Christmas Eve boxes?

[Phycadelicsilhouette]

Just wondered what people’s opinions are on the modern ‘tradition’ of ‘the Christmas Eve box’.
I’m no Scrooge, I love Christmas. The music, the lights, the light switch ons, the pantomime, the food, the board games ect ect.... BUT after jumping on the Christmas

I don't dislike the idea but Santa bring new Pjs on christmas day so we do new christmas themed pjs on Dec 1 (as I like to get my moneys worth). This is the day the box of christmas books is officially opened as well.

We always watch the same film on Christmas eve so a new DVD is not necessary.

We live in a cold house so Hot Choc in the evenings is pretty much several times a week november.

So basically a christmas eve box is not necessary for us.

Some people put in a new pair of pyjamas (so the photos look good on the25th) and some snacks/hot choc/dvd that they were going to watch together anyway.

I understand why people might do a 1st December gift of advent calendar, Xmas jumper maybe a new Xmas book.

I have never made one before but I will this year.
We are having a much smaller bulk this year an expensive item and 2 small gifts.
I am going to make Christmas eve extra special with a Christmas box including a movie, I buy Christmas PJ's every year anyway.

There are a few different ways of doing it.

A box of new plastic tat every year - not for me.

What we do is have a box for the whole family that comes out every single year with the same stuff in it. It contains our favourite festive films on DVD, the star for the tree (which we always add on Christmas Eve), photos from previous Christmases, and my grandfather’s dominoes. We all get new pyjamas and that’s that.

I like it, I always buy the kids some new pjs at Xmas so it’s nice for them to get in them on Xmas eve and wake up looking all cute and sleep ruffled!

Its all added stuff for kids that dont need it.

We always bought a Christmassy book for reading on Christmas Eve. Occasionally we had a continental Christmas and had our meal and all gifts on Christmas Eve.

I ubderstand the sentiment but, commercially, you are feeding the monster if you make it a real thing. Do it in a small way. Thats my advice.

This is such a new tradition that it missed our DTeens. But I got the impression it's only stuff you might buy anyway: new PJs/slippers or dressing gown, some hot chocolate, a DVD or book of a Christmas story, some food for Rudolph.
Seems a nice way of staggering the presents for younger DC.

We’ve always had things that come out of the attic when the decorations are hauled down - Christmas hats, crafts that will be given as presents, hand me down jumpers, crockery so without making it official we do sort of have a 1st Dec box, albeit without the fanfare.
I want the dc to look presentable on Christmas morning for photographs so new pjs on Christmas Eve are practical. They are ordinary ones that will be worn all year until, probably next dec, I notice that they’ve turned into shorties and need replacing. We have a book that we always read on Christmas Eve and a candle that we put in the window. There’s a plate we painted for Santa’s mince pie. They sit around in a box so I can find them on Christmas Eve. It’s not an official Christmas Eve box delivered by the elves but if it were that’s what would be in it.
I don’t think it has to be consumerist or expensive. It’s just a different way of doing traditional Christmas things. I can't really get my knickers in a twist about how other people choose to celebrate, or whether they have a Box, or just a box like me.

I'm with AhNowTed but I'd add Americanised to the list of adjectives

This isn't an American tradition that's travelled to the UK. No need to blame us for this one even if the Daily Mail tells you to.

I first heard about these on here a few years ago. I've still never heard of anyone doing it in real life. I find them a bit weird as they all seem to be pyjamas, hot chocolate and a DVD as if every child wants those things. Bizarrely uniform.

I'm 33 and had a version of the Christmas eve box since i was a child so hardly new.
I don't put any gifts in ours it's just PJ's, Santa plate & cup, cookie mixture for Santa's cookies, bath bomb and the night before Christmas book. I get it out late afternoon - it's a good way to wind down excited children i think -bake the cookies,dinner, bath, book then bed!

No it's just more money, more gifts, more commercialism. New pj,s is what I would give as an xmas present anyway.

