To ask what the hell is a Christmas Eve box?

[tallulahturtle]

Is this something people are doing? What is the point?

It's a box, you put a live flamingo in it and a Richmonds frozen sausage. Because it's Christmas.

Do the flamingo and sausage magically transform into Christmas dinner in the box?

My parents never made me a hot chocolate before bed, never mind a special Christmas one. To me it does feel magical to create a special Christmas I could never even have dreamed of for my children - so magical elixr comes close

Astro55 you summed it up!! exactly what I was thinking of it all.. like we don't spend enough money. what a load of rubbish it's no different to putting on some fluffy pj's putting a film on and making a hot chocolate to snuggle down for the evening, but put it in a box and it's oh so special makes me laugh

I don't understand why kids love that bloody Elf on the Shelf so much. He's a sneaky bastard whose only purpose is to ruin their fun.

I am sure that we all do little things that seem ordinary or daft to strangers but within our family unit they are special. It seems a bit mean spirited to mock people who are just trying to do something special over Christmas.

Er no it's a flamingo and a frozen sausage.

I'm just hoping if the op feels compelled to try it she'll take my suggestion literally PJ'S and chocolate are sooooo Christmas 2014.

It's one of those things, like with the elf, that if you want to do it, then fine. If you don't want to, that's fine as well. What's not fine is to get sneery about another persons choice to take part or not.
Christmas is made up of different traditions that you pick up along the way, and choose the ones you want. It'd be very boring if we were all the same!

Never heard of the box but do Christmas PJ's here to, this year they also have some xmas socks and a special tree decoration with their first name initial on - my kids love getting the PJ's but it is another thing to worry about!

I wonder what the increase in the words 'magical' and 'special' at Christmas is?

We do It because it is a family tradition we enjoy. So there.

Before commercialism people had a day off and a nice dinner

Now we send cards
Exchange gifts with friends
Office night out
Drinks with the girls
Overload the shopping trolley
Crackers
Fancy clothes
Expensive gifts
Outside lights
PJ's
Christmas bedding
Then the outings
Visit Santa, mulled wine, Christmas markets, panto, latest film,
Don't forget the pets!

It's just another 'thing' - your buying into someone's else's tradition rather than making it personal

I don't have a special personalised box but I have got reindeer food & new pj's and the (trusty) tray for Santa to put in it, nothing more than DD would normally have for Christmas Eve, no more presents or chocolate anything but trying to make Christmas Eve -the anticipation - as important as 'the presents' on Christmas Day.

hoddtastic yess!!! thank you for the mean girls quote, it's on of my favourite films

"I've only ever come across them on here. Same with those creepy elves."

I have never seen this anywhere else except on MN. I have never heard of the idea that you have to have new pyjamas for Christmas either.

Astro to be fair the whole of Christmas is buying into somebody else's tradition.

Facebook buy and sells are full of people flogging Christmas Eve boxes. Seems to be a new fad of shoving a load of festive tat in a box.

The smug little bastard leaves the pjs here. We didn't have an elf or a christmas box when we were kids but mom always bought us pjs for Christmas eve 25+ years ago(I don't think she wrapped them though) and we were allowed to open one gift each from under the tree to keep us quiet. We also always had new pants and socks which HAD to be worn on new years day

We do one every year...though this year is the first time we have an actual box !

1. PJ's. We always have new PJ's. So with luck, the freshly bathed children look ok on the morning photos.

1. Homemade Santa plate and cup to fill and leave out

1. Glitter , sequins and porridge oats to make reindeer food to scatter outside.

1. Items to remake Christingles. To replace the original ones, which we threw after the oranges went off. To be lit and left on mantelpiece during film (probably Authur Christmas off Netflix.)

1. Jigsaw to do. (or Coppit / Game of Life)

Looking forward to relaxing and enjoying Christmas eve, as the wrapping has been done (rather than ON Christmas eve) and we are not hosting Christmas day, so no food prep. !

Glitter , sequins and porridge oats to make reindeer food to scatter outside.

Please, please do not do this - the glitter etc can do untold damage to local wildlife (hedgehogs etc)

I love the idea of reindeer food BTW, but indoors, not outside!

Howabout

I'm slightly gutted that you don't have some sort of fancy tea the night before Christmas- I was intrigued and thinking that's a good idea for those of us who don't like hot chocolate 😀

Mine is an old cardboard box covered in wrapping paper. It contains the same plate and mug and key for Santa that we've had for years. Also a carrot, glitter fairy dust, chocolate, hot chocolate, marshmallows and the DVD that we've chosen from the cupboard.

I think the temptation to dress it all up in a special box makes some (not most) people go overboard. It is so easy to think "oh that is perfect for the Xmas eve box" and before you know it you have added: a new book, a new DVD, sweets, bath bomb, pjs, a game to play, popcorn, hot choc etc etc and it just becomes as big as the stocking.
We do as lots do, the pjs, movie, popcorn - I just don't see the need to present it as something more. Most kids love the anticipation of Christmas Eve they don't need 20 distractions to compensate for the waiting.

Glitter , sequins and porridge oats to make reindeer food to scatter outside

Please, please do not do this - the glitter etc can do untold damage to local wildlife (hedgehogs etc)

Seconded. Please do not do this.

I'm glad somebody warned about the glitter in the reindeer food. Worryingly this seems to be a new 'thing' lately and all over Facebook selling groups and ebay.