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Box Tales

gift box with string tying it together and a tag hanging from where the strings connect

In seeing the proliferation of book boxes that are available online and in sharing about The Baby-Sitters Collectors Club subscription that I had as a child on Instagram, it made me wonder if some of the popularity of these boxes may be harkening back to childhood when we used to receive letters and packages from pen pals. You know, the items other than bills and the junk mail that seems to be so prevalent now. Even after a while, the packages that arrive from online shopping tend to be associated with stress (at least for me), where I am wondering if anything has been damaged inside, whether it'll arrive in time, or any other thoughts that I definitely didn't have when this service wasn't as readily available.

Part of it is that I wonder if I've become so blasé about receiving things that the joy and wonder have been taken out. At the end of the day, there really isn't much mystery involved when I know that I'm receiving a certain something, and I—unfortunately—act with more expectation than I do with gratitude. Thinking back a few decades, I remember how marvelous it felt to receive my first books in the mail; now, it feels like such a commonplace occurrence that I usually think about how deliveries affect my schedule instead of what I'm actually getting. This makes me thankful that the act of unboxing is alive and well, where it is such a nice experience to see others' excitement rubbing off on others.

I've also been pondering the element of surprise and whether that influences the amount of anticipation we have in opening such packages. It's probably for this reason that I've been tempted to sign up for a book box subscription, mostly for the sheer delight of feeling like others are picking out gifts for me. At the same time, this has likely kept me from signing up as I fear that I'll receive something I won't want or something I already have. I've probably flip-flopped on this where on the one hand, it would be nice to know what I'm getting so that I can prepare for it. On the other, there's something to be said about not having a clue about anything when opening up a package.

With that in mind, I have been considering what would entice me to sign up for a book box subscription (providing that shipping to Canada isn't so outrageous that it's the same cost as the subscription!). I'd probably want to enjoy the following things:

  • Curated or vetted Christian books
  • If it's fictional, the option to omit genres that I wouldn't read
  • If it's non-fictional, the option to omit certain topics or authors
  • Book paraphernalia that is useful (although I do already have a lot of bookmarks 😄)
  • The option to skip a month or two
  • The option to pick themed book boxes where everything in the box is connected to each other (there are some immersive options that I've seen!), such as for the holidays or if the book is about a particular topic
  • Products that support local businesses rather than mass-produced items
  • If food is involved, a way to avoid allergens
  • Fun and simple things, like handwritten notes, behind the scenes information, and more - nothing too expensive or difficult to procure
I didn't think I'd be that picky, but I suppose I am based on this list 😂 I'm also the type where I prefer to get books on sale where possible, so I have to admit that the overall price of these subscriptions has also kept me away. It's still something I'd consider under the right circumstances, especially if I know that I'm helping a small business, but it might be a while yet—we shall see!

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