Mail clubs as a Christmas gift

Christmas is the strongest case for a subscription of any kind, for an unsentimental reason: the marginal joy of the ninth present on Christmas morning is close to zero, and the marginal joy of an envelope in the middle of a wet February is enormous. A mail club moves the gift to when it is worth more.

It is also the hardest gift to wrap, which is the practical problem worth solving before you buy.

What actually goes under the tree

You have three options and they are meaningfully different. Some clubs provide a printable or posted gift card, which is the tidiest answer. Where a club does not, people usually print the confirmation and put it in a card, which works fine for a child old enough to read it. The third option — and the best one if the timing allows — is to order early enough that the first envelope has already arrived, and wrap that. A real object with their name on it beats a printout by a distance for a child under about seven.

Ordering in time

Most clubs here ship on a set day each month rather than on demand, so "order by the 20th" is not a rule you can assume. If you want the first envelope in hand before the 25th, work back from the club's own shipping day and add postal time — and in December, add more than you think. Every listing links to the club's site; their cut-off will be stated there and it is the only one worth trusting.

Length, and the January problem

Three months is the most common Christmas choice and it is a sound one: it carries the child through the flattest part of the year and ends without anybody having to cancel anything. Twelve months costs less per envelope on most of these clubs but rolls into a decision somebody has to make next December. If you are buying for another family's child, the shorter fixed term is usually the more considerate gift.

Gift options, cards and start dates vary club by club and we do not track them here. Check on the club's own site before ordering.

Common questions

Can I wrap a mail subscription?

Not the subscription itself. Either use whatever gift card the club provides, print the confirmation into a card, or order early enough that the first envelope has arrived and wrap that. The last option works best for younger children.

When do I need to order by for Christmas?

It depends on the club — most ship on a set day each month rather than on demand, so work back from their shipping day and add December postal time. Each listing links to the club’s own site, where the cut-off will be stated.

How many months should I give?

Three is the most common choice and it carries a child through January and February, which is when it is worth most. Longer terms usually cost less per envelope but roll into a renewal somebody has to deal with.