Kawaii Christmas Party
“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, with every parcel that arrives!!!”
Hello again my dears, the festive season is upon us once more and this month’s box is like an early Christmas present to myself. We are now in the final month of what has been a chaotic 2020, a year like no other that had surprises around every corner whether we liked them or not! So in order to finish off this year, let’s dive into the final SoKawaii subscription box of 2020!
This month’s theme was ‘Kawaii Christmas Party’, which contained six items from both Sanrio, Animal Crossing, Kirby and Sumikko Gurashi. Two of which are filled with festive cheer, another three were practical and the last was a very popular Animal Crossing item in every combini in Japan. So let’s get the usual info out of the way, of just how you can get your own box and subscription from SoKawaii! This box also marks SoKawaii’s second anniversary!! So massive congratulations to all their dedicated team.
SoKawaii is a company based in Japan, home of practically everything kawaii (the Japanese word for cute). They create monthly subscription boxes, jam packed with 100% licensed products from brands such as Hello Kitty, Pokémon, Sanrio, Studio Ghibli and more. The items range from plushies to Gachapon, little figures, stationary, lifestyle, kitchenware and more. The staff at SoKawaii handpicks 6 to 8 cute & useful items exclusive to Japan, pack them up in a very decorative box and send it straight to your doorstep. You can also check out their Instagram for even more info and insights into what is currently trending in Japanese arcades and stores. As well as sneak peeks into what they could be including in next month’s box. They also listen to what you would like to be included in future boxes, by asking across their social media. So make sure to have your opinions heard over on their social media posts. https://www.instagram.com/sokawaii/
Our first product this month was the already announced Christmas Ball Cushion from Sanrio. This squishable festive plush is available in two characters – Cinnamoroll and Pompompurin. Of which I got the adorable Golden Retriever mascot. These official mascots are well made and stuffed, with stretchy material that always returns to its original shape. The only thing I noticed was that the Christmas hat on my plush was barely stitched on in two places, but if you are handy with a needle and thread – its’ a simple repair job. It’s a perfect addition to any Christmas decor and will be well loved in my home for years to come.
Our second product this month is also the previously announced Sanrio Christmas Blanket. This super fluffy lap blanket measures in at 70x100cm and features many Sanrio mascots including Hello Kitty, My Melody, Pochacco and more. Unfortunately I saw no sign of Kuromi, which was a bit of a bummer. It is an incredibly festive blanket though, going by the symbols I see on the tag this blanket is hand wash only so make sure you don’t put it in the washing machine. Although I don’t see why you couldn’t just have it on a cold wash, its best not to tempt faith as I would hate to see this blanket get destroyed.
Our next Sanrio product is a pack of eco-friendly paper straws. Which I am sure will come in very handy during the holiday season if you have guests coming over. With 30 straws inside, with two different color variations they are almost too cute to even use! We are now onto our Kirby item, which is a location exclusive Lip Cream which is available in two versions, being either Tokyo or Mount Fuji. The overall packaging is adorable and fully recyclable, however once you flip the front around you will notice how small the product actually is. Its all about the appearance for this lip cream, and it will definitely stand out in the shop.
Our next product on the practical side is a body sponge from Sumikko Gurashi. Now I really liked the last set of sponges we got a few months back, that were also from Sumikko Gurashi. This one however is larger, looks perfect for lathering up your soap and will be needed to scrub away the negative effects that 2020 has left on all of us! This item is also available in four characters, including Shirokuma, Neko, Penguin and Tokage.
Our sixth and final item is the Animal Crossing Choco egg, much like a Kinder Egg it comes with a small toy inside encased in a chocolate shell. This item has been hopping off the shelves in Japanese convenience stores, as the franchise has had a massive following this year when the game came out during the first lockdown. With 18 characters to collect, you will be at it for a while to complete your collection. I want to ask you readers though, how much would you pay for this in a shop or even to import it from Japan? As I have seen footage from stores in Japan that sell it for 250Yen, which is about €2.50. Then I have come across sites that sell Japanese snacks and crates, that sell a single one for $10.00! Which is an obscene price to pay in my opinion! Just how much are devoted fans of Animal Crossing willing to pay for a single egg? Now I have eaten the chocolate and although it appears similar to a Kinder Egg, the chocolate itself is much similar to a very cheap Advent Calendar chocolate. Very cheap tasting and something I wouldn’t be in a rush to buy again, however much like Kinder Eggs – its all about the surprise toy inside.
And there we have it folks, the final SoKawaii box of 2020! So if you want to know how to get your own subscription, then continue on reading! There’s even a discount code in there.
So here is the price breakdown of the box each month and the savings you can get. At the moment, SoKawaii are shipping their boxes via DHL as Japan Post is still not allowing worldwide postage from Japan. Whether you subscribe month to month, or for their 3, 6 or even 12 month package options – there are savings to be had.
1 MONTH – $35.00/€31.77mo
3 MONTHS – $33.50/€30.40mo
6 MONTHS – $32.00/€29.04mo
12 MONTHS – $31.50/€28.59mo
Better yet, here is a 10% discount code that you can use on your first box!
Now if you liked everything you saw in this review of December’s box, rest assured that the items are different every month, for the most part. Each box has 6 to 8 items included and a few of them will be revealed online through SoKawaiis’ social media as the weeks go by. January’s box theme is “Cheers To A Kawaii Year”, which will feature goods from Animal Crossing, Sanrio and Sailor Moon, with a few of the products included already announced across their social media. I want to thank each and everyone of you for following my content this year and I hope you enjoyed it! I want to wish you all a very happy Christmas and I will be back again next month for the first SoKawaii box of 2021!
