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?

It's nothing new, it's been a thing for many years.
You don't have to do what others do, nor everything your dc suggest.
We did it for a couple of years, but don't do it anymore.
Might do it with dd this year.

The box contains a new pair of pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve, a mug for hot chocolate, a book about Christmas to read to them in bed, maybe a Christmas movie for everyone to watch. It's just a nice thing for the children to have on Christmas Eve, just before they go to bed.

So what do they get for Christmas day if they have already had 4 presents???

Surely they should be getting those things on the day itself (plus a couple of bigger presents perhaps?)

Nah it's shit. It's like saying to kids, oh you couldn't possibly wait one more day till Christmas so we better give you a box full of crap now to placate you. urgh.

We did do nice fun stuff with our kids to keep them busy, often involving a lot of wrapping up and running around outside and nice family traditions. Just seems a lazy cop-out to lob a box of stuff at them to me. And I think the elf on the shelf is just creepy. It's bad enough we allow our kids to think 'good kids' get lots of pressies - so kids from poor families are inherently bad then? - but then to stick some creepy little sod on the shelf to monitor their behaviour. No