No. We manage to watch a movie with a hot chocolate without needing new pyjamas, bedding and mugs. Imagine that?

I usually give them a pair of pyjamas wrapped up for them to find under their pillow at bed time but in terms of gifts, that's it for Christmas eve - they get good wear out of them though - DS is still wearing cosy pyjamas covered in snowmen from last Christmas

I do a Christmas box, but I give it to the DC on 1st December. In it goes everything that they would normally get in December anyway, but it can get more use and wear by giving them to the DC early. Things like:

Advent calendar
Winter/Christmas print pyjamas (usually two pairs)
Christmas jumper
Maybe some snowman/father christmas socks
DVD
Some popcorn or something to eat whilst watching the DVD
Hot chocolate or can of fizzy drink to have whilst watching the DVD
Some Christmas themed books
A craft set eg letter to father Christmas kit, Christmas decoration kit
A game of some nature - when they were little, it could have been something like the Happyland Christmas set (about a tenner), or a card game or something like Qwirkle or Uno or whatever

And usually a bath bomb too

Re staggering presents - why not just stagger the actual Christmas presents?

We've always had the children's presents in pillowcases under the tree (five kids, so lots of presents and we needed a way of keeping them all from getting jumbled up), and would have 'right, open a present now!' moments through the day.

So Christmas wasn't just an orgy of unwrapping in the first five minutes of getting up, the sight of the pillowcases with mysterious shapes in continues the whole 'Christmas Stocking' thing, and Christmas can be spread out throughout the entire day, with the last few things in the bottom of the pillowcase being opened just before bed.

Worked for my lot (although when they were little there was a lot of 'is it time for another present yet?' every five minutes, but that was overcome with food, TV, etc).

The truly astounding thing is that so many people still buy dvds!

I've done christmas eve hamper for about the last 5 years, and other then new matching pj's (only time my 3 dc will wear matching clothes), I don't really spend any money on it, and use the same basket every year. It usually has pj's, night before christmas book, hot chocolate, plate for santas mince pie, reindeer food (no glitter!), a DVD, santa key for front door, chocolate coins and maybe some fluffy christmas socks. Most of it is just re used every year. I also do a December 1st 'box', which is basically all the christmas books/dvds/music/crafts/clothes etc along with their advent calendars. Again most of it is the same every year. I love doing it, and dont put it on social media for parent points or whatever!

I’m so surprised to see that some people had them as a child! I honestly thought this was a new ‘thing’.
I am decided. I will not be bothering anymore.
@DappledThings you have articulated the way I feel so well! I think that aside from giving presents the day before Christmas Day, when you give presents, that’s what I dislike so much about it. It feels very ‘sheeple’ like to me. Only my personal feelings on it. Each to their own.
@BanKittenHeels I really love your box. It sounds lovely. Not like the Christmas Eve boxes I’m talking about.

I like them. My mum always did us up one when we were kids, although it wasn't in a box as such. She bought my DD a beautiful wooden one last year for her first Christmas and into it will go - plate for Santa's cookie (gets reused each year); night before Xmas book (again gets reused) and muppets Christmas Carol dvd (to watch on xmas eve every year). The only new thing is xmas pjs (which I've got already as my auntie grabbed me some cheap in the sale last year) and maybe a little bath bomb or similar - that's it.

No real extra cost and a nice tradition.

@Baguetteaboutit that made me

I do a very small version of one, certainly haven't ever bought an actual Christmas Eve box. They get new PJ's, ones that last all year, a dvd the share (or a Netflix suggestion), sometimes a board game/puzzle (can be from a charity shop if I'm lucky)

The main reason I do it is because my eldest has autism and find Christmas Eve wildly over exciting and since I have started doing it he is much calmer, he knows the structure of the evening and it helps regulate him a bit.

I like them, and they’re something to look forward to. I don’t really get how they’re any more consumerist than anything else out Xmas

*Anything else at Xmas