Good Good Gift Card Boxes (Win!)

Don’t give boring greeting cards this holiday season! 5am Lemon is a personalized greeting card gift box company, but what the Canadian brand produces is so much more than a gift box with a card attached. We chatted with founder Audrey Jamieson to find out how she helps deliver an unexpected parcel, beautifully wrapped, that brings joy even before being opened. —Vita Daily

When and why did you launch 5am Lemon?

When the pandemic hit in spring 2020, Mother’s Day was approaching, and the world was in lockdown. 5am Lemon was born out of the frustration of not being able to see loved ones coupled with the very real need to show you cared. Having searched for cards and a present to send to my mother, I was unable to pair them together and could turn only to Amazon or flower deliveries, but I wanted something “more”—a means to show I was thinking of her that was personal and heartfelt and that would raise a smile in an otherwise unhappy period. The goal was to combine a personalized card with a unique gift box, offering locally sourced, quality items to fill it with … We started cutting shapes out of paper to make a box that would do just this. The next thing we knew our very first 5am Lemon box was created; it was a graduation box for my daughter Sarah who just finished university. By the fall of 2020 we were kicking it into high gear, launching our website just before Valentine’s Day 2021. We’ve since extended our designs and gifts range and hope our 5am Lemon boxes meet the original goal of “delivering a smile with every box.” The compliments and stories we get about the happiness these boxes bring people is truly incredible, so we trust we’re heading in the right direction.

What niche were/are you aiming to fill, and what does the name mean?

We cater for the busy buyer who has limited time, but maximum heart, looking for genuine, personal but “fun” gifting options that don’t break the bank. The boxes were designed to provide a unique unboxing gift experience between friends and family and the desire to really connect people and “spark joy” in someone’s day—no matter the occasion. With us, it’s very much the thought that counts and the wrapping, not just the contents that matter. That said our gifts are not mainstream and primarily we strive to support smaller, local companies in terms of gift selections. So many of our goodies—be they chocolates, cookies or wonderful lotions and potions and candles—are half an hour away from the office. Ultimately, we hope to offer gifts that are a little different, in a box that’s wholly personal and fun but that doesn’t cost the earth and many of our 5am Lemons can be purchased, filled and shipped for under $50. In truth they’re a much better alternative to ordering flowers but which last longer, are cherished more and undoubtedly demonstrate a greater level of care. The name stems from my own routine: 5am Lemon represents my ritual of getting up early and kick-starting the day with a glass of warm lemon water. I feel you need to own the morning, before you can own the day.

You just launched your holiday lineup of greeting card gift boxes; how do these work?

Each box by default is one-of-a-kind and has a removeable greeting card where you can write your message (you can even utilize our writer’s block section if inspiration is lacking!). The side panels are wholly customizable, either by selecting pre-designed wonderful side panels of fridge-worthy sentiments (magnets included!) or you can upload your own photos that will prompt a memory and a smile on the face of the recipient. Inside we have a hidden special message on the bottom of the box—a final gift to reveal as you remove your presents which are hand wrapped in tissue and sealed with a beautiful sticker. Unlike wrapping paper, the box is kept and cherished instead of being recycled and delivers a memorable unboxing experience—an easy way to show gratitude and celebrate the holidays with friends, family, or colleagues. I love that during this pandemic we found a creative way to connect people and deliver joy. There is no e-card, FaceTime or text that can measure up to the thoughtfulness delivered by a 5am Lemon box.

What sort of feedback have you received, from gifters and giftees?!

When we personally send our boxes, we receive notifications about when they are delivered. To date the quickest text back we have had is about 90 seconds with a friend immediately messaging one of my colleagues to thank them. We even get sent pictures of the boxes that we have wrapped showing us how wonderful they are! Just this month we received a long email from someone who lived in a rural area, was not expecting a delivery and had to drive to her local post office to pick up a package. She was struggling to recall any Amazon purchase and instead received a 5am Lemon Box from an old friend. She was so touched that she wrote to her, asking that she share how happy she was. For us, the best demonstration that our boxes work, is that she elected to carefully seal it all up so that her husband could also experience the same feelings that she had had when opening it. If that isn’t proof positive that our hope to create a gifting experience is coming true, then I don’t know what is. The compliments and stories we get about the happiness these boxes bring people is truly incredible, so we trust we’re heading in the right direction.

As we approach the holiday season, what is your favourite type of gift to give?

I love giving two very different types of gifts. The first is something very thoughtful that the recipient would not normally go out and buy for themselves. This could be an expensive and beautiful candle, luxury hand soaps and lotions or even something as simple and small as fancy cocktail napkins. The other type of gift I love to give is something super practical, like a windproof Eddie Bauer umbrella, a cordless Dyson vacuum or a Breville toaster oven 🙂

5amlemon.com

Win! A $75 5am Lemon Gift Card!

Congrats Jax B. of Vancouver, BC, who will receive a $75 gift card to spend online at 5am Lemon! Please note: if you are the winner, you will receive a DM (direct message) in Instagram directly from @vitadaily.ca. Please be wary of fake accounts, which often use similar handles with an extra or missing letter, number or symbol. We will never ask for a payment or for your credit card number, and we will never ask you to click through a link. If you are unsure whether you have been contacted, via Instagram, by us or a fake account, email us before responding.