The Multitasking Buy That Will Cover Your Holiday Gifting and Hosting This Year

How’s that holiday checklist going? If it seems like a mile long, we feel you. There’s a lot to do this season. If you’re hosting a party or dinner, you have to think about the invitations, the guest list, the menu, etc. You’re probably also contemplating how you’re going to decorate your space this season, whether you’re having a bunch of guests over or not. For those who are traveling, you might be creating a game plan for that—when to buy tickets (if you haven’t already) and where you’re going to stay. And of course, this season is also prime gift-giving time, so you have to consider who you’re shopping for, what your budget is, and what you’re going to get your loved ones.

What if I told you there was a solution that could cover a big chunk of the above? Do I have your attention now? Let me to introduce to you the Sunset Box. For those who are just getting acquainted with it, it’s quarterly a subscription box filled with goods hand-selected by Sunset editors. The standard box subscription contains four to eight products and an exclusive Sunset jigsaw puzzle—it costs $69.99 quarterly or $59.99/box annually. And there’s also a premium subscription that gets you seven to 12 products, plus the exclusive jigsaw puzzle—and that retails for $149.99 quarterly or $134.99/box annually.

Thomas J. Story

Each quarterly box is overseen by Sunset editor-in-chief, Hugh Garvey, who told me that the latest holiday box has everything you need for both hosting and gifting this year. Seriously, one of these boxes has so many uses. You can buy a subscription for yourself and use some of the products for hosting needs and some as small stocking stuffers. You can also buy a subscription for your friends. It might be the easiest gift you give this year. The good news is that there’s still time to buy your boxes—you can sign up at thesunsetbox.com. But make sure you do it soon before they sell out.

And if you wanted a sneak peek into how each quarterly box comes together and a preview of the holiday version, I chatted with Hugh about what you can look forward to if you subscribe. Check out our conversation below.

How did the idea of the subscription box come about?

For forever, Sunset has covered great Western brands and makers in the magazine and on the website—we’ve always celebrated them. The Sunset box is an opportunity for us to support those makers by sharing the products with our readers directly to their doors. It’s an easy way for readers to tap into Sunset life and make it a reality. Just by signing up, they’re going to be receiving products that are editorially-approved and that editors actually use in their lives.

What does each box include?

There are two tiers. The standard box has four to eight products and the premium box has seven to 12 products. Each box is themed around the season. It’s a quarterly box, so there’s one that comes out in spring, summer, fall, and the holidays. We try to load it with products that you’re going to use immediately in the season in which you receive it.

How do you source products?

We find new products exactly the same way we discover stories. We keep track of every possible Western maker, whether they are chefs, food product manufacturers, designers, linen designers, candlemakers, etc. These are the people who we cover in the magazine so it’s just a natural extension of our story selection process.

Do you have any favorite finds you’ve discovered for the box?

We had Los Poblanos lavender soap from the famous lavender farm in New Mexico. We had barbecue rub from West Coast pioneering pitmaster Matt Horn. We had granola from the great L.A. confectioner Valerie Gordon from Valerie Confections. And there was a Hori-Hori knife I loved from Barebones Living. We’ve also had linens from the Diaspora Co., the Oakland-based ethical spice and housewares brand. 

In this current box, we’re featuring enamelware from Crow Canyon, a great enamelware brand that does super cool collabs and is historically significant in the West. Those are some of the standout products.

Can you tell us anything else about the holiday box?

You’ll find a lot of great products from the West—like the Crow Canyon mugs in the premium-level box. Also in the premium box are beeswax food wraps which are sustainable and reduce plastic in our lives—they’re beautifully-designed cotton swatches of fabric that have been treated with beeswax and you could use them as you would plastic wrap and then wash and use them again. We also have cool cocktail napkins made with reclaimed fabric from Los Angeles-based linen company Atelier Saucier. 

How can you use this latest for your holiday needs?

It’s a great way of just getting products that you can give for the holidays. It’s a box of perfect presents from Sunset. You can use some as stocking stuffers, there are edible treats that you can serve to guests, there are kitchenware pieces you can use to prepare and present meals—so you will use every single product in the box at the holidays. It will make the holidays that much easier from an entertaining, snacking, gifting, and decor perspective.

Give me your one-sentence pitch for why people should subscribe.

It’s the magazine come to life in your home every quarter. It helps you live the magazine at home—in the garden, in the kitchen… It allows you to share the magazine with friends if you gift them as well.

Read the Current Issue Here!

Get one year of Sunset—and all kinds of bonuses—for just $29.95. Subscribe now!

We only recommend things we love. If you buy something through our site, we might earn a commission.