Review and Giveaway: Win a “Harry Potter” Prize Bundle from Eight3Five!
The world of Harry Potter merch is ever-expanding and can be overwhelming at times. There are so many options, whether you’re looking for notebooks, clothing, wall decorations, or anything in between. There are also so many places to purchase licensed items that it makes it even harder to know where to begin. Enter Eight3Five – curators that bring favorite TV and movie characters to life. Our Social Media Team Leader (Twitter), Allie Kamel, got her hands on a prize bundle from Eight3Five and has all the details of what you can expect.
Eight3Five offers a large variety of items all in one place. They have Loungefly backpacks, Funko Pop! Vinyls, jewelry, and so much more. They also have incredibly fast shipping. I sent over my address and received my package of goodies the very next day. I received four items:
- Harry Potter 3D lenticular notebook
- Harry Potter Dobby mug & sock set
- Harry Potter Golden Snitch light
- Funko Harry Potter 2019 Advent calendar
Let’s start with the notebook. I have an obsession with buying notebooks, so when I saw this in the box, I was immediately excited. The cover design looks like Harry’s Undesirable No. 1 poster, which is already a cool design. The photo of Harry uses lenticular printing to make it look 3D. This makes it look like Harry is moving – just like photos in the wizarding world. This makes the cover so much cooler.
My favorite part of this notebook, though, is the inside covers. The silver lightning-bolt-and-glasses design really attracts your attention as you open the notebook because it’s so shiny. As a girl who loves glitter, I fell completely in love with the notebook. The other thing I really like is the design of the pages. Sometimes notebooks have a design that takes up too much of the page. This notebook has a really simple design that adds to the pages without getting in the way of the writing space.
The second thing in this awesome bundle is the Dobby mug and sock set. I don’t have Dobby socks in my collection yet, so I’m excited to finally have a pair. Who doesn’t love a good Dobby reference, right? The socks are long and thick, perfect for cold weather. The mug is printed on both sides, and the image of Dobby is really clear. The mug is both dishwasher and microwave safe. I hate when I get a really fun mug but I can’t put it in the dishwasher, so that’s an amazing perk. I can’t wait to sit by my fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate, my socks, and a good book.
I was incredibly excited about the Golden Snitch light when I saw it in the box from Eight3Five. I’m in the middle of updating my room, and this could be a great piece to add to my Potter merch collection. I was even thinking I could replace my normal bedside lamp with it. However, when I actually took it out of the box, I was a little disappointed. The box says “USB powered light” on it, so I was thinking it was something you could charge and then use. In reality, it needs to be plugged in at all times. I don’t mind that, except that the light doesn’t come with a wall adapter. I have a bunch lying around my house from various devices, but I thought it was a little weird that it doesn’t come with one.
In addition, the cord isn’t that long, so you need to have the lamp relatively close to the outlet to be able to plug it in. It took me a few minutes to find the sensor, but once I did, it actually was very responsive. I do love that it’s touch-activated because it feels more “magical” than using a switch. I love the concept, and the Snitch is really cool. My biggest issue is that the light isn’t that bright, so it won’t work in situations when you want to light up a room. I think this piece would work really well as a nightlight or on a shelf as a display piece.
Now we’ve come to the pièce de résistance of the bundle: the Funko Harry Potter 2019 Advent calendar. I love Funko Pop! Vinyls so much, but I’ve never purchased one. I don’t have the space to start a full-fledged collection. Finding this Advent calendar at the bottom of the box was very exciting because it meant finally owning some of the adorable figurines I’m constantly buying for other people. It was even more exciting because they’re miniature Pop!s. They’re not going to take up a lot of space, and it’s a controlled collection.
I didn’t grow up with the tradition of Advent calendars, so this is my first hands-on experience with them. I don’t think I could patiently open one each night, but it was super fun trying to guess which character I was going to find next. If I did have to wait each day to open one, it would build up the anticipation of trying to figure out who comes next.
Each of the Funkos included in the calendar is a Potter character dressed up in their Yule Ball outfit. The attention to detail really amazes me, especially when they’re so small. Each character is less than two inches tall but matches what the actor wore in Goblet of Fire so incredibly well.
Everyone will have their own favorite figurines, and it’s hard for me to choose just a few to mention here. I really love how well done the hairstyles are. The Patil twins, Ginny, and Hermione wear intricate hairstyles to the ball, and their POP! Vinyls reflect that so well. Madame Maxime is slightly taller than the other figurines in the calendar, and each of her fingernails is painted purple, just like in the movie.
I think my favorite of all of the characters, though, is Filch. He is holding a tiny Mrs. Norris in his arms so you can act out that wonderful moment of him dancing with his cat. This Advent calendar is incredible, no matter what age you are. I absolutely love it, and I’m planning on purchasing one for my nine-year-old cousin.
Cozy up in the holiday months with a Harry Potter prize bundle from Eight3Five! Our contest to win one is open worldwide, starting today, November 25, running through December 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Enter through the Rafflecopter below. Winners will be contacted via email after December 9, so make sure to check your junk or spam folders just in case our e-owl goes astray. All winners must respond within 24 hours, or another winner may be chosen.
A Harry Potter prize bundle was provided by Eight3Five. All opinions belong to the reviewer.
