Valentine’s Day can be a difficult one to navigate – some people don’t want to go too grandiose, but equally you probably want to avoid just going out and panic-buying a teddy.
Subscription boxes offer a great alternative for those looking for a more personalised gift. You can get them for pretty much any product these days – from cheese to chocolate, makeup to beard oil and flowers to books.
Here’s our pick of the best ones to buy.
Beautiful Bunch
Bloom & Wild craft some truly beautiful floral arrangements and, as if that isn’t enough to pique your interest, plenty of their bouquets come in a shallow, rectangular box which squeezes right through the letterbox.
You can buy flowers regularly through a subscription service so the romance isn’t just limited to 14 February. Prices start at just £18 per bouquet, including free delivery, and you can choose how long you send them for.
Check out the subscription options here.
Say Cheese!
The Cheese Shed offers various cheese subscriptions to tailor to all tastes and needs: whether you’re pregnant, vegetarian or have an aversion to goat’s cheese. The cheapest box contains three types of cheese (roughly 600g) which is delivered monthly for £23.49, including delivery.
Check out the subscription options here.
Sock-cess
Socks might not be the most romantic of gifts but they are incredibly useful – and it’s not something you tend to want to splash your own cash on. This sock subscription from Swole Panda sends out one pair of luxury socks each month for a tenner. Or if you fancy subscribing for a year you get one month free.
Each pair is knitted from a unique bamboo blend and they come with a reinforced heel and toe, as well as hand linked seams for added comfort.
Check out the subscription options here.
Eco Treat
There’s even a subscription box for those who are mindful about their impact on the environment. Authentic House sends a monthly box to subscribers, filled with surprises. Items are “simple and useful”, so things like wooden toothbrushes, shampoo bars pot brushes and essential oils.
Each box contains two to three items from two ethical businesses in the UK. You can also get vegan-friendly boxes and there’s a huge focus on reducing plastic waste. It costs £18 a month and postage is included.
Check out the subscription options here.
Top ’tache
If your other half is sporting a beard to be proud of, why not help them kickstart a beauty regime? Toppbox’s subscription service sends out 4-5 premium grooming and skincare products each month, to help them discover which products they love. You can opt for a monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly subscription – all for £19 per month (and £3.35 for postage).
Check out the subscription options here.
Empowered Read
Books That Matter is a monthly subscription service gifting books that empower and inspire women. Once a month it sends out at least one piece of literature with themes of gender, race, culture, class, ethnicity, ability, sexuality, politics, or history, as well as at least two gifts by independent female-identifying or non-binary artists. A month’s subscription for £12 – postage is extra.
Check out the subscription options here.
Choc O’Clock
The ultimate gift for a sweet tooth, Green & Blacks has an array of chocolate subscription boxes on offer - including dark chocolate boxes, milk chocolate boxes, Velvet Edition chocolate, organic chocolate and a random assortment of chocolate. Whichever option you choose, two Green & Black’s chocolate bars will be sent out six times a year for £36 (excluding postage).
Check out the subscription options here.
Bagged Beauty
With Birchbox, lucky recipients receive a minimum of five beauty products a month. It costs £30 for a three month subscription and £110 for a year (excluding delivery). Once the recipient has received their first box they’ll be able to complete a Beauty Profile so future boxes can be tailored to their preferences. Winning.
Check out the subscription options here.
Self-Care Super Hero
The Blurt Foundation’s BuddyBox is designed to give people a pick-me-up. The contents vary from month to month and remain a secret as “the surprise is very much part of the experience”. What we do know is that each box contains at least five full-size quality products hand-picked to nourish, inspire and encourage self-care. A subscription costs £21.50 a month.
Check out the subscription options here.
Pen Pals
Honeytree Post sends stationery-lovers seven items each month with a retail value of £30 or more. Each box contains four greetings cards plus a mixture of writing paper, postcards, notecards, gift tags, prints and stickers. You can commit to a three-month subscription for £13.50 a month. Postage and packaging is £1 extra.
Check out the subscription options here.