Christmas Eve Boxes - what's the point?

[imaddictedtomn]

My friend and I were out today and saw a place selling Christmas Eve boxes.

The woman selling them said they were very popular.

Is this a thing now?

My friend and I were of the same mind - Do DC's not get enough on Christmas Day that they have to have more stuff on Christmas Eve?

Or are we missing something?

[LilQueenie]

Its basically for christmas eve and then you put in pjs, slippers, maybe a dvdm popcorn and book. Its been around for a few years now.

[BowlingShoes]

I have been seeing them on FB for a couple of years: people buying ones specially decorated with the DCs names. I thought I was depriving my kids so I made up some Xmas bags with new PJs and DVD a couple of years ago on Xmas Eve. Told them I had a treat for them and handed them over. The look of disappointment when they realised the treat wasn't sweets convinced me to save my money and since then I've just given them a bag of chocolate coins on Xmas Eve.

[Alittlepotofrosie]

I think the idea is you all have a lovely snuggly night as a family watching a dvd in new pyjamas with a few snacks or a hot chocolate and a story before bed. I think its a lovely idea and I'm going to do it when my kids are old enough.

[FoddyWaddle]

It isn't a new thing my Mum always gave us a christmas eve box (although it wasn't a box back then) and I have followed the same tradition with my DC.

[anyoldname76]

we dont do the Christmas eve box thing but the elves bring a present on Christmas eve which is always pjs

[Pannalash]

What is the obsession with pyjamas I just don't get it?

[RupertsMum2]

A few friends have been doing this for the last few years and I had decided not to get involved in it however, our Christmas used to start on Christmas Eve when my Mum would arrive and we'd get a takeaway. She died a few years ago and last year Ds3 (10) was upset on Christmas Eve and missing his granny so l gave him some new pyjamas and a book I had bought and wrapped for Christmas Day. It took his mind off things and he has often mentioned how lovely it was to get these gifts so I may do the same this year.

[willothewisp17]

an extra expense really!

[DailyMailDontStealMyThread]

It's not a new thing it's been going on for years.

New pjs for morning pictures? Best photo I have is of DD in her knickers with really bad bed hair eating a chocolate Santa at 5am though!

[FoxyinherRoxy]

It’s a way of getting the kids into their pjs and ready for bed on Xmas eve.

I do them. Mine are teens and i’m Generally in bed before them, but it’s the only time I get them new PJs so they might as well have them in a box with some biscuits.

[FoxInABox]

We always have new pyjamas (preferably matching!) on Christmas Eve. The elf leaves them along with a goodbye note. I’m thinking of getting a special box or sack to put them in this year, along with a film, the night before Christmas book and hot chocolate. It’s just a little tradition- we already have the book, we always buy new pyjamas for Christmas Eve, and have hot chocolate, and the films can be rotated over a few years so doesn’t really have to cost much more.

[goldenlilliesdaffodillies]

We have done this for the last few years. It is a lovely tradition for our family- box has a snack to put out for santa (carrot), hot chocolate sachets with marsh mallows, Christmas dvd to watch (recycled from previous years), Night before Christmas book to read at bedtime (again recycled) & some pyjamas. It's just a nice quiet time to snuggle up as a family and be ready for bed.

[gaggiagirl]

An elf knocks on our door and gives new pyjamas to DH. Me and the, 3DC always miss the elf as he knocks when we are upstairs getting bathed and showered.
We then watch a Xmas film, have hot chocolate and sweets.
It's thr best. No boxes though.

[buzz17]

My mum makes her 2 younger children (10 and 8) a box and her 3 grandchildren.

She got the box from Poundland and wrapped it in Christmas paper.

It had: a pair of Christmas pjs to wear that night
a cheap Christmassy film
reindeer food (oats and glitter) for them to throw that night
Hot chocolate mix to drink while watching a film
A little box of christmassy chocolate from Poundland

The children love it and it keeps them quiet and chilled out for the evening! We always do Christmas Eve at my mums house.

[MomToWedThorFriday]

Because people like and get pleasure from them? Just because you wouldn’t doesn’t take away somebody else’s enjoyment. This attitude baffles me.

[2014newme]

I agree wholeheartedly.
It's basically giving xmas presents on Xmas eve.
It seems popular with working class culture who take photos of mounds of presents. It's another opportunity to maximise on the presents. Somebody on mn last year also did a box on 1st Dec and new years eve.
God knows where people put all this crap.
Tbf those who do xmas eve boxes tend to justify it by saying it's pj's Bubble bath and that it helps children wind down. Because nothing helps children wind down like a box of new stuff brought by elves.
😂

[2014newme]

The Xmas obsession with hot chocolate also is bizarre. People always men it like it's a huge deal. It's a drink available all year. My kids often make it they use the nespresso frother for the milk and chicken on marshmallows and God knows what It's not champagne its a hot drink that nobody ever finishes
😂

[fruityb]

I absolutely love Christmas Eve - it’s always been magical to me and I’m 35 now! My son will be 18 months old this Christmas so won’t get it massively but i can’t wait to do this. I am Buddy the elf though.... but new pjs, books and a Christmas film will be done every year. I have Twas the Night Before Christmas ready for this year. I’m from a big family and I always did something with my older sister or my older brother; we’d go get McDonald’s for tea which was a massive treat as we lived in a little village and didn’t get one often.

I think it’s a nice way to build the excitement and get settled for the next day. But then I’m always good for new pjs anyway 😊

[Glitterkitten24]

Meh - we do it but it doesn't need to be an excuse for extra expense. We have fluffy Christmas cosy socks for all, Christmas books and dvds, a magic key for santa to get in etc, which get put away in the box every year. Buy some chocolate coins, make some hoy chocolate, have a snuggly family evening, job done!

[2014newme]

Haha again with the magical elixir of hot bloody chocolate 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

Christmas eve is magical without fluffy socks and boxes of stuff.

[christmasunicorn]

* What is the obsession with pyjamas I just don't get it?*

So the dc are in nice pj’s for the photos the next morning? So they look good for Facebook
I’ve never done one and have always given new pj’s as an xmas present on xmas day, but I can see now how wrong I was. So this year I am doing one but might give it as an end-of-term gift when they break up from school as opposed to Christmas Eve. It’s going to have pj’s, a dvd and a chocolate fountain in it

[IToldYouIWasFreaky]

I don't do boxes but I do new pyjamas (and maybe a Christmas themed book etc) on Christmas Eve. I try and arrange it so "the elves" drop it off when we're out on our Christmas Eve walk. I included my nieces last year and did letters for them all from Father Christmas, where he listed their achievements from the past year and the looks on their faces while they read the letters were hands down the best bit of Christmas for me last year. It was lovely - just a nice thing to do while kids are small for not much money/effort. I don't really understand why people have to be quite so sneery about what other familes do or don't do.

Someone upthread mentioned reindeer food with glitter in - please only use edible glitter as the craft stuff is really not good for wildlife.

[Looserwoman]

Never heard of it in real life only on here thank God and I don't need anything else to do/buy.

[LilithTheKitty]

Because it's fun? And it makes going to bed on Christmas eve more likely to go smoothly after snuggling up to watch a film in new pyjamas with got chocolate. I use gift bags not a box though. It's not mandatory though if you don't want to so it then don't.

[AuntyElle]

2014newme, I agree a lot of fuss about hot chocolate, but I think your idea of chicken on the top could be a real game changer