With only a few days to go, the shops are manic, the postal dates have passed and hopefully you’ve still got fingernails after biting them down to see if THAT toy arrives before the big day. However, if you’re stuck for a last minute gift and you can’t face the Christmas crowds in town, don’t fear. Give them a gift that lasts the whole year (or at least a few months) from the comfort of your own sofa. Here’s 11 gift subscriptions that will keep them happy (and keep your sanity) this Christmas.
For Those Who Love To Watch
Disney Life
New to the UK and Ireland market this year, the Disney Life app has taken over in a big way. In our house, it’s been an absolute life saver. We had never gone for the whole Kids Channel package with our Sky subscription, and thanks to this app, we will never ever need to. It’s got everything, from the classic Disney movies, to the new releases, to shorts, to soundtracks and even books. The books even have a read-to-me option! If you’re looking for the gift that keeps on giving for parents, for kids or the whole family (or that Disney fan in your life), get them a subscription they’ll really use and go for the Disney Life subscription! You can get a 3 month subscription for €20, 6 months for €40 or a years for €80. Get it here, pick out a nice card and voila, Christmas made.
Netflix
For the more vast interest watcher, a Netflix subscription always goes down well. For a huge selection of movies, series and kids content that will keep everyone happy, you can’t go wrong. They’re after growing their home-grown content selection massively over the last year, and watchers of series like The Crown, House of Cards, ManHunt: UnAbomber and Stranger Things are being kept happy with new content. Got kids in the house? There’s a massive selection of educational and fun shows, alongside family favorite movies for Christmas. You can pick up gift cards in Game Stop, or set up a subscription for them on Netflix.com.
For The Whole Family
Fota Wildlife/Dublin Zoo
For the wildlife lover in your life, a membership to Cork’s Fota Wildlife Park or Dublin Zoo would be a brilliant gift they could enjoy throughout the year. Getting an annual pass for one or the other entitles you free entry to both, which is great for if you’re visiting elsewhere! The Fota Conservation Membership is €180 which covers up to Member + 3 adults, or Member + 2 adults + 2 kids, or Member + 1 adult + 4 kids or a member and six kids, whereas the Park membership is €120, perfect for smaller families (two adults, or one adult and two kids). It covers entrance to Dublin Zoo, and also one trip to Edinburgh Zoo, Highlands Wildlife Park & Belfast Zoo.
Organise it on their website and find out more information here.
Heritage Card
The Heritage Card provides for free admission to all fee-paying State managed OPW Heritage Sites located throughout the country for one year from the date of first use (with the exception of Muckross Traditional Farms, Killarney). While earlier this year, the OPW declared that entry to these sites would be free of charge for all kids under the age of 12, the rest of the family still have to pay in, so this present could give the gift of many days out over the year. Check out all of the sites involved here.
Here’s a look at how much the gift memberships cost:
Adult €40.00.
Senior €30.00 (60 years and over).
Eligible Student/Child €10.00 (Valid student ID required / Child (12-18 years).
Family €90.00 (Max. 2 adults & 5 eligible children aged from 12 to 18 years)
Tayto Park
Family Membership allows unlimited entry to Tayto Park for one year (subject to opening hours). The family membership card is valid for 12 months from date of purchase. This year they’ve added a Family Membership with Wristbands, which will allow the named members to avail of a wristband on each visit to the park. Family Memberships can only be purchased at the admissions office in Tayto Park, so they ask that if you’re looking for a gift membership, to purchase a gift voucher here to the value of the membership. Prices are detailed below:
Membership – Park Entry 2018
2 Person Membership €130
3 Person Membership €150
4 Person Membership €170
5 Person Membership €212
6 Person Membership €255
Membership – Park Entry & Wristbands 2018
2 Person Membership €230
3 Person Membership €300
4 Person Membership €370
5 Person Membership €462
6 Person Membership €555
For The Lady Who Loves To Be Pampered
GlossyBox
A gift for all beauty lovers, delivering a monthly edit of 5 must-have beauty products every month. Perfectly packaged in a signature box, the expert team at GLOSSYBOX curates every beauty box, vetting each brand to the highest quality standards and ensuring every product selection is the must-have beauty product. It’s a favorite of lots of beauty bloggers, you can pick up a gift subscription here.
BirchBox
The little sister to Glossybox, but packing as much of a punch, Birchbox is another excellent option for the beauty mad lady in your life this Christmas. Similar to Glossybox, each month the recipient gets five products. Every month, the recipient chooses an element of their Birchbox, such as a product or the box design. By telling them about their Beauty Profile (in account), this helps them select products they think the recipient would love to try. Get your gift voucher here.
For That Something Just A Bit Different
Irish Socksciety
Justin Trudeaux and Leo Varadkar have been flaunting their sock game over the last few months, and it’s definitely something which is taking off more and more. For the funky sock lover in your life, head on over to the Irish Sockciety for a subscription – even as a gag gift, it’s definitely one they’ll make use of. Subscriptions start from €9 for 1 month to €90 for a 12 month, with 3 and 6 month options in between at €27 and €45 respectively. You can also organize personalized options – choose socks that will reflect their personality and likes and dislikes. Head over to the Irish Sockciety to find out more.
Papergang
For stationery fiends, look no further than Papergang for a subscription that will have them squeeing with delight. Yes, squeeing. They’re a UK company, so prices are in Sterling and delivery is £3.95 per month. From a one month subscription of £10.95 (with, including £3.95 postage comes to just under €17, to three months for £27.95 (incl postage is €45) to 6 months for £54.75 (incl postage €88) or a full year for £109.50 (€176 when you count in the postage), it’s definitely an investment but may just put a smile on the papyrophile in your life’s face.
Something A Bit More Appetising
For the chocolate lover in your life, send them chocolate on a regular basis with these gorgeous subscription boxes from Cork’s own Clonakilty Chocolate! They’ve got three options, starting from €55 for a 3 month subscription of four bars each month, €120 for 6 months of four bars being delivered and €180 of 6 months of 4 bars PLUS a seasonal box of chocolates each month. Definitely not the cheapest option, but for the gift they’ll devour (literally), it’s a lovely idea.
3FE Coffee
This is one for the coffee connoisseur in your life. Every month, 3FE will send a different coffee and post it directly to their door for them to brew at home. According to their website: “You’ll get an opportunity to sample some of the best coffees from all over the world as they come into season. It’s also an excellent way to learn about different coffees and what to expect from the various growing regions. We believe the subscription should be a treat, the coffee will come with a newsletter of information to your email address that highlights the coffee and its origin.”
Coffee will be roasted and shipped on the last Wednesday of every month. Available to Irish customers only. All coffees are shipped as whole bean for optimal freshness.
The membership is €65 for 6 months, or €125 for a year, which is pretty decent value when you consider that a cup of coffee out is at least €2.50, so a six month subscription is really just 26 coffees worth…. just sayin’. Get your subscription here.
So, there you have it. For the last minute gift, a subscription may save your bacon and make their year! I hope these 11 ideas have sparked your interest and will make it a very Merry Christmas!
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