Mail a Monkey (or a Grinch!) review

Who doesn't love The Grinch? We read this Dr. Seuss classic any time of the year, and when the holidays come around, our Grinch book gets read more than ever. There's no better character that embodies the spirit of Christmas better than green, grumpy old Grinchy Claus -- and no better idea for a holiday present! So when online gift company Mail a Monkey offered to send me one of their limited-edition Grinches, I jumped at the chance to review them.


The Basics
Mail a Monkey offers animal gifts for any occasion -- birthdays, holidays, baby showers, graduations, secretaries' day, mother's day or any day. Each gift is mailed directly to the recipient in a clear plastic tube, with a personalized gift card. Shipping is free and you have Mail a Monkey ship immediately or specify a delivery date.

Here's more information about Mail a Monkey:
Mail a Monkey instead of sending cliche flowers or chocolates! Our gifts don't wilt or melt and they don't discriminate based on age or occasion, they just make people happy! We even include a personalized gift card and free shipping!

Regardless of the occasion, mail a monkey or one of our other unique gifts to that special person in your life. Flowers are pretty and smell nice, but wilt and fade from memory. Give a gift that makes your friend, mom, sister, niece or nephew happy forever. When they open the mailbox and find their surprise in a tube looking back at them, the smile on their face will last. Put down the phone, call the florist. Instead, Mail a Monkey, Dog, Pig or Hippo! We have so many great options to choose from. We offer organic and recycled products and all of our gifts are tested and meet or exceed all safety standards. No more mail order teddy bears or pajamas - make people happy - Mail a Monkey! Great for all ages! Perfect for birthdays, get well gifts, anniversaries, baby showers or just because!


And here's more information about their Mail A Grinch:

All the Whos down in Whoville will be so excited to know that their big hearted friend the Grinch is being shipped around the country spreading holiday cheer. Sure, the Grinch is known for being all grumpy and Grinchy, but remember at the end of the story his heart grows three times its original puny size and he celebrates the holiday with the happy Whos. He even carved up their roast beast!

He has shaggy soft bright green fur, long slightly menacing eye lash thingys, old man eyebrows and randomly awesome tufts of hair on his head, neck and hands. He also sports freckles along with his signature sly grin! Oh, and his grinchy feet pads are just plain cool!

Nobody wants that 12 pound fruit cake, a book of Lifesavers or whatever a yule log is. Be unique and send a Grinch - your heart will grow too!


The Bongga
How can anyone not love The Grinch? He arrived all scrunched up in a clear plastic mailing tube, and as soon as we popped him out, it felt like Christmas had arrived. The Grinch is soft and squishy and has the exact same expression that you see in the Dr. Seuss book. My kids have been fighting to sleep with The Grinch every night since we got him, and I'm sure he's going to join the ranks of my kids' much-loved, well-played-with stuffed toys! It's the perfect present for anyone who loves Dr. Seuss or anyone who loves Christmas (which is pretty much everyone).


And don't forget, Mail a Monkey has lots more adorable items you can send! Here's why I love Mail a Monkey in general:

* The animals in their catalog are adorable. They have monkeys, dogs, cats, hippos, chicks, bears and so many more. And it's not just the usual furry stuffed animal either -- you can choose from sock animals, knitted animals, corduroy animals and animals made with all sorts of huggable, snuggable materials.

* You get to choose your ship date, so your present arrives when you want it to (they say within 1-2 days of your specified date). You don't need to worry about fielding -- or worse, enduring daily "Can I open it nowwwwwwww?" whines because it arrived too early!

* I love the idea of minimal packaging -- no plastic bags or annoying styrofoam peanuts or cardboard boxes twice as big as the present that's inside.


The Blah
While I love the idea of minimal packaging, I have to admit I'm still nervous about having these beautiful gifts arrive in a clear package for everyone to see. I think it's a remnant of growing up in a 3rd world country where people really do steal stuff in the mail, but there's a more practical reason -- my kids would know instantly what's inside! It would be great if Mail a Monkey provided an opaque tube option so Santa's presents can arrive without ruining the surprise.


The Bottom Line
If you want to stand out as a cool holiday gift-giver, but don't feel like standing line line among the holiday crowds, just hop online and Mail a Monkey -- or an elephant or a frog or a flamingo or even a Grinch -- instead. Giving a Grinch gets you extra coolness points, but just like Christmas, the Grinch is only here for a short time! Order ASAP before supplies run out!

Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.