In a nod to the festive season, the winter Drift + Focus box was curated around the theme TOGETHER.
Exploring togetherness took us on an interesting turn around some brilliantly uplifting topics.
At the heart of every Drift + Focus box is the books...
Book One
The Power of Strangers by Joe Keohane
Author Joe Keohane wears his learning so lightly you dance from Palaeolithic man to the New York subway without ever losing the thread of his thesis, which is that we all benefit from having contact with strangers. Genuinely eye-opening and offers practical tools to use everyday.
Book Two
The Club on the Edge of Town by Alan Lane
This is the story of what happened when the theatre company Slung Low took over the management of the UK's oldest working men's club, The Holbeck. And if this clash of cultures wasn't rich enough material, author Alan Lane and his team had hardly started winning over the club members when covid hit and everything shut down. Funny and moving, and a powerful ode to the importance of the arts for all members of society.
Reading notes
Along with the books, our subscribers also get fold out reading notes and in this winter box, not one but two exclusive author Q+As in the magazine.
Magazine
For the winter issue of the Drift + Focus magazine we commissioned fine art painter and colourist, Esté MacLeod to create an image that conveyed the warmth and comfort of gathering together with loved ones.
Over 28 pages we explored the theme from all angles, including a reading list with books on searching for community in modern society, how to have better conversations and the art of gathering.
Gift
We packed our winter box with gifts that spoke to the festive season and to the theme, so it really felt like Christmas morning when our subscribers opened their boxes.
The first gift in our winter box came from Brighton textile artist Patchwork Park, aka Jo Carey. At the heart of everything Jo makes is a love of colour, an eco-conscious ethos and an ever-growing collection of vintage fabrics. Each vintage fabric star was handmade by Jo and completely unique.
We also included a two-pack of sublime vegan hot chocolate melts from an award-winning social enterprise based in Northern Ireland called Refuge Chocolate. Refuge donate proceeds to Flourish NI, a charity that provides support to people affected by human trafficking.
And tucked at the bottom of the box, a nice little craft from Oh Hello Maker that subscribers could do together with friends or family, and which transformed the box packaging into Scandi-style Christmas decorations.
Our piece of print this quarter was a beautiful A5 notebook from artist Esté MacLeod with a suitably wintery scene on the cover, perfect for gathering together ideas.
Digital library
As usual, our subscribers also got a handwritten welcome card with QR code access to a digital library of extra content, including a 30-minute Focus + Read playlist from singer and pianist Ailsa Bates, and an hour-long party playlist from DJ and record collector, Katrina Smith.
Plus gift recipients got a hand illustrated mini Christmas card and instead of stamping the box with the theme information, we left the box clear for Scandi-decoration making and instead stamped a scrap of recycled linen that subscribers could repurpose into a makeshift bookmark.
Like what you've seen?
We only make up as many boxes as have orders for, so if you want to get your hands on our spring box - dispatching March - make sure you order before the cart closes on February 28th.