I start buying Christmas presents embarrassingly early—partially because I often find so many great things while I’m searching for items for our gift guides that I can’t resist. But even with all of the preparation, there is always someone I end up needing a last-minute gift for. One moment that stands out to me in particular is the year I realized—while driving up to Mill Valley on Christmas Eve—that my friend would be joining us the next day. I’m pretty sure I stopped at a store on the way and grabbed the first thing I thought she’d like, which wasn’t quite as bad as arriving empty-handed to Christmas morning, but still wasn’t ideal.
Since that moment, I’ve discovered a last-minute present that can be purchased with as little as an hour to spare and still be as thoughtful as a gift you bought months in advance: subscriptions. The key to gifting a subscription for someone, like a Wine of the Month, is that it you don’t just hand them the subscription notice, which can feel a little too reminiscent of when you’d give your mom a coupon for “Free hugs for a year.” Instead, add a card and gift it with something tangible of the theme. For example, gift a “Coffee of the Month” with a bag of beans, or a “Cheese of the Month” with an irresistible cream blend. It requires minimal effort, since you’ll be able to find most on-theme accompaniments at grocery stores or even gas stations (like a pint of ice cream for “Ice Cream of the Month,” as long as you’re seeing them within the hour). Here are some of my favorite subscriptions and what I gift them with:
1. Murray’s Cheese of the Month Club ($275 for 4 months) + cheese or marble cheese board (if you’re able to secure one)
2. Olive Oil Subscription ($375 for the year) + baguette
3. Coffee of the Month ($78 for 3 months) + bag of beans
4. Candy of the Month Club ($240 for the year) + bag of their favorite candy
5. Book of the Month ($45 for 3 months) + your favorite book
6. Seasonal Wreath Subscription ($250 for the year) + bouquet of flowers
7. Jeni’s Pint Club ($200 for the year) + pint of ice cream or scoop
8. Cherry Bombe Magazine Subscription ($30 for the year) + an issue of the magazine
9. Tea of the Month Subscription ($19 per month) + mug
10. Birchbox Beauty Boxes of the Month ($30 for 3 months) + cute makeup bag
11. Wellness Box Subscription ($50 for seasonal subscription) + stack of magazines
12. Cookie of the Month Club ($81 for 6 months) + cookie jar
