It’s time for another review!

In the 2017 reader survey I asked what kind of reviews you guys would like. One of the most requested was subscription boxes and services was one of the most requested. This week I’m going to share with you my thoughts on one of the few Pagan/Wiccan themed subscription boxes out there; Sabbat Box.

When I signed up last year my first box was the Ostara box and I just received my last box this week for Imbolc. I had decided to do the Wheel of the Year because I really wanted to use these boxes to help get me back into the habit of having some kind of solitary sabbat celebration.

There are maybe a handful of Pagan and witchy themed boxes out there. A few are monthly ones out there. The only Pagan one I’ve tried so far is Sabbat Box. I picked Sabbat Box after looking at the couple of Pagan boxes out there because I felt this one had the best structure and looked to offer a wide range of products.

 

 

 

What is Sabbat Box?

Sabbat Box, as you can tell from the name, is a subscription service that ships out eight times a year at the eight Pagan/Wiccan seasonal celebrations. The boxes are themed around those sabbats with the items inside intended to help you work with the energy of that sabbat holiday.

 

How Much Does It Cost?

There are a few different tiers for subscription. As of the writing of this review their website lists the following subscription plans:

 

These are the prices currently listed on their website, however in my Imbolc box there was a note with some increased prices that take effect as of February 8th. They are:

 

There is a waiting list for signing up. Like many subscription boxes that aren’t giving you products from huge companies {i.e. like beauty boxes}, this one has a limit to how many people they can ship to at a time. When I first signed up I was on a waiting list for probably 3 months before I was offered a spot in the rotation. But once you’re in and you pick your plan you’re guaranteed to get your box unless you cancel. If you do cancel and then chance your mind you’re back to square one and have to get on the list again.

 

What’s in the box?

Each box is different, that’s one thing I really liked about this one. Unlike some other boxes where you know each month you’ll get an aromatherapy oil, a healthy snack, and a crystal, with Sabbat Box the only thing you can really count on is that you’re going to get a box that is in some way connected to the holiday the box is sent for. It’s fun because it’s a bit like getting a present for each sabbat.

Each box comes with a trifold pamphlet that explains the items in the box, why they were chosen, and how to use them. You’ll also find information about that sabbat, it’s magickal and spiritual significance, a list of correspondences, and some other suggested resources like websites, blogs, and podcasts to check out. There is usually a coupon code for the Sabbat Box store to purchase individual items or a code for a partner company that provided something for the box.

All the boxes shipped and arrived on time. When a box ships out you receive an email with a tracking number. Everything always came packed well and nothing ever arrived broken or damaged.

 

 

How did I like it?

Now, I have to be honest with you. While the concept is great, and the service always went smoothly, at the end of a full year of receiving this box, I wasn’t a fan overall. I will say that this is largely due to personal preferences.

Most of the boxes contained incense, which I love. I’m an incense addict. However these were typically cheap stick and cone incenses, usually from HEM. If you’re an incense person you’re probably familiar with HEM, who’s incense is pretty cheap and often smells more of curing chemical than essential oils. There were other brands of incense in some boxes but I gained quite a collection of HEM incense by the end of the year.

Many of the boxes included some kind of Pagan or magickal trinket, for lack of a better word. For instance the Mabon box had an Evil Eye hanging talisman that, while cute, is the kind of thing you’d pickup in a tchotchke shop. The same could be said for the dreamcatcher that came in the Midsummer box and things like single tumbled crystals that came in some others.

The Beltane box contained a stainless steel chalice. There were four different designs that you could have received and I got the one that had a really hideous depiction of the Wheel of the Year on it. It was the kind of thing my 16 year old Wiccan self would have bought. It just looked and felt cheap and I all I could think about was the weird metal taste I would have had in my mouth if I’d used it. In all honesty, when I moved back in October I threw it out.

 

 

In my final box this month there was a “hand crafted pewter amulet necklace.” I’m sure many of you are familiar with these necklaces. You can find them in tons of Pagan shops as well as places like headshops and “rock shops.” Again, this is the kind of thing my 16 year old Wiccan self would have bought and worn to make sure the whole world would know I was Wiccan. And I would definitely debate the “hand crafted” aspect of these because they are definitely mass produced.

But don’t get me wrong, not everything that came in these were terrible! There were some lovely oils from companies like Kate’s Magik and Coventry Creations, candles from Crystal Journeys, beginner style books from Llewellyn, some nice mini spells like a Witch’s Bottle and protection poppet. One month there was a small wall tile plaque from Dryad Designs and another month a tarot deck {but, of course, I had that deck already}.

 

 

Is it Worth the Cost?

For me this wasn’t worth $350 for the year. At $40 per sabbat it’s kind of a maybe. I think it just depends on what you can afford, what you’re looking for, and how much you think you’ll use what comes in the box. Each month the enclosed pamphlet gives a breakdown of the value of the box. Here’s a picture of the last box I received for Imbolc. This is the value breakdown:

These same totals are included with each box. I kind of find the inclusion of the “shipping savings” a little dubious only because if you bought some of these things off Amazon, like the books, HEM incense, and even some of the trinket type items, you could get free shipping. Other suppliers, like Eclectic Artisans, who often provide items for Sabbat Box, offers free shipping on orders over $50 {which isn’t hard to do on there}.

I feel like some of these subscription boxes include shipping in the box value to beef up the perceived savings. There was one box I was convinced falsified the retail cost of some items in their boxes. They would include things like a crystal or a piece of crystal jewelry with no named retailer that was “exclusive” to the box. With no idea who made it or sold it there was no way to verify the retail cost. I’m sorry but you’re not going to convince me that a bracelet of green aventurine beads on a piece of elastic string retails for $50!

 

 

Who is this really for?

I often felt like the things that came in Sabbat Box weren’t for me. These boxes would be great for someone that’s new to the Craft. If you’re just getting started with your spiritual practice and don’t know where to get supplies, don’t know what to buy, or just simply don’t have anywhere local to shop this box brings sabbat magick to your doorstep.

This is really a box of the basics, and there’s nothing wrong with that! We all have a starting point and need help to get moving on our journey. But if you’re not someone that needs basic tools and beginners style resources, I would say this one might be a pass.

 

 

 

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