Did you get a Christmas Eve box as a child?

[purplertwirl]

I didn't, no new pjs, chocolates or anything like that. Basically nothing given on Christmas Eve.

My DS is 4 and I've done him a Christmas Eve box for the last 3 years. It's always pyjamas, a Christmas themed book, sweets, a mug etc. Not much really but it still costs, and I'm starting to think it might be a bit excessive on top of the cost of everything else.

I'm wondering, why/when did these become a thing? I'm 26 so my childhood wasn't "that" long ago, but now it's pretty much the norm 🤷🏻‍♀️

I didn't and I'm not going to start doing it for mine. I already feel things are a bit excessive because I do them an advent calendar with a very small gift and chocolate in each day and they obviously get their stockings and presents and various Christmas activities in the lead up. They don't need more stuff and it starts to take away the magic if it's just endless stuff for the sake of it.

Nope. I’m 52. DC are 23 and 20 and they weren’t a thing when they were children either. I’d think carefully and any of these things because you’ll start an expectation for the next 16 years!!! 😬

I teach primary children and I would like to reassure you that there is a lot of variation in what parents do at home regarding these ‘traditions’ so don’t worry about being the only parent that doesn’t do something. Only a handful of year 1 and 2 had an elf for example. I think lots of parents are realising they are just giving themselves an extra headache.

I always assumed it was started by someone merging cultures and caught on as a "gimmick" for others. Quite a few countries do presents on 24th.

DH and I have presnets on 24th and added stocking on 25th. Christkind brings pressies in the evening, Santa Stocking in a morning😁

No (I am late 30s). I don't do my DDs one either, as they get enough!

I know a grandma who once said that when her children were small she tried to make or do a small 'special' something-or-other for the twelve days of Christmas, i.e. starting Christmas Day or Boxing Day. That seems a good idea. I don't think it needs to be anything bought.
You are right about us 'celebrating' December. Some adults are spoiled and wrung out by Christmas Day, too!

I like the idea of the Christmas books brought out each year.

No Xmas Eve box for me as a child, I did however get all the things you’d put in one pj’s, bath bomb, book etc and it’s one of my favourite Christmas memories having a bath Christmas Day night with your new smellies with new pjs to get into and a new book to read in bed.

No of course not, they were only invented about 7-10 years ago. I remember seeing them in Primark and wondering wtf they were. I also don't know anyone who does them (my friends are all early/mid 40s with primary aged children).

I do remember some people always got a book on Christmas Eve, I guess as a distraction from extreme excitement with a wholesome present. It's traditional in many countries to do presents or even the main Christmas event on Christmas Eve, so it likely stems from that plus a huge dollop of consumerism.

What I don't understand is giving Christmas pyjamas. Surely they'll only get worn for one night?

Not a thing when I was growing up.

People should just do their own thing on Christmas Eve. It isn’t about aligning with other people.

Christmas eve boxes as a marketable concept are pretty new - although some people will have had a book/PJs/hot chocolate throughout their childhood.

I grew up doing some sort of Christmas Eve activity - I can remember going to garden centres with winter wonderlands and visits to Santa etc (back in the 80s when there was no need to book this stuff in September, you could turn up and pay on the day). We’d come home tired to new pyjamas and bed. I’ve continued this with my children (barring the Covid pause).

I don’t care if other people want to do something different. That’s up to them. We are all different.

This year we are going to a small children’s Christmas play (only 45 mins and only relaxed performances, which feels about night, for my 3 year old) and then to a light trail with a last minute chat with Santa. I’m really looking forward to it. I do the new pyjamas thing (which STBXH whinged about every year because he’s a wet blanket on anything that’s not entirely centred around him) because it’s a nice signal that it’s time to go to bed. 🤣

Oh yes, my parents did a mince pie for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph! So magical 😁

Wasn't a thing for us as children (we were allowed to open our selection box though and we'd be bloody excited about that)

Never done one for my DC. We do PJ's (as and when they grow out of them, not every year! So they are very rarely matching sets. DC3 has a set this year that DC1 and DC2 have had) and if we are home Christmas eve then we might do a film with popcorn seems that popcorn and PJ's feature highly in Christmas Eve boxes

We struggle enough with thinking of gifts for them and affording gifts for them without needing to think of more gifts.

Kids do have a stocking on Christmas morning which have a snow globe, festive stickers, a chocolate orange, Christmas socks and some festive pencils. So I suppose similar to what people put on an Christmas eve box?

What I don't understand is giving Christmas pyjamas. Surely they'll only get worn for one night?

I do new pyjamas not Christmas pyjamas. They get worn year round.

But I know other people who love to have matching Christmas pyjamas and spend most of Christmas Eve (or Christmas Day) wearing them. Fair enough if that’s what they want to do. Someone at work wore last year’s Christmas pyjama top to our team’s remote Christmas event this year in lieu of a Christmas jumper.

We always just did the carrot and mince pie out for Santa as a Christmas Eve tradition and maybe a Christmas bedtime story.

We also put out a wee dram for Santa in my house. 😆

Drunk sleigh driving was clearly not a worry.

Mine wear Christmas pyjamas all over the festive period and they are then passed down between DC (and then down to younger cousins) so they get their wear.

** we are also recipients of hand me downs from older cousins so usually have a few pairs floating about per DC.

My DC always used to suggest milk for santa and DH would try and encourage them he might like something alcoholic!

Books on Christmas Eve are a tradition in Iceland.

Whilst not a box I always received a gift on Christmas Eve. Our tradition was going out to a restaurant for dinner. At home I'd receive nice smellies for the bath, one and.a.new.book or sometimes latest Disney VHS. I'm in my mid forties and we continued this tradition on with our DS.

@InefficientProcess definitely a tipple for Santa too.

Books on Christmas Eve are a tradition in Iceland.

they’re not actually. The term all over the internet which translates to “Christmas book flood” is nothing to do with Christmas tradition. It simply means every author rushes to get their book released right before Christmas to maximise sales. Internet influencers have then adopted the term and misunderstood it and an urban myth has arisen around it. It’s the new “hygge” and makes for great consumerist internet content.

The Christmas Eve box doesn’t really impact children or their parents who get more than enough. But they feel a kick in the teeth for some. People reading than it’s just x,y,z and a couple of chocolate coins, that’s is someone else’s Christmas Day. Even on this thread there is a difference between a pair of pyjamas to replace the ones bought last year and another pair of fun pyjamas really just for Christmas Eve. Lots of adults may not know they exist but children are definitely learning of their existence.

I have a box of decorations we save until Xmas eve, the plate we put out for FC and we do sometimes do Xmas pjs -one year we did bed linen

We didn't have a Christmas Eve box. Each Christmas Eve, we'd exchange presents with our friends (next door neighbours). We were allowed open the present. Then bath, new PJs, hair in rollers🙄, put out the Guinness and Christmas pudding for Santa Claus and in bed by 8pm! 1970/80 Dublin.
I used to give my child new PJs after bath and the (same) Snowman DVD every Christmas. We'd have some treat while watching it. Once it was over, it was bedtime. Santa changed his drink, he liked a glass of dry sherry and some olives in this house 😂😂

Yes as did my mum ( grandmother was german) I get really sick of people saying its a modern thing. It's ignorant

I grew up in Scotland in the 70s and it wasn’t a thing at all. We had presents under the tree and a stocking for Christmas morning. Advent calendars were for kids and usually just with pictures, not sweeties! Now I live in Germany and most families celebrate on Christmas Eve by exchanging gifts though the big meal is still Christmas Day. We still do Christmas the British way.