Christmas Eve Boxes

[DBN1]

Since when did they become a thing? I'd never heard of them before this year but they seem to be mentioned as if it's a normal part of the Christmas traditions.
Do you have these and if so, how long have they been part of your Christmas?

Not knocking at all, just genuinely curious.

No consumerism here. It's one box between both dds, with new pyjamas (not xmas ones), a book (same one every year - the night before christmas), DVD (also same every year), a bath bomb and hot chocolate.

So the only things we buy are the bath bomb, the chocolate and pyjamas (which they'd need anyway).

I'm really against mindless buying in general but it's possible for this to just be fun xmas eve tradition without lots of crap.

I heard about it on mn and thought it was a nice idea, it works especially well in our house because we have a fusion xmas. Dh isused to opening presents on the 24th in the evening after dinner. So it makes it a bit more like his xmas. Pjs are something they need anyway, and they cost very little in lidl. Theres a game or an activity thats for us all to do together on xmas eve. Ds has autism so its not every day that he will participate in that, but the magic of xmas really helps. And its not often that we get to feel like a "normal" family so yes actually it has become very important to me.

I've done it a few times - pjs, a Christmas book, a Christmas dvd, and a snack. But I'm not going to do it this year! I'm on a pretty tight budget and Christmas pjs just seem a bit wasteful to me, as the kids have grown out of them by the following year.

We have always had a Christmas Eve sack left by Santa's elves. It contains pj's for anyone staying at ours on Christmas Eve (minimum five pairs, maximum 9 so far!), hot chocolate, marshmallows and a box of Christmas cookies.

Things like festive bedding, mugs etc come out with the decorations year after year.

I only heard of it for the first time about two years ago when friends shared Facebook photos. Never done it. Children don't know what they are missing and money is already tight. We go to church for christingle service instead.

Never done Elf on the Shelf either. Just extra work. We do a Christmas panto, visit to Father Christmas and presents on Christmas day. Quite enough to organise and pay out for.

If the key is for Santa then why is it inside the house? Surely he no longer needs it then ?

Our key goes outside

I have a small wooden crate that I painted.
I put in it the new pyjamas, hot chocolate and a book for bed time. I would buy these anyway as my husband always works and I like to have something planned to keep the kids entertained.
I also add some craft activities to keep them busy in the hope they sleep at night.
This year it has cost me £4 in craft bits. The hot choc comes from the cupboard, and I’ll buy the pyjamas next.
I would always do something like this anyway, so it’s no extra hassle... it’s just in a box

We don't do it but my mum always buys my dds fleecy xmas pjs for Christmass so they open them on Xmas Eve and wear them. They wear them for the rest of the winter so not wasteful and we don't bother with any of the other stuff.

Don't do xmas eve boxes, but Santa always drops my kids a wrapped pair of pyjamas each and we get some festive buns or something to eat while we watch the channel 4 xmas eve film. Bear hunt was a disaster for DD 🤦🏼‍♀️

My mum's always let us open 1 gift before Xmas so mine stems from that. I don't go ott mine usually has pjs, bed socks, some chocolate or sweets, a dvd. Not doing the DVD this year as we don't have a player but I've got pjs and pop tarts and malteasers so far!

OMG you have to do them. Your children might die of lack of Christmas magic if you don't.

godowneasy its a key like this that parents give to their kids if they don't have a chimneey, so santa can visit

I’ve never done Christmas boxes but only really heard about them in the last few years. By then we had long had our own traditions for Christmas Eve which, apparently, are now set in stone (according to the DC if I ever suggest any tweaks)...

Doesn’t bother me what anybody else does though.. other than that hideous Elf on the Shelf. Creepy evil little fucker - I feel sorry for kids who get subjected to his stalking

I'm with @ShotsFired on this one. The kids are going to get a whole load of stuff the next day (half of which will be forgotten about by dinner time) so why on earth MORE presents the night before? Who's going to see the kids in their 'new pyjamas'? I can't believe one poster saying it's 'so they look half decent for the photos'

It's really just something (else) to boast about on social media, like that stupid elf on the shelf.

We've done it for years. Christmas PJs, a book, a movie on DVD, mug, hot chocolate, fluffy slippers and magic reindeer food to put out. The kids are a little older now but they still love it!

Btw - surely if you all get Christmas PJs every year, you end up with a huge stockpile of them?

You can buy personalised Christmas Eve boxes for your dog on Not on the High street.
Anyone who does this has way too much money and time on their hands ime

No, for us Christmas is the day for gifts. Christmas Eve is about preparing for the big day, village promenade crib service and communal supper with friends and family. Then stockings, NORAD, reindeer food.
New PJs go in the stocking.

Ours contain new Xmas dvd, book each, chocolate Xmas treat, new craft set and new pj’s. We have a treasure hunt on Xmas eve morning and then the contents are watched, read and made throughout the day whilst I prep Xmas dinner.

We don’t do the box, but we do the elf. And the elf leaves pjs or blankets with hot chocolate before he disappears on Christmas Eve.
We only do the elf for ten days before Xmas- would never be able to think of 24 ideas. Two of my dc are non believers, one believes, but they all love the damn elf!

Totally twee shite imo ill never do them

We do just new pyjamas in ours and hot chocolate sachets. All very basic . I don’t to Christmas pyjamas ones that can be worn all year . Been doing this for 10 years now .

Mine have always had new PJs on Christmas Eve from the time when we couldn't afford to buy them more than once a year. And a book so they could read in bed and hopefully stay there works for us.
But when I was growing up we had swiss friends so celebrated and exchanged gifts with them on Christmas Eve.
We drink hot chocolate around the advent candle and tell stories each night in Advent. I get that some people don't consider hot chocolate to be a treat but when you are living on a shoe string actually it is, with a few marshmallows and added squirty cream the nearer you get to Christmas my kids think their in heaven and look forward to it every year.