Are You in Gift Panic Yet? May We Recommend the Vegan Box?

If you’re anything like us, you’re behind on everything, including your gift selections. No biggie, right? We still have, what, 3 nights of Hanukkah left? And, oh, a full week and a half until Christmas?
Sweet Jesus! Or should we say, “Oy?”
The idea of sending a box, each month, to those you love (not to mention those you are obligated to send gifts to) is our newest obsession. It takes the brainpower out of shopping, which is perfect for us, since our idea of buying things usually involves the clearance rack at the local thrift store (a noble act that, admittedly, not everybody appreciates come December 25).
The Conscious Box is one way of scratching that vegan gift box itch (c’mon — we all have one). It’s “a monthly delivery of pure and sustainable products that are handpicked from businesses that care for the planet — just like you.” Well, apparently not all the businesses they use care that much for the planet, since not all the boxes are vegan. But there is indeed an all-vegan-all-the-time box, which is full to bursting with only cruelty-free goodies. Each month, you or the gift recipient gets a surprise box full of a variety of vegan products — from soaps to snacks — all for $19.95 a month (shipping is free). (UPDATE: WE HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS TELLING US THAT BASED ON PHOTOS SHE SAW OF FEATURED ITEMS ON THEIR WEBSITE, THE “VEGAN” BOX THAT THE CONSCIOUS BOX OFFERS SEEMS TO HAVE SOME PRODUCTS WITH BEESWAX IN THEM. WTF? WE IMMEDIATELY WROTE TO THE FOLKS AT THE CONSCIOUS BOX TO SEE IF THAT WAS INDEED TRUE, AND HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK. WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED. IN THE MEAN TIME, READ ON, AND PATRONIZE THE GOOD PEOPLE AT VEGAN CUTS.)
Or you could patronize Vegan Cuts with their nifty and tempting “Snack Box.” Similar idea, but you save ninety-five cents. For $19 a month (again, free shipping — and the price per box gets markedly cheaper if you commit to a three or six month subscription plan), you get a box delivered right to the door, with 5 to 8 vegan products “ranging from sweet treats to household fun stuff.”
Would it be tactless to say that we desperately want this? We’ve been good little hens! Hanu-claus, are you listening?
Let us go out on a limb here and say that giving this gift is sort of like activism-in-a-box! OK, yes, that’s a slight exaggeration. But wait, maybe it’s not…. By gifting this, you’re introducing people to all of these wonderful vegan products. This is especially true if you give it to someone who might not be vegan (yet), but has expressed interest. You’re also supporting vegan companies (and we’d imagine many of them would be start-ups). By giving these boxes, you’re not only voting with your dollars, but you’re giving the gift of vegan samples. It’s like a personal VegFest, just for your sweet Aunt Ida — whom you love even though she knits you those ridiculous Santa sweaters each year (by the way, we’ve seen those sweaters on the clearance rack at the thrift store). Put your vegan nudging in a box, tie it with a bow, and Merry Christmas, you’ve bred and birthed a little compassion.