SENT... WITH LOVE

From hampers of whisky to flat-packed flowers – where there’s a letterbox, there’s a way,

We all have times in life when we want to send a little gift in the post to someone. Birthdays yes, but also new jobs, promotions, new babies and the list goes on. Letterbox gifts are the perfect pre-packaged gifts that send a little love in the post with minimal hassle for you.

Letterbox gifts should technically fit through the post box, so you don’t have to be in to receive them. In practice, during testing, we found our postie rang the doorbell anyway but we’ll put that down to our postie being extra cautious which we appreciate. Either way, we’ve given a little wiggle room to sizes – within reason. But the general idea is you can send these gifts and they’ll be delivered whether the recipient is at home or not.

What can you get in a letterbox gift? Well, just about anything. Flowers, sure. Plants, OK but how? (We’ll explain later on). Chocolates, cake, wine (yep, it fits through the letterbox), cheese boards, whisky, makeup, gardening supplies. Basically, you can get most things as a letterbox gift. The only limit, really, is your imagination. Choosing a gift to send should always be based on the recipient. Always ponder their interests and lifestyles – you’re sure to find a gift that fits. And we think we’ve found the best ones for every occasion.

How we tested

We tested a wide range of letterbox gifts, from wine to whisky, blooms to brownies. What we were after were original, thoughtful boxes that would make someone smile. We looked at the quality of the gift, the packaging and value for money. From big high-street names to independent businesses, we’ve tested them all to make sure we’re bringing you the absolute best.

Give a Damn Gift life in colour letterbox gift £22, Giveadamngift.com

If you want to brighten someone’s day, how about this bundle of absolute sunshine? There’s a gorgeous bar of pretzel caramel chocolate from The Chocolate Society inside for starters. You can choose which chocolate if pretzel isn’t their vibe. Plus a rainbow-covered notebook from Pavilion Prints, and a box of scented pencils from the wonder that is Imogen Owen. That lady knows her stationery. And in receiving this gift, we found our perfect pencil – something we didn’t know we were searching for. These peony-scented pencils are heavenly, and make us smile every time we use them.

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Yumbles pick your own macarons box £24, Yumbles.com

Ohhh boy did we enjoy these macarons. Sometimes we find the French baked goods a bit “meh” flavourwise, but these were excellent. We received a box of 18 macarons, in a wide and interesting variety of flavours. Salted caramel and Earl Grey were standouts for us, while the younger members of the family devoured the raspberry and chocolate ones with a huge thumbs up at the end. It came attractively packaged, with each macaron having its own little space in the box to sit in.

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Marks and Spencer Colin the Caterpillar letterbox gift £20, Marksandspencer.com

Our kids’ eyes lit up when this came through the letterbox. It is filled to the brim with Colin-related sweet treats – enough to last three sweet fiends several weeks at least. There’s a box of biscuits, two huge white-chocolate faces, fizzy Colin sweets, and gummy ones too. Did someone say sugar rush? Our testers gave this a hearty thumbs up, and it lasted ages. We think it’s excellent value.

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Moonpig Barry M velvet makeup and nail letterbox gift £20, Moonpig.com

If you have a makeup fan teenager in your life, this gift is sure to bring a smile to their faces. Inside the raw-cotton makeup bag, which is printed with a slogan, is a great starter-kit makeup set. There’s a multi-use palette, two lipsticks and two nail polishes inside the bag, which we think is fab value. An excellent base for filming all those “get ready with me” TikToks.

When we asked our teen experts how they would feel to receive this gift, they gave it their seal of approval – which is no mean feat. Everything is full size, too, so it should last even the most makeup addicted teen.

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We were amazed that this could fit through our letterbox, but it absolutely did. Plants are a longer-lasting gift than flowers, and our letterbox plant from Bloom and Wild is still bringing us joy weeks after we received it. The parcel comes in a small box, with a flat-pack wooden box, and three miniature roses planted in plastic bags. All we needed to do was build the box and slot them in. The finished product doesn’t take up room – it would fit on almost any window ledge or shelf – so great for those who are short on space. We will definitely be giving this as a gift to friends in future.

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Cotton Twist Solar System beading kit £16.95, Cottontwist.co.uk

Our mini tester’s eyes lit up when this gift landed on their lap. Inside the eco-friendly packaging is a tray of neatly organised wooden beads, and clever elastics to allow kids to make their own friendship bracelets. Our tester got immediately to work, making one for their best friend and one for a grandparent (both are worn with pride). The metallic finish on some of the beads made them feel more grown up (and nicer to wear), while the space theme makes them pretty gender neutral. There are instructions in the lid too, to help. We think this is a fab gift for any kid, but especially those who are perhaps a bit under the weather and would enjoy a quiet, low-energy activity and a bit of a pick-me-up.

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Yumbles cheese lovers letterbox hamper £29.95, Yumbles.com

As huge cheese fans, this was a welcome arrival in our household. There are two full-sized cheeses to enjoy inside, including a mature cheddar in wax, and a truckle (our new favourite word) of Caws Cryf cheese. There are also delicious savoury crackers, caramelised sweet-yet-sharp onion jam and sourdough crisp breads to round out your cheeseboard. Every inch of it was an absolute treat, and was great for working our way through over a few weeks. There are also caramelised cashew nuts for a sweet hit too *chef’s kiss*.

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The Cotswold Eco Company silicone rattle teething letterbox gift £17.50, Thecotswoldecocompany.co.uk

We love everything about this brand. They’re eco-friendly, and their products help to promote those values while also being incredibly thoughtfully curated. We received their teething gift, which must be the most thoughtful gift for new parents. There’s an eco-friendly wooden teether (in compostable packaging!), a bamboo mini toothbrush and a dribble bib. We feel like this would be a fab pick-me-up to receive after a looong night of teething. And that’s not all, there’s also a bar of chocolate and a caffeine-free tea bag for parents to attempt some self care. Stuck for the best gift for new parents? It’s definitely this one!

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Letterbox Hamper whisky lovers letterbox hamper £32.95, Letterboxhamper.com

Our resident whisky fan was made up with this little package. There are two 50ml bottles of whisky to try – both single malts, naturally. Our tester enjoyed their foray into whisky tasting and remarked that they were both excellent. They’re a Jura and a Macallan, so both premium brands. Also in the box is shortbread and also some walnut biscuits and caramelised cashews. This is a thoughtful gift for the discerning whisky lovers out there.

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Monty and Ridge ultimate wild swimming letterbox gift £29.95, Montyandridge.co.uk

Although we went for the wild swimming box, because that’s our jam, Monty and Ridge do a plethora of boxes depending on what your recipient’s crazy sport is – triathlons, cycling, marathon runners are all covered off. But yes, the wild swimming box is crammed choc full of treats for those who favour an icy dip.

There’s Epsom salts for a restorative soak, energy gel, a pack of vegan-friendly sweets, anti-chafe cream (oh the glamour), hot chocolate, protein bars, shower gel and hand warmers. We struggle to think of anything they missed out, except perhaps a wetsuit. Rather sweetly, all Monty and Ridge’s gift notes are handwritten and the business is committed to employing local mums to its HQ – so you’ll be spreading joy even further by buying one of these.

As it is, our resident wild swimmer was absolutely thrilled with this box of treats and said they’d be incredibly touched if someone sent one for their next big event (a 24-hour open water swim – why? WHY?!).

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The verdict

It was honestly tough to choose an overall winner for this roundup. All the letterbox treats featured are hand-on-heart amazing, and we think anyone would be thrilled to receive them. However, the rules are that we have to choose so we’ve gone for Give a Damn Gift. Not just because we love the name (although we really do), but because the products have been thoughtfully created and receiving one would be like opening a little ray of sunshine. And who doesn’t need that in their lives once in a while?

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