Snailbox

What's in the box: Four assorted greeting cards with envelopes, four themed USPS Forever stamps, four matching envelope seals, and a profile of the featured artist.

Snailbox is a monthly stationery subscription for people who still like sending real mail. Each box is built around one artist or studio, so the cards share a theme and a look. Snailbox adds USPS Forever stamps and envelope seals picked to match that collection. A short profile of the featured artist explains who made the cards and how they work. The company appears to be based in Chicago, and its collections sometimes follow the season. A winter box, for example, paired homebody cards with Valentine stickers and Love stamps. The subscription costs $25 a month with free shipping within the US. You need to sign up by the end of the month to get the following month's box. The appeal is focus: you get cards and everything needed to send them, with no notepads or desk gadgets. That focus also makes it narrow. If you want planners, pens, or journals, look elsewhere. The site does not say whether cards are blank inside or which occasions each box covers, and you can't choose your designs. Past collections can be bought individually, which helps if one theme catches your eye. It works well as a gift too.