Gift Box Concept Growing in Popularity
Photography Provided
The goal of The Kringle Krate is to offer recipients a magical experience. Whether the company’s special boxes are sent for a birthday, a special dog celebration or children awaiting Santa, the whimsical cartons are filled with activities that engage the whole family. The boxes are perfect for making memories since they shift the focus from the material aspect of a festivity to time spent together.
The Kringle Krate was created by Franklin resident Abby Robertson, director of human resources at online retailer DiscountFilters.com and member of the Leadership Johnson County Board of Trustees. The company developed from her desire to make holidays more meaningful and family oriented.
“About four years ago, I started making Christmas Eve boxes for my nieces and nephews in place of Christmas presents,” Robertson says. “Christmas is already such a busy day for little ones, and I wanted a way to give them a more memorable experience, since they still believed in Santa and the magic that surrounds the holiday. I would spend months scouting unique treasures to include in the box and would always include a letter from Santa, instructing them what they needed to do to prepare for his arrival the next morning.”
The boxes turned out to be such a big hit with family that in 2019, the idea to sell them to the general public was born. At first Robertson planned to market the concept by participating in craft shows, but after posting a message in a nationwide mothers group on social media, she changed her approach. Within 24 hours of her initial post, she received more than 500 comments asking how to order, and it was clear that offering the boxes through e-commerce was the best way to scale the business.
“Tyler Dishman, president of DiscountFilters.com, has been mentoring me since the day I started my business,” Robertson says. “He is always challenging me to try harder and take more significant risks. He is the true definition of an entrepreneur, and I can’t thank him enough.”
While birthday boxes are available year-round, Christmas Eve boxes are only available during the holiday season. The deadline to order a Christmas Eve box for shipping is December 14. Local delivery is available until December 23. Prices start at around $40 and boxes can be personalized with additional items. Several of the products included are from local businesses such as garb2ART and BoxUp.
“I love creating an experience for children,” Robertson says. “I imagine every detail, from the child seeing a package on their doorstep, to opening the box for the first time. I try to think through every question a kid might have, such as, ‘What happens if we don’t have a chimney?’ to ‘What if the reindeers don’t like carrots?’ Kids are smart, and you have to put a lot of thought into how you present something to them.”
For more information and to order, visit TheKringleKrate.com.
