Letterbox gifts: Thoughtful presents you can send to friends and family through the post
From cocktails to beauty, there’s something for every lucky recipient
(The Independent)With the ongoing third national lockdown coinciding with the bleak midwinter, we all know someone who could do with a pick-me-up, whether that’s a friend who’s doing their best to homeschool their children, or a family member having to shield at home alone.
There has never been a better time to reach out to our loved ones, and sending some cheer through the letterbox is a great, socially distanced way to let someone know you’re thinking of them while the shops are closed.
A letterbox gift does exactly what it says on the tin – it's a thoughtful present that can be ordered, wrapped and posted through the recipients front door in just a few simple clicks. Many letterbox gift retailers also give you the option to add a personalised message, for an extra special touch.
They’re also very convenient and, because the gift doesn’t require the recipient to be in or open the door, you don’t need to warn them beforehand, making it a wonderful surprise.
Whether it’s someone’s birthday, anniversary or you simply want to brighten their day, there’s a letterbox gift to suit everyone, from chocoholics to bookworms and beauty buffs.
To help you find the perfect gift, we’ve rounded up the best flowers, meal kits, sweet treats and more to send in 2021.
You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections, which are formed from real-world testing and expert advice. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.
Flowers
Flowers are the perfect way to let someone know you’re thinking of them and now, thanks to a boom in letterbox versions, you can do so with contactless delivery.
In our round-up of the best letterbox flowers, Bloom & Wild’s bright bouquets (from £23, Bloom & Wild) were crowned best buy, with our reviewer praising the brand for its helpful arranging guide, the longevity of the blooms and the fact two packets of flower food are included. “Ours smelled amazing throughout the two weeks it bloomed for, with the peonies blossoming after a couple of days in the vase,” they said. We also love the fact that you can choose to add on a box of fancy Charbonnel et Walker truffles.
Alternatively, if your loved one is a fan of the current trend for dried flowers, try this DIY gift box (£35, Flouresse), which featured in our round-up of the best dried blooms. Our reviewer highlighted the rainbow version as their favourite, which features flowers, foliage and grasses alongside a pink envelope containing twine and colourful ribbon. The boxes, which also come in pinks and neutrals, are designed for people to get creative and make their own dried flower arrangement at home, but if you’d prefer a ready-made dry bouquet, there are plenty of those to choose from too.
Food
If your recipient is a foodie, we suggest treating them to a high-quality meal kit while restaurants are closed.
There are plenty of options to choose from but our favourite is Italian food delivery service Pasta Evangelists (from £6.50, Pasta Evangelists), which offers new recipes each week that include beef tortellini with sage butter, vegan orecchiette with pesto and a barolo wine ragu.
Taking the top spot in our round-up of the best recipe boxes, Pasta Evangelists gives you the option of a one-off delivery or a weekly subscription of fresh pasta meal kits. To make the experience really special, we suggest buying yourself a kit too and cooking together over Zoom. Now you just need dessert.
Whether it’s a special occasion or just because, nothing says I love you like gooey brownies, pretty iced biscuits and good, old fashioned sponge cake. The good news is you can get those in letterbox form too.
In our round-up of the best cakes and biscuits you can send through the post, this surprise box of brownies won the top spot (£17, Cake or Death). Made by Dalston-based vegan bakery Cake or Death, the box of six includes a selection of different flavours – our reviewer said sea salt was their favourite – and comes with a gift card so that you can add a personalised message.
If biscuits are more their thing, head over to Biscuiteers where you’ll find a range of adorable iced treats (from £6, Biscuiteers), from a gingerbread gran to Little Miss Hug and a trio of duvet-day inspired biccies. The brand even does a heart-shaped biscuit that you can personalise with your own message and optional treats like tea, cocktails and a bottle of mini prosecco.
Cocktails
If your pal misses perching at the bar while sipping on their favourite tipple, make like a mixologist and send them a readymade box of cocktails.
Fans of the classic negroni will be pleased to hear that you can now get one delivered straight to your door. Featuring in our round-up of the best letterbox cocktails, this send a negroni box (£10, Send a Negroni) comes with one serving of the Italian beverage as well as a personalised postcard. There are two options to choose from: the classic cocktail, which features Porter’s modern classic gin, bitters and Baldoria Rosso vermouth, and the tropical, which uses Porter’s tropical old Tom.
Do you have a gin connoisseur on your hands? Head over to Letterbox Gifts and order one of these sets (£38, Letterbox Gifts) that provides the ingredients for a very fancy G&T indeed: two 50ml varieties of British Salcombe gin plus a tin of dried rose petals and pink peppercorn to decorate and infuse your cocktail with – just add your favourite tonic.
The retailer also sells a host of non-cocktail based boxes including its award-winning letterbox wines that come in special 750ml flat bottles housing sauvignon blanc, tempranillo or rosé.
Books
Every bookworm’s dream come true, a book subscription will give your recipient access to new titles each month, with something to suit all literary tastes.
In our round-up of the best ones, it was Books That Matter (£17 per month, Books That Matter) that stole the top spot. Described as a “good value feminist subscription box” by our reviewer, each box has a theme, centred around an acclaimed book written by a woman or non-binary author. It also contains at least three gifts made by independent women makers and access to an online book club. You can choose between three, six and 12-month subscriptions, or there’s a one-off option too.
We also love the sound of Books + Beer (£13.50, Books + Beer) which allows you to choose between a crime and non-fiction book each month, with every delivery including two cans or bottles of craft beer from up-and-coming breweries, along with tasting notes and recipe suggestions. The books are always new releases and 50p from every box is donated to men’s mental health charity Calm. Choose from one, three, six and 12-month subscriptions.
Beauty
Buying for a beauty buff? Then we suggest giving them the gift of self-care with a subscription box that will encourage them to treat themselves to a lockdown pamper session.
The Glossybox beauty subscription box (from £8.50 a month, Glossybox) featured in our round-up of the best ones and was highlighted for its tailored approach. Your giftee is sent an email so they can create a beauty profile to ensure the products sent are specific to them, and the boxes also come with helpful description cards explaining how best to apply each product. You can unsubscribe at any time, so you can send choose to send it as a one-off, or keep the subscription rolling as an extra special treat.
Elsewhere, perfume lovers will fall head over heels for this fragrance subscription, which is a fun way to try and test scents without having to commit to buying full-size bottles. Our reviewer particularly loved the luxury layering discovery box (£15, The Perfume Society), which encourages you to layer fragrances. It includes a variety of testers from brands like Huda Beauty’s Kayali, as well as body lotions and body washes. You can also get boxes designed for men too.
For more gifting inspiration, read our guide to the best women’s jewellery shops and our round-up of the best champagnes
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