Author: WeeBox Clan

Welcome to the 1st in our ‘Supporting Small Scotland’ Series as part of ‘Lifting the Lid’ on WeeBox!

Supporting our local, Scottish artisans at this time has never been more important! Your support of WeeBox lets us support them! Here’s our 1st in the ‘Support Small Scotland’ series with Gaynor owner of Scottish Sea Glass, featured in the May ‘Outlander-inspired’ WeeBox

“I am so delighted to have my work included in this month’s ‘Outlander-inspired’ WeeBox.

The struggles and beauty captured in the Outlander story, highlights the strength, bravery, determination, authentic nature and proud character of the Scottish people. I feel these are qualities which are captured in the sea glass I collect and use in my work. The sea glass I gather has been broken and beaten down by the Scottish sea over the years. Never-the-less with time, determination, strength and patience it rises to the shoreline no longer beaten or broken…..but with a natural, unique and magical character all of its own. Just like the Scottish clansmen and woman in Outlander, the true beauty of sea glass lies in the history, the struggles and the strength it endured to become the wonderful creation it is today.

In these unique and challenging times we are all experiencing from Scotland to North America and throughout our world, remember this…..
Even the bottle, thrown away, then broken by the forces of the currents and tides, finally returns to us in time as beautifully shaped treasures. Folk then by chance or mindfully see the broken glass’s worth and take pleasure to pause and admire its quiet beauty. The process may be scary and harsh for the bottle – but the results can be wondrous. I hope you stay safe and calm during these times of change and find time to admire the small beauties this world has to offer.” Gaynor

💜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Please support Gaynor by following and liking her pages🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💜

📣Facebook: @Scottish Sea Glass – Sea Glass Jewellery
📣Twitter: @Scottishseaglas
📣Instagram: @Scottishseaglass_
🛍Website: Scottishseaglass.co.uk

Thank you everyone who has nominated their loved ones as heroes! We have truly been moved and inspired by your stories – we just wish we could give a WeeBox to each and every one of them.

Nurses, health care workers, grocery store staff, a granny celebrating her 80th, doctors, pharmacists, children’s hospital workers and best friends – just some of your heroes that we are delighted to honour!

It has been so hard to choose 10, so in recognition of your heroes, we have doubled the amount of Scottish happiness we will share – sending 20 heroes selected a special WeeBox, shipping next week.

Congratulations to all, your heroes will be receiving Scottish happiness: 

Pamela Boyd Shield

@Meliss5670

Donna Travis

Amy McCollister McDaniel

Alexa Janelle

Michelle Gregan

Shelly Penberthy

Julie Paul

Donna Wither

Vicki Ma

Janine Thatcher Duncan

Steffie Bambi Hill

Christina Reeves 

Kathie Crowther

Lisa Cody Durant

Courtney Wright

Jen Prier Klimack

Lynn Shipley

Trina Marie 

Please email your heroes full name and postal address to us at hello@weebox.co.uk by close of play Sunday 5th April and we will do the rest!

Take care and stay safe WeeBox Clan 🙏💜🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

If ever there is a Burns Supper to be at, this is most definitely the one!

WeeBox was honoured to be part of the annual Burns Bash LA to raise finds for Bafta LA’s Scottish Scholarships which provides financial support to Scottish students studying the creative arts in the US.

The star-studded event to toast the Bard, Robert Burns was held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica.

Each guest received a specially curated WeeBox brimming with Scottish joy from our braw Scottish Makers! Luxury Scottish Gold Hart candle, SixpennyBlue tablet, The Burns Supper book by leading expert Clark McGinn, Ross’s of Edinburgh rock, Burns gifts from D&C Supplies not to mention a very special consignment of 1901 Irn Bru which WeeBox arranged for guests to enjoy.

The Fairmont Hotel was transformed into a Scottish castle by the inspirational events designer Charley of Bluebell Events for the annual Bash, hosted by Scottish TV presenter, actor and writer Ross King MBE.

A highlight was sitting next to Sam Heughan who debuted his brand new whisky Sassenach Spirit! Sam, star of the hit TV series Outlander gave a riveting rendition of the ‘Address to the Haggis’ a traditional part of any Burns Supper.

