1st December box

[Giggage]

Who came up with the idea of a 1st December box instead of a Christmas Eve box?

It's genius!

I need to get 2 together as do and his kids don't live with us (too many teens, not enough room)

So far I'm thinking:

Advent calendar for each
Bedding
PJ's
Hot chocolate
DVDs
Popcorn/chocolate coins
Boxes of cards for them to give their friends/teachers
Gloves and scarves
Hand warmers
Flasks/re-usable coffee cups
A tree decoration each (as part of a family tradition)

That's enough isn't it?

[BiddyPop]

That sounds like a good list.

The box of stuff I bring home from the storage unit for 1st Dec (all reused year after year) has:

Christmas bedding for DD bed
Santa fleece blanket
Snowman hot water bottle cover
Plastic plate, bowl and glass with Christmas design (bought when DD was a toddler - but she insists on still getting them out annually)
3 Christmas mugs (I have more but have to wean DH in slowly every year, so 1 each now - the rest come out when we put up the tree)
DD's fabric advent calendar
Box of Christmas books and movies

In terms of "consumables", I have hot chocolate and mini marshmallows coming into greater use about now.
Enough chocolate mini santas/snowmen/coins for each pocket in the advent calendar
I like a couple of festive Yankee candle mini candle for the nightlight holders
(Cards for them to write is a good idea!)

And on Christmas Eve, we do have a family box here with:
(some old favourites - DD stocking, family edition of Twas the Night Before Christmas)
new PJs for all (not necessarily Christmas patterned, but a new pair is usually useful!);
Lush seasonal bath bomb each for DD and I, and a naice shower gel for DH
Christmas/winter craft beer for DH
Hot choc (lump of choc on a wooden spoon to melt into hot milk) for all - I hunt around to get different flavours to suit each person like white choc for DD, dark with chilli for DH and dark with brandy for me!)

[Allthepinkunicorns]

It sounds like enough. Maybe a Christmas activity could be added. I do a 1st of December box, it keeps my ds busy over the Christmas period. I put in Christmas books, dvds, chocolate, Christmas activities. Lots of Christmas craft bits and bobs. A few bits of Christmas clothing, such as jumpers, socks, pyjamas etc. My ds is only 4 though but my son loves his little hamper and is more excited for this than other things over Christmas. His Christmas bedding gets put on by the elf and his advent calendar gets filled by the elf every night and he gets new pyjamas and bath stuff on Christmas eve.

[christmasgeek]

Going to have to re think our December 1st box... all went a bit backwards last year as I went into labour the day before and had DS2 on 1st December 🙈 don’t want to overshadow his birthday ever, so I think we may have to do it the week after for future years!

[twinkledag]

It may have been me

I do this as you get more use out of the Xmas stuff.

We coincide it with putting the tree up. And it's the first night DS wears his Xmas themed pjs

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I do the Dec 1st box for my teens (DS birthday is December so decorations don't go up until after , except the Advent)

They have bedding on for Dec 1st , DD likes ££ PJs (like Victoria Secret Pink) so she wears them from the 1st and her novelty cheapie ones on 24th.

Sweets, books, nice pens (for school) , underwear , bath smells.

CEH was good for getting them wound down for sleep when they were little. Now they're 18+16 , its getting them up and about that's difficult

[Giggage]

Thank you for your responses, all of you.

I was hoping that they will get more use for the stuff over December instead of being put in a drawer and forgotten about in favour of other stuff.

Although if this heat carries on I'll be buying them sunglasses and mini fans instead.

[Reaa]

I think I'm going to do an advent box, 24 things to open in each box, with a few of the items you have listed and things like, gingerbread house to make, hot chocolate reindeers, make you own Christmas card set etc

[fieryginger]

I have never heard of this and my kids are older now, but Sainsbury's sell baubles with the year on, one of those would be nice for the tree or family photo each year?

[fieryginger]

I have never heard of this and my kids are older now, but Sainsbury's sell baubles with the year on, one of those would be nice for the tree or family photo each year?

[lostlalaloopsy]

I do this!! It's mainly the same stuff every year - Christmas blankets, books and a snow globe. I put the advent calendars in along with some activity stuff eg card/decoration making kit. I'm also going to put in some Christmas fluffy socks this year.

[Isadora2007]

We’ve never done a xmas eve box and don’t do a Dec 1st one either. I do an Advent Angel who gets hidden with treats each day- so xmas PJs etc get hidden with her. Xmas bedding goes on mid December, xmas books come out one a night and stay out for December and are read during the advent candle burning time...

[Giggage]

I think I'm going to do this. With 1 child having a birthday of Christmas day itself, a Christmas Eve box was too much.

The more I think about, the more reasons I do d that it's better to start on the 1st.

Good idea about adding a craft thing,. Something like a gingerbread house or making a chocolate cake will go down brilliantly, and the stuff for that I always have in the cupboards anyway, just need to transfer them into some sweet bags for presentation.

Thank you.

[Smellybears]

See link below:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/3291756-Christmas-Eve-boxes-2018

I started a Christmas Eve box thread and there have been some fab ideas! I will now be doing my boxes 1st December too 🎅🏻

[Alanamackree]

I don’t have a box as such, I just pack it all away so that the most essential stuff is at the front in case we’re all dying of the plague or something. We’ve had a couple of dreadful Decembers so now I prepare for the worst!

I have a yankee candle jar that isn’t specifically chrissmassy but only comes out in December (and replaced cheaply in Jan/feb) so it’s the smell of Christmas in our house. Smell is very evocative and with a candle and a Christmas cd, it feels seasonal even if you haven’t another decoration up.

Christmas jumpers (usually bought a couple of sizes up in Jan)

I love the idea of Christmas duvets but I don’t want the pressure of changing bedding on the 1st dec if I’m dying with the flu or having to wash and dry it before bedtime after an accident or vomiting (or not being able to discreetly bin it as had to happen once) so I have blankets and covered hot water bottles instead. I only started actually filling them last year as they were too little to be trusted with boiling water.

Cereal bowls

A Christmas crib

Antlers and a red nose for the car

A silicone baking mould with Christmas shapes (that we fill with chocolate and hundreds and thousands to make jazzles. Regardless of how little and messy the dc are, they turn out perfectly because of the mould. And look great in cellophane bags with a wee ribbon)

[CocoLoco87]

I did 1st December Christmas boxes last year because I couldn't see the point of new Christmas pj's on Christmas eve when the occasion is nearly over!

I did for DS's age 3&1
Advent calendar
Christmas paw patrol DVD
Christmas bedding for ds1
Pj's
advent calendars
Soft toy elves

This year i think they will both get similar but I'll give nutcrackers instead of elves. I LOVE nutcrackers!!

[Ellajt]

I will be starting this this year! We have no kids but we go and stay with family for Christmas, so like to celebrate in early December just the two of us ours will have:

Pjs
Slippers
Hot chocolate, marshmallows etc
Bath bombs
Wine
Cheese and crackers
Advent calendars
And a Christmas toy for the dog

[Quirkycutekitch2011]

I do 1st December presents from Santa -

Advent calendars (one Lego one chocolate)
New Christmas themed book
Christmassy hat & gloves
Activity book / crafts - paint a decoration etc
Maybe some Xmas stationary - I got mint smelling pencils from smiggle the year before last.

[pinkpotatoes]

I LOVE this idea I'd not heard of it before. Think I might do this, but let them open a gift a day instead of all in one go, get them hyped up a bit & spread it through the month x