doing much of anything. But I committed to this challenge, so I dragged my butt down there and cranked out an easy cardio session. That saying about “nobody regrets a workout” is so true. I’ll be on campus from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. today, so fitting in exercise will be a challenge. I’m writing this in advance (Wednesday night!), so hopefully I wake up in the morning for a planned treadmill workout.

I’ll be sure to post a full recap when the challenge ends next week.

Questions of the day:

• Have any natural remedies for headaches? Advil barely helps!
• What’s your favorite fruit?

XO,
Lizzie