The iconic Scottish singer Lulu sang for us, including Auld Lang Syne accompanied by Robert Burns’ fiddle brought all the way by The National Trust for Scotland.  The Selkirk Grace was given by John Reid, Elton John’s manager and of course the wee drams were provided by Sam and Sassenach Spirits.

A night to remember and it‘s safe to say, we gave it laldie!

“The WeeBoxes were the cherry on top of the cake that took the party to another level – thank you so much coming out here and all the effort that you put into making them all perfect” Charley, Bluebell Events

WeeBox helps you toast 2020, Scotland and of course Robert Burns this January!

With Burns Night on the way and preparations taking place around the world, WeeBox decided to take a nostalgic trip to Burns Country and walk in the footsteps of the Bard!

On the 25th January 1759 Robert Burns was born in a small cottage in Alloway, Scotland.  He would become Scotland’s favourite son and national Bard – his legacy has held strong over the centuries and his memory will be celebrated this month.

From Los Angeles to Singapore and from Canada to Hong Kong – this year, WeeBox is helping Scots-at-heart across the globe celebrate Burns Night …. and we’ve channelled inspiration from our visit to his birthplace, Alloway.

The most picturesque village and made famous by Burns, Alloway is pristine, thick with history and a story (or ten!) to tell.  Every inch seemed to nod to the Bard – from the sign posts, street plant pots and street names such as Shanter Way.  We followed in the footsteps of the adventures of Tam o’Shanter, had afternoon tea at the Brigodoon Hotel and popped in to ‘Poets Corner’ coffee shop for a blether and a natter.  

When WeeBox visited, the village was preparing for a host of unique events on and around the 25th January.  One which captured our imagination was an exclusive Burns Supper in Burns Cottage where it all began.  What an unforgettable night it promises to be with piper, toasts, recitations, music and speeches, in the most remarkably preserved thatched cottage.

Why not throw your own Burns Supper?! Your January ‘Fàilte 2020’ WeeBox is curated to help you have a night to remember – so gather your friends and family around for haggis, whisky,  poetry with lots of fun and laughter.  

Selkirk Grace

Some hae meat and canna eat, 

   And some wad eat that want it; 

But we hae meat, and we can eat, 

   Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Slàinte mhath WeeBox Clan and Fàilte 2020!

Only one nation can celebrate the New Year, or Hogmanay with such passion – the Scots! It is the BIGGEST party of the year and WeeBox has everything you need to ‘First Foot’ like a real Scot …… wherever you are in the world!   

Celebrate, reminisce and Fàilte 2020! Hogmanay is steeped in tradition – celebrated like nowhere else on earth.  

Its origins are viking – Norse invaders celebrated the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, with wild parties in late December.

So, here’s our WeeBox guide to celebrating like a true Scot!

1. Share Hogmanay with your nearest and dearest: it’s all about being with the ones you love and having a party to end all parties. 
2. ‘Redding’ the House:  Have a good clean out to ready the house for the New Year!  In days gone by, sweeping out the fireplace was very important and there was a skill in reading the ashes, the way some people read tea leaves.  
3. First footing:  it is considered a great honour to be the ‘first foot’! This is where the first person to enter the house after midnight – ideally a tall, dark man – brings gifts such as a black bun, whisky and coal. First footing is supposed to affect the household’s fortunes for the coming year, so make sure you have a tall, dark pal to hand!  It’s also a great excuse to get round to your neighbours and Fàilte 2020!
4. Singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’: accompanied by the linking of arms and singing with great gusto!  Be prepared, even for the second verse (which most people realise they don’t know!) with the words below:

Auld Lang Syne

First verse: 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
and auld lang syne? 

Chorus: 
For auld lang syne, my jo, 
for auld lang syne, 
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, 
for auld lang syne. 

Second verse: 
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stoup! 
and surely I’ll be mine! 
And we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, 
for auld lang syne. 

Chorus 

Third verse: 
We twa hae run about the braes, 
and pou’d the gowans fine; 
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, 
sin’ auld lang syne. 

Chorus 

Fourth verse: 
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn, 
frae morning sun till dine; 
But seas between us braid hae roar’d 
sin’ auld lang syne. 

