to refuse to buy into the "Christmas Eve Box" fad?

[HearMeSnore]

I mean, when did this shit start? I never heard of it until this year but now I keep hearing about it in every shop as if it's as essential a part of Christmas as trees and turkeys.

Fortunately it doesn't seem to have made it into DD's hearing yet but I'm dreading being asked "will I get a Christmas Eve box this year?" as if I wasn't already spending most of the Christmas budget on her actual presents.

I'm not a "bah! humbug!" person. I love Christmas. But this is just unashamed capitalist exploitation. Like when the greeting cards industry tries to introduce "secretary's day" and shit like that.

Seriously. Can we make some kind of pact to not do it? Make it die a death before it catches on and we're all pressured into buying even more crap that nobody needs?

So much in full agreement, Clothrabbit! The way our commercialised-to-the-limit world is going we'll have every single day of December dedicated to "buy this rubbish" or "buy this twaddle" on the premise "everyone wants one!"

Stuff it all!!!

Never mind Christmas Boxes (had never even heard of them in RL, thank God) - but what's with all the sodding Christmas Eve pyjamas?

I’ve been making and selling Christmas Eve boxes this year, and to be honest they have sold really well. I think most are given as a gift the night before Christmas to keep children entertained and have something to do to keep their minds off all the excitement. I understand where your coming from but Christmas Eve is special occasion and I think they are a brilliant idea.

Definitely not doing it.
And what's with the Christmas bedlinen?

We introduce new PJs and bedding at the start of December to get plenty of wear out of them. Xmas eve box contains a tub of hot chocolate (that we'd buy anyway), a mini Baileys each for DH and I, popcorn and a Christmas movie. And a little soft toy elf.

That's all, it's basically a 'family DVD box' that's red

Kate clearly it’s a great business opportunity for you but where’s the logic in making sure children aren’t over excited on Christmas Eve but giving them another load of presents to excite them . Surely Christmas Eve is meant to be exciting and full of expectation and you can ‘manage’ that by doing activities that don’t need to cost money, a walk, Church service, baking, board games, film, traditional stories, visitting family or friends etc?

Just remembered that my nieces used to write generic thank you letters on Christmas Eve ‘Dear Auntie Ragwort, thank you so much for the lovely Christmas presents. Hope you had a good Christmas and Happy New Year’. Love Niece.

”I think most are given as a gift the night before Christmas to keep children entertained and have something to do to keep their minds off all the excitement.”

Love the idea that giving children an exciting box full of stuff is a good way of keeping their minds off the excitement of all the...er...presents they are going to get the following day...

We look at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve, (well as much as you can see as it's still light) have a treat to eat and watch a Christmas movie. I love the idea of Christmas boxes but not buying extra crap.

But that doesn't even look like a Christmas Eve box. That looks like a Unicorn box filled with non-Christmas bits of tat

Sorry Kate but that looks like the sort of excessive, wasteful and unnecessary plastic tat that the OP was railing against, and seeing that picture I can’t disagree with her.

When we were kids we were always allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve night and it was usually the shit one from my tight arse Scrooge Uncle so we could all laugh . Far from a luxurious Christmas Eve box but enjoyable nevertheless.

I’ve always bought my DC new pyjamas and slippers to wear on Christmas Eve as well as a Lush bath bomb, nice hot chocolate and Lindt Santa. They don’t have a specific box each, just wrapped up presents. It makes them happy so 🤷🏻‍♀️.

If the idea is to keep children entertained and distracted, you can put a Christmas film on or play a game together, you don't need to give them unicorn plastic nonsense!

We have a 1st dec box. Same box brought out each year. It’s just a cardboard box wrapped up. In it are the advent calendars (fabric ones re used every year) the advent candle, all the Christmas books, some bits of Christmas craft stuff to be done in December which I would have bought anyway box or no box. Some paper to write the letter to Santa, and this year for the first time - an elf!
In the Christmas Eve box there is the stockings, carrot, mince pie, the night before Christmas book and new pjs which I would have bought anyway so the kids don’t look like urchins Christmas morning and they will continue to wear throughout the winter. Possibly a chocolate treat for when we watch a film together Christmas Eve.
So yes I do both boxes but nothing major is bought new each year for them. It’s mainly just a nice way of presenting the stuff together.
And all the people saying it’s not a proper tradition- it is for my kids who have had them every year since being born and the same box will be brought out every year as they grow up then of course it is a tradition for them.

love the idea of writing the thank you letters on christmas eve ! brilliant genius idea
i shall be doing this , with my dds and dsds , though they are young adults so i shouldn't need to nag them ...actually to be fair they are all really good about it and do unprompted.
i see a new trend in 'christmas eve thankyou boxes'

Kate, why the 'to be honest' in your post? Is there any reason for us to think you might not be being honest?

Theredjellybean, my DCs always wrote/write thank yous on Christmas Eve as soon as presents from family and friends are opened and the hoopla has died down. It's nice to do it with a mug of cocoa before bed and I haven't lost my list of who gave what.

A lot of the time these years we just thank each other as we give each other gifts on Christmas Eve, but there are usually a few from extended family. I buy in some airmail stamps ahead of time.