With the Christmas season all wrapped up (pun intended), let's take a look at some of the top-selling gifts this year and what they say about the America we can hope to see in 2017.
1.
The Birchbox (Monthly Beauty Box) - $10 per month
The Birchbox certainly isn't a new phenomenon, but it's still going strong after six years of production. As one of the top gifts of 2016, the beauty subscription allows customers to try out sample sizes of high-end products before purchasing a full-sized version of the treatment. Clearly, as noted with several others on the top-seller list, Americans are beginning to focus on gifts that give year-round, especially in the surprise brown or patterned boxes that arrive each month.
2.
Book of the Month Subscription - $45 and up for three months
Similarly to the Birchbox, this literary subscription is perfect for book-lovers who get through the newest hot reads in less than four weeks. The trend also speaks to a culture that is maybe, just maybe, becoming more focused on the value of intellectual progress than the latest Kardashian debacle.
3
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Fujifilm INSTAX Mini 8 Instant Camera - $60
These cutesy cameras are reminiscent of the I-Zone cameras we grew up with. That being said, they're much sweeter in their pastel colors and designed in such a way that we can't help but think of an even older-school polaroid. An America that is able to remember the past and capture the present is one I'd love to see in the New Year.
4.
Wine Awesomeness Gift Box - from $45 per month
This 'wine-of-the-month' style subscription is perfect for the wine-lovers out there, and, once more keeps on giving. The company's site gives a description of the contents of the gift boxes:
"It's jam packed with custom tasting notes, educational content, recipes, playlists, pairings, behind the scenes editorial and DIY articles- everything you need to take your enjoyment and knowledge of the juice to the next level."
America has loved wine for... well, a while, and this gift subscription certainly does take it to 'the next level.'
5.
And, of course, last but not least, the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus - $649
The newest iPhone and it's larger counterpart are quite the hot-button gift this year, with some of the newer features including splash and water resistance, a new camera, an improved Retina HD display, and the A10 Fusion Chip. This phone certainly speaks to the tech-savvy, technologically focused generation of Americans today and perhaps says even more about the future of our tech-centered country.