Chorus 

Fifth verse: 
And there’s a hand, 
my trusty fiere! 
and gie’s a hand o’ thine! 
And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught, 
for auld lang syne.

And, finally eat, drink and be merry this Hogmanay … lang may yer lum reek!

Slàinte mhath WeeBox Clan and Fàilte 2020!

5 things you need to know!

Who was St Andrew? Why is he Scotland’s patron saint? Why do we celebrate St Andrews Day all over the world?

The end of November can mean only one thing – we are getting ready to celebrate the kick off to Scotland’s Winter Festivals with St. Andrews Day on the 30th!  So get your saltire sweeties ready from your October WeeBox with a wee cuppa and read all about Scotland’s national day.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 St Andrew is Scotland’s patron saint and one of Jesus Christ’s 12 disciples.  Known for his generous and cooperative spirit, St. Andrew struck a chord with Scotland which is renown around the world for its incredibly warm welcome and friendliness.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The saltire flag is his flag and thought to be the oldest in Europe and the Commonwealth.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 St Andrews Day lets us enjoy a bank holiday in Scotland – this year on the 2nd December as 30th November falls on a Saturday. 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland celebrates by getting people together to ‘gie it laldie’!  Celebrations of Scottish culture, ceildhs, feasts and parties go on long into the crisp, winter night – a tradition that goes as far back as the year 1000 AD.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 St Andrews Day is celebrated by Scots and Scots-at-heart all over the world.  Following in St Andrews charitable footsteps, ‘St Andrews Societies’ around the globe were founded by Scots as early as 1729, looking to help the poor and distressed.  From these remarkable roots, the charities work still today to support the vulnerable and needy – with fundraising often a focus of St Andrews Dinners … not to mention a good old knees up!

Your October WeeBox was curated with St. Andrews Day as our inspiration – so don your luxurious, tartan scarf, cook up an old-fashioned feast with your ‘Scottish Teatime Favourites’ recipe book and toast our great, wee nation!

Happy St. Andrews Day WeeBox Clan x

Firstly, the warmest of thank yous to all of you for joining us on the WeeBox journey!  We have been overwhelmed with support and love from all over the world and it is truly our honour to bring you Scottish happiness every month!

Your WeeBox was born from a passion to spread Scottish joy and bring our glorious land a wee bit closer – whether you are a Scot abroad, of Scottish heritage or just dream of visiting one day, WeeBox is for you.

So to celebrate moving into our 3rd year this St. Andrew’s Day, we wanted to ‘lift the lid’ of WeeBox … introducing you to our dedicated founder, team and some of our favourite small, Scottish artisans who create your inspiring gifts each month.

So sit back and enjoy our wee ‘lifting the lid’ series. 

Meet WeeBox Founder, Amy McCusker

When WeeBox Founder, Amy McCusker, first tried to send her brother Scottish gifts from home after his move to Australia, she discovered it wasn’t so easy!  

The shipping was hugely expensive and any Scottish hampers did not have the quality or range of products that she knew she would handpick.  So, she set to work with her husband Gerard and 3 wee boys to lovingly design and curate a ‘wee box’ of Scottish joy that she knew her brother and family would adore.   From this … WeeBox was born!

Now moving into its 3rd year on St. Andrew’s Day 30th November 2019, WeeBox has grown to become a much cherished part of thousands of Scots and Scot-at-hearts lives all over the world.

Amy shipped her 1st WeeBox in January 2017.  Tens of thousands of WeeBoxes later, Amy has spread Scottish happiness to over 25 countries, won 5 international awards and helped over 150 small, Scottish businesses reach a global audience.  Not to mention lovingly caring for her global WeeBox Clan subscribers and creating an inspiring community of like-minded Scots and Scots-at-heart who share their stories, Scottish heritage and travel with each other.  This is what Amy is most proud of.  

So, into 2020 you can expect more new and exciting Scottish products, not yet featured inside WeeBox, more joy, more surprises and more Scottish happiness straight from WeeBox and Amy to you!

The land of legends …

Pipers, the unicorn, tartan, the highland cow … this month, delve into Scotland’s most famous legends and let us bring iconic Scotland straight to your door.

The Little Book of Scottish Beasties

We were so excited to discover this little gem of a book for you!  Scotland is renowned for its huge range of beasties!  Wildlife that comes in all shapes and sizes .. and often mythical!  In this book Tim Kirby introduces 45 of them, from the iconic red deer and golden eagle to the Highland cow and ubiquitous midge. In addition, he offers his take on animals of myth and legend, such as the world-famous Loch Ness Monster and the mysteriously watery kelpies. And he also includes other creatures which may or may not be classed as animals in the conventional sense – such as the haggis (rarely seen alive but eaten every Burns Night) and even the bagpipe (surely some kind of animal given its appearance and piercing call). Enjoy this adorable wee book bursting with fantastical tales and Scottish humour.

Hairy Hamish the Highland Coo!

The icon of the Highlands is yours to love  … ‘Hairy Hamish the Highland Coo’!  We have worked in proud partnership with Silver Stag of Scotland, a social enterprise helping the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our society … so Scottish love all round.   Hamish comes complete with a STAND* tartan scarf too.  

*In 2014 Silver Stag developed a tartan for one of their Scottish charity partners, STAND to raise awareness of the work they do with disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Edinburgh castle, tartan and sweet nostalgia … 

…  you don’t get much more iconic than Ross’s of Edinburgh Rock in the bonnie tartan satchel! Full of heritage and one of the sweetest treats you’ll ever have.  We first met our pals at Ross’s 2 years ago when they kindly gave us a tour of their factory and a sweetie tasting day – utter heaven.  We often hear such heart warming stories from our subscribers about their childhood memories of Edinburgh Rock – typically involving a wee day doon the water at the seaside in Scotland!

Bring iconic Scotland to your own hame*!

Unicorns, the lone piper, thistles … and much more.  Display this stunning teatowel and notebook for you and your family to enjoy. 

*Scottish word for home!

We are proud to bring you this month’s ‘Auld Reekie – Edinburgh our romantic capital’ WeeBox, brimming with gifts to take you on a journey through our capital city’s cobbled streets

Edinburgh Festival audience breaks three million barrier for the first time

August is by far the most vibrant, busy month in Edinburgh’s calendar. This year more than 3 million visitors flocked to our capital for the 1st time in its history!  The combined audience for cultural events in the city topped 4 million when the attendees at the military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle and visual art festival are taken into account too! When will you come to visit?! 

Take a journey through Scotland’s capital, ‘Picturing Scotland – Edinburgh’

Enjoy this wee book that takes you on a journey, capturing Edinburgh’s moods and famous landmarks.  Dip into the city’s fascinating past and discover some its best kept secrets!

Bring Edinburgh’s illuminated cobbled streets to your home:

What better way to bring the romance straight to you than with this elegant ‘Sightlines Edinburgh Papercut Lantern’ by Couthie Gifts.  Depicting Edinburgh’s iconic buildings, casting a warm glow and atmospheric shadows when lit – heaven!  We’ve even included a special ‘Scottish Breakfast’ tea from the iconic Edinburgh Tea & Coffee company … so make a wee cuppa, sit back and enjoy the full Edinburgh experience!

‘Edinburgh Castle Sunset’ by Kevin Hunter

We are honoured to include this stunning print by one of Scotland’s most prolific contemporary Scottish artists … not to mention a best seller with visitors to Edinburgh Castle.

Which bookmark did you get?

The Lion Rampant Bookmark

“The Royal Banner of the Royal Arms of Scotland”, or more commonly known as the “Lion Rampant” is flown over the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh and historically used by Scottish monarchs – golden history indeed!

Or, The Luckenbooth Bookmark – Scotland’s most romantic symbol of love!

Dating back to the 17th century and often given as a token of betrothal, the Luckenbooth is so called as they were first sold from the ‘locked booths’ of goldsmiths on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.

Bring ‘The Athens of the North’ to your wardrobe:

This stunning tweed corsage is perfect for wearing anywhere and imagining you’re walking the cobbles of Old Town!   Designed using the best of tweed by Earth Squared based in North Berwick, near Edinburgh .. which colour will you get?

le deagh dhùrachd!

With best wishes, WeeBox HQ x