Seven great gift subscriptions

For musos: LPs through the letterbox

What do Erykah Badu, Donald Byrd and Beach House have in common? They’ve all featured in Vinyl Me, Please’s gift membership. Each month, subscribers receive an exclusively pressed LP – genre dependent on whether you’ve chosen the Essentials, Classics or Hip-Hop package – and an original 12” x 12” art print inspired by the album. Pernickety musos can also swap their record if they’re not happy with it. International shipping is available. From $149 for three months; vinylmeplease.com

For techies: a gadgetry voyage

Technically, you should be checking in with Jonathan Margolis for ideas… But the Gadget Discovery Club offers subscribers in the UK, the US and Canada a monthly delivery of a state-of-the-art device. Drops are kept strictly under wraps so as not to “spoil the discovery experience”, but partnered brands include Samsung, Smoovii and Google Home, and gifts could be anything from music tech to a smartphone accessory. From £24.99 per month; gadgetdiscoveryclub.com

For gourmets: olive oil and sunshine

Consciously pressed in California – meaning no fillers or artificial preservatives – Brightland’s oils and vinegars contain ingredients sourced from family-run farms on the state’s Central Coast. As of October, the brand has been offering its Duo Gift Subscription: a quarterly delivery of its bestselling Alive and Awake extra-virgin olive oils – one for “active days” and the other for “cosy nights”. Delivery is only available in the US, but plans are afoot to expand its reach. $260 for a year; brightland.co

For him: boxers in a box

How often should men refresh their underwear drawer? Most experts say every six to 12 months. A subscription from CDLP might make the task more tempting. The Swedish brand has designed luxury essentials since 2016, and now offers guys across the world a top-up of socks, boxer shorts and briefs sent to their door every three months. Products are made using eco-friendly wood pulp, which requires less water and chemicals to manufacture than cotton. From £59 for three months; cdlp.com

For style setters: single-varietal bouquets

While many florists only offer monthly deliveries, Flowerbx provides the option of weekly and biweekly drops. Choose between Classic, Hydrangea, Rose and Premium subscription plans – the latter of which promises “the most exotic varieties available” – with each sourced directly from its grower. A standard subscription size is five stems, with the option to bump up to 10 for an extra £20. Delivery is available to the UK, EU and New York. From £45 per delivery; flowerbx.com

For eco thinkers: sustainable sustenance

More than 125,000 tonnes of festive plastic is thrown out in the UK each year – much of which ends up in our oceans. Cardiff-based enterprise Authentic House has devised a way of gifting greenly with its eco-friendly box subscription. Available across Europe, each box features a selection of sustainably minded beauty products, snacks and cleaning supplies. And packaging is 100 per cent recyclable. From £46.50 for three months; authentichouse.co.uk

For beauty gurus: an adventure in skincare

The beauty industry is a fickle one. Hero products can come and go, and trends are often short-lived. Cohorted’s monthly beauty box, now shipping internationally, can help beauty fans keep up. Each selection – sent in recyclable packaging – features a minimum of five products, from MZ Skin’s Brighten & Perfect serum to Laura Mercier setting powder. Members also have access to exclusive offers and discounts, and a mini magazine is included to talk them through each product. £39.99; cohorted.co.uk