Parabo Box from Parabo Press is a new home decor subscription box that includes custom printed photo gifts from your connected Instagram account.
Parabo Box was kind enough to set aside two boxes to giveaway to My Subscription Addiction readers this month– enter to win at the end of this review!
We received this box for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Parabo Box
The Subscription Box: Parabo Box
The Cost: $29/month with free shipping
The Products: Parabo Box is a new monthly subscription box from Parabo Press. With Parabo Box you’ll receive curated home decor and custom photo prints of your best Instagram snap of the month.
Ships to: USA, Australia, Canada, India and UK
Good to know: Parabo Box offers “One Click Refund” so if you’re unhappy with your box, you can get an automatic refund – no return shipping required.
Parabo Box December 2017 Review
Let's take a step back and start from the beginning, shall we? I was really impressed with Parabo Box's presentation:
Despite being shipped in an outer cardboard box, our inner box did have a bit of a smashed corner.
The first impression is lovely. There's beautiful black box with a magnetic closure, and everything inside is wrapped in tissue with a simple sticker closure.
For a $29 box, I thought they really went above and beyond here!
After opening the tissue, flat-packed paper goods are on top. Everything is packaged neatly in a cellophane envelope...
...with other items packed securely in laser-cut foam below.
Intro Booklet
The intro card for this month's box is one of Parabo's accordion zines, outlining all the items in the box:
(These are available from Parabo Press to print and customize with your own photos, too. I've often thought about ordering one so it was nice to check one out in person!)
It's a nice fold-out double-sided booklet and sets the stage for a box that is full of holiday cheer, appropriate for both gifting holidays and New Year's Eve themes.
Cheers Fine Art Print
Our first item is this 8" x 10" art print. Fine art prints are another item that Parabo Press can print using your photos, so again, it was nice to see one in person.
The paper stock is a really nice quality, soft but sturdy, and the print has lots of fine detail. I like the idea of hanging this up casually with some washi tape, above your bar or food buffet for a holiday party!
Customized Photo Coaster Set
How amazing is this little set?! Four custom metal coasters with cork backs in a perfectly sized wooden box. I had a big smile on my face when I pulled this out of the box!
Each Parabo Box includes a customized photo print or gift from your connected Instagram account. You can choose an image by adding #printmeplease, or they'll choose your most loved photo from the past month for your box.
I was a little worried I'd end up with a photo of my shoes or our bathroom remodel project, but I decided not to tag anything to see what would happen– so I was so thrilled about this photo of our toddler being selected! I was considering printing this one myself anyway, so this is a really nice treat.
The coasters are printed on a sturdy metal with a cork backing. They're made with the same process as Parabo Press's Metal Prints and are water, scratch, and fire resistant. They're lightweight, but definitely feel sturdy and like they will hold up for a long time... assuming I can actually bring myself to use them instead of display them. 😁
Seriously! How cute! I can't wait to show these off.
Copper Tumblers
To go along with your coasters and the "cheers" theme, Parabo included two copper tumblers!
These are SO cool. I love the patina that copper items get with a bit of use.
(FYI: I remembered seeing something about copper poisoning from this style of cups awhile ago, so I found this Snopes article as a refresher. These mugs don't appear to be lined with nickel or stainless steel, so there is a definite risk... but generally speaking it sounds like an occasional cocktail is fine as long as it's not sitting in the cup for an extended period of time.)
At any rate – if you're not big on drinking Moscow Mules out of these, they'd also make cute small arrangements of evergreen branches and candy canes, or they'd be perfect water glasses for your bathroom or bedside table.
The Parabo Press logo is etched on the bottom.
And they stack for easy storage, too.
Wooden Cocktail Picks
The last item in the box is this petite set of swizzle sticks!
There are four of these wooden picks with festive red beads on top. They're the perfect size for our copper tumblers!
It's a small touch, but it completes the overall holiday cocktail theme perfectly for me.
12 Modern Winter Cocktails Booklet
Finally, we have a 5.5" softcover recipe book featuring 12 cocktails by PUNCH!
I own several of these 5.5" booklets from Parabo Press. They're small but include a few nice touches, like a vellum page between the cover and the first and last pages. It's a nice little book and is nice enough quality to keep with my cookbooks; I don't always end up saving recipe cards and booklets from other boxes if I'm being honest, but I'll likely hang on to this one.
This booklet includes a few interesting recipes. Funnily enough, there isn't a Moscow Mule to be found! But there is an Improved Hot Toddy recipe with apple cider vinegar that sounds amazing.
And, if you like the booklet itself:
Parabo also includes a coupon for you to print your own 5.5" softcover booklet with free shipping! These include 32 photos and are actually always available for free if you want to order one yourself, but shipping starts at $8... this coupon card waives the price of shipping, too. And the coupon is good until 1/31, so I'm thinking of saving it to create a small booklet of our holiday memories this year!
Verdict: My first Parabo Box was a real treat to open and discover. I don't usually print photos on anything but paper, but seeing how this box curated the photo coasters with a whole set of items for the holidays was a great experience and has me looking forward to the next box. Parabo also really suits my personal taste: I'm a bit more minimal and don't like photo items with overlaid text or patterned frames, so their overall aesthetic is part of the appeal for me.
This box also has the potential to be an amazing gift for grandparents or as a housewarming present– since it was such a nice unboxing experience, I can't help but imagine how excited my mom would be to unwrap this box featuring a nice photo of her grandson carefully curated with some other nice goodies.
Value wise, I found other custom photo coasters selling for a set of 4 for $19.99, but none that were as nice as (or as much to my taste as) this set of metal coasters with their own wooden box. For the coasters, tumblers, and free photo book, plus the fun party picks and "cheers" print, I definitely feel like I got my $29 worth.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Parabo has confirmed there are limited quantities of this box still available, so this may be your first box if you sign up now, while supplies last.
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
December Box Giveaway!
Parabo Box kindly set aside two December boxes for My Subscription Addiction readers! This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents ages 18+. Winners will be able to choose a photo for their box to be customized just for them.
Enter using the widget below, & good luck! Remember to enter with an e-mail address you check frequently, and to share the giveaway and follow us on social media to gain bonus entries and increase your chances to win! Giveaway will close on Tuesday, December 26th at Noon Eastern.
If the widget isn't loading for you, click here to open the giveaway in a new window.
What do you think about Parabo Box?
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