Is it too late?

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

Is it too late to start traditions like Christmas Eve hampers when eldest dc is nearly 7 at Christmas?

Where would I say it came from? Me or Santa?

[newnameforanewstart]

It never too late!

Its up to you I do DD from me and always have, but it could come from anyone - Mrs Claus, Santa, the Elf on the shelf, etc. etc. etc.

I started DD as a way to get her to calm down a bit and go to sleep So we have
Christmas PJ´s
Fluffy socks
Christmas DVD
Christmas soft toy.
Christmas Flannel - got some in bulk a few years back
Christmas Towel - same one gets used each year
Christmas Blanket - same one gets used each year
Night before Christmas Book - Same one get used each year
An ornament for the Tree
Her Stocking - Same one get used each year
Some biscuits or chocolate or snacks

She hangs the ornament, puts her stocking out we put our PJ´s on, snuggle up under the blanket watch the DVD then at bed time we read the night before Christmas and she is normally out like a light.

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

Sounds lovely!

Think I would have to do it from me to save confusion

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

3pigs the Christmas Eve Hamper can be done at any age

By Christmas, mine will be 15 and 12.6 . Their Christmas presents get smaller and more expensive so their present pile is tiny.

The CEH - a nice box (TKMaxx/Homesense/ last year I bought plastic weave type boxes , decorated with ribbon and cellophane)


PJs (Primark fleece or flannel. DD likes Christmas ones, DS has plaid)
Dressing gown
Annual (always on BOGOF in Sainsburys or WHSmith)
Jar of sweets
Mug
Small pack biscuits
Sachet hot chocolate
Bath Bomb (Tied to the outside if it's Lush, they make everything smell )



We do a traditional family shopping trip. Either an evening or a Sunday (once all the Christmas shopping has been done except food) We have a £2 jar from NYD so we cash it up, usually £200-£240 shared between 4.

The DC each choose a new decoration

We used to take them for a walk to feed the geese or reindeer. Then when they were older, the park, now the cinema.
The Hamper appears after the trip out.


Some people say "What;s the point of CEH, they get enough presents" but they are a (IMO) to signal the start of Christmas, to calm them down. Bath, PJs, read, DVD, hot chocolate then sleep.
It's lovely and most of the CEH things are things they need and use anyway.

[BikeRunSki]

Just do it.
Then again next year.
And the year after ....

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

How exciting !

I want a nice basket!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I've heard that Home Bargains do nice baskets (we got a HB this year, so I'll be looking there)
The ones I got were square/rectangular plastic with a 'weave' pattern that I use for bathroom storage now.

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

Is it a basket each or one to share usually?

I was thinking a large one to share. There's a hb in town so I'll check it out!

[CheesyBadger]

Love this idea! Going to do it too

[LokiBear]

I use a Christmas ornament storage box. It's got snowmen on it :). I put pjs, Christmas jumpers, a Christmas dvd and popcorn, a bedtime story, cookie baking kit (for santa) and, this year, tickets to see Cinderella at our local theatre. The focus of the Christmas eve hamper is to keep dd busy until bedtime and to make sure we do something together as a family. To keep costs down I reuse DH and my Christmas jumpers and keep the same dvd and story. The Cinderella tickets were expensive but it is a special treat. Other ideas would be cinema tickets or a bowling voucher. The plan this year is to see the in laws in the morning, then theatre followed by baking for santa, bath, new pj's then snuggle up watching the dvd. I can't wait!

[newnameforanewstart]

I use this sort dunelm mill mine were from dunelm YEARS ago and they are dark weave with a red lining so pretty perfect to the be honest. Then I use clean cellophane and ribbons etc. Works really well.

I do one each but you could easily do a family one etc. Just do what works for YOU and YOUR family everyone is different.

[LokiBear]

I forgot the magic key! I may have just been up to the loft to check on the condition of the box

[curiousgeorgie]

It's never too late

We do a hamper (with a 3 year old and a 6 month old last year for the first time)

But I also started traditions when DH and I moved in together in our twenties

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

I think I'll try and get a large basket to do a family one!

[Emus]

Do you wrap the gifts in the hamper or just arrange them nicely?! Our DS will be 21 months old so perhaps a little early but I love thinking about this! Must buy an Elf on the Shelf too :-)

[3pigsinblanketsandasausagerole]

Good question emus!

[curiousgeorgie]

I just arrange it nicely.... Like this..

(It looked nicer before I had to push it all down to shut the lid!)


Then I tied a big ribbon around it with a luggage tag with the DD's names on it and explaining that they had to watch the movie and go to bed because Santa was coming

[pregnantpause]

I wrap the hamper gifts- the pjs and DVD but food/ hot chocolate just ribboned. It's a family hamper box.

I then sprinkle Christmas confetti on the gifts and leading to the hamper- from the chimney- it's the Christmas magic left behind from the elf who leaves the hamper as a goodbye present when he goesto help Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. But I'm twee as they come

[curiousgeorgie]

And we put in there onesies for both girls, a personalised plate for mince pies and carrots, slipper socks, chocolate coins, a new DVD (monsters university) a few Christmas books (night before Christmas underneath), new toothbrush, bath bomb, chocolate polar bear for DH and a candy came bone for DDog... All wrapped in a Christmas blanket (for dog!)

I can't wait to do it again this year

[LokiBear]

I just arrange it nicely too. Again it is a family hamper. One of my favourite traditions.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

christmas eve hampers aren't wrapped - if they don't have a lid, i use cellophane . and dh, cellophane isn't the same as clingfilm

stocking gifts are wrapped to give you an extra 15 minutes lie in

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

magic key - i got one from ebay , couple of pounds. painted gold, some nail varnish to colour in bits and a festive ribbon

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

it was an old vintage key btw, not a ready made one.

[AtlanticDrift]

I do the christmas eve gift from dh and I. Its not always a hamper basket, sometimes just a nice gift bag.
Last year I did the photo mugs from Photobox, they always have voucher codes. They went down really well.
If you have an iphone you can use an app like a Beautiful Mess to add text into your photo, then use that image for your photo mug. So it has their name as well as photo.
I made little sleighs from a bundle if choc bars. (Search for candy sleigh on Pinterest)
Reindeer food!

[misstiredbuthappy]

This year aswell as christmas eve pjs ect, im going to give dd a bag of christmas goodies on the first of december that includes baking things (ive just bought a kids baking set for £1) christmasy cookie cutters that I got of amazon for 33p!, books, dvds, crafts basically things to keep dd entertained up until the big day an me

Im surprised at how much christmas themed things you can get so cheaply in august !

Our tradition is I put up all the decs when dd is in bed then she wakes up on the 1st of December to the house all christmasy (she we call december Christmas month)!

[misstiredbuthappy]

It probably sounds OTT but ive got some right bargains.