Forget the chimney, get Christmas through your LETTERBOX
From a tree (yes really) to a flat bottle of wine, it’s not too late to order your entire festive haul, not only delivered to your door— but posted through it
AMONG the many discoveries 2020 has brought is that it’s possible to get just about anything delivered nowadays —including Christmas. And not just to your doorstep either. Pretty much everything you need can be popped through your letterbox — which is just as well with 34 million of us now in Tier 3, and Christmas week itself under threat, making getting to the shops harder than ever.
From festive wine, to Christmas trees, letterbox-sized merchandise has never been more popular. Here, BETH HALE has the definitive guide to Christmas landing on your doormat.
DECK THE HALLS
SO yOu can’t get out to choose your usual 6ft beauty this year. Don’t worry, because you can get a tree (and all the decorations) straight to your doormat. As for the other décor, there’s a surprising variety of f l atpack trimmings out there.
Tiny Treats tree, £38, bloomandwild.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 22 WHAT’S INSIDE? Complete with a miniature set of lights, baubles and sweeties, there’s even a star to put on top. So prickly it’s like assembling a cactus, but it’s a bijou delight. 9/10
The Poinsettia, £32, bloomandwild.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 22 WHAT’S INSIDE? This plant is so dainty it couldn’t fail to raise a smile, but I fear that it will go the way of every poinsettia I’ve ever bought. 7/10
Amaryllis Christmas bouquet, £14.95, bloompost.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 23
WHAT’S INSIDE? With chunky stems and huge blooms, amaryllis might not seem a letterbox match, but packed into a box this floral treat brings a fabulous burst of festivity to Christmas at home. 9/10
Christmas reindeer or robin wall stickers, £6.95, nutmegwallartstickers.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 WHAT’S INSIDE? If you are not a fan of large decorations, instead of thinking tiny, why not just think flat. Wall stickers are great, but I’d rather have some of the fabulous bigger designs that sadly won’t fit through my letterbox. 6/10
Christmas window stencil pack, £18.99, snowwindows.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 WHAT’S INSIDE? With a leftover can of spray snow, these stencils are amazing, if a little large for the average letterbox. However, you get to bring some seasonal cheer to the neighbours, too. 9/10
Hessian burlap Merry Christmas bunting, £6.99, gingerray.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 23 (Dec 17 standard) WHAT’S INSIDE? A jolly decoration that comes i n an envelope and multiplies in size when you pull it out. Definitely a winner. 10/10
CHRISTMAS EVE TREATS
Christmas letterbox gift, mince pies and a beautiful bauble, £30, royalcollectionshop.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 WHAT’S INSIDE? These are for larger letterboxes, but there’s crumbly pastry and sweet mincemeat from Buckingham Palace … sorry Santa, but these are mine. 7/10
Sharing selection box of three 100ml glass bottles of small-batch gin, vodka and malt spirit, £25, cooperkingdistillery.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 20 WHAT’S INSIDE? Mum and Dad
deserve a festive tipple, too, with the big day ahead; a beautiful gift, each bottle perfectly proportioned for sharing. 9/10
Whisky tasting set, £32, letterboxgifts.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 (but Dec 17 to be sure of delivery) WHAT’S INSIDE? After all that hand-sanitising and social distancing, Santa needs a stiff drink. This box is definitely one for a large letterbox, but not sure how long those tiny bottles will last. 6/10
FESTIVE FARE
100g smoked salmon, £6.50, macneilssmokehouse.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 WHAT’S INSIDE? Get Christmas Day off to an indulgent start by defrosting a loaf made during the frenzy of lockdown and slather it with slices of smoked salmon — a small pack can serve a family-offour and its ‘keep cool’ envelope just squeezes through the letterbox. Delicious but I wish it was a large pack! 10/10
Letterbox red wine, £13.99, prezzybox.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 22 WHAT’S INSIDE? Who knew you could just make a flat bottle and put your plonk through the letterbox? A great, quirky gift but it would be so much more fabulous if it was a glass bottle instead of plastic. 5/10
Perfect British Cheeseboard for two, £6.50, butlerscheeses.co.uk LAST ORDERS: 10am, Dec 21
WHAT’S INSIDE? Three delicious slices of cheese, a tiny jar of fig relish and two packets of sourdough crispbread — that’s Christmas tea sorted. 9/10
Dorset letterbox charcuterie, £32, by The Real Cure from yumbles.com LAST ORDERS: You might have to wait for a New Year treat as this has been very popular. WHAT’S INSIDE? Wild venison salami, Aberdeen Angus bresaola: the cured treats in this box are perfect for the post since they don’t have to be refrigerated and they are also delicious. 10/10
Great Taste Award Lovers Foodie gift box, £14.95, olivesdirect.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 18
WHAT’S INSIDE? It’s not a bag of Kettle Chips, but a collection of olives and sundried tomatoes, which counts as Christmas nibbles, right? Yummy, but not very traditional. 5/10
Snowman baked doughnuts, £22, by Nummy from yumbles.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 20 (but order slots are going quickly) WHAT’S INSIDE? A great alternative dessert for children at Christmas — better still, they are sugar- f ree ( and vegan), more cakey than doughnutty, but lots of fun. 6/10
Christmas pudding cake balls, £15, cakenest.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 17 WHAT’S INSIDE? I’ve never been a fan of Christmas pudding, but that may have just changed. Cake truffles dipped in chocolate and made to look like an array of teeny tiny Christmas puddings, this box won’t last long! 10/10
Christmas cake gift box, £29.50, theflamingobakery.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 17 WHAT’S INSIDE? It may lack the traditional shape, but this Christmas cake is pretty as a picture, serves 12 and packs a deliciously boozy punch and not a single s mudge to t he decoration, despite its postal journey. 9/10 P.S: If you’re determined to get your Christmas dinner through the letterbox, you could always aim f or next y e ar, by pl anting Suttons Seeds Christmas dinner seed pack, seven vegetable seed packets that will hopefully serve up a feast to go with your smoked, sliced turkey, £12, suttons.co.uk
IT’S A WRAP!
There are a host of kits and subscription boxes that lend themselves to doorstep delivery. And as long as you think flat and small, there’s all manner of jewellery, scarves, stationery and books that will come through the letterbox. here are just a few ideas...
Mealtime fun colour-in placemat to go, £13.95, eatsleepdoodle.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 (special delivery) WHAT’S INSIDE? Pens, a robust placemat and both come in a cute little canvas bag— perfect prezzie to occupy small hands as you finish your dinner. 8/10
Explore box, £12, letterboxlab.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 21 (but the sooner the better) WHAT’ S INSIDE? A tiny science kit for children aged six and up, which lends itself brilliantly to the letterbox, and better yet can be scaled up to a monthly subscription. 9/10
Spa night in gift set, £37, letterboxgifts.co.uk LAST ORDERS: Dec 21, but Dec 17 to be sure of delivery.
WHAT’S INSIDE? Salted caramel chocolate, bath salts, body oil, a candle and some truffles, this mum would be very happy. 10/10
Baby penguin Christmas wrapping paper set, £4.75, claraandmacy.com LAST ORDERS: Dec 18 standard, Dec 21 express WHAT’S INSIDE? This wrapping paper and an array of other designs comes folded so pops perfectly through the letterbox. 10/10 Daydream Paper Studio Monogram Stationery Letterbox Gift Set, £48, etsy.com LAST ORDERS: Midday Dec 18 WHAT’S INSIDE? Two notebooks and a notepad made from recycled paper, and everything crisply monogrammed with the recipient’s initials — very sophisticated. 8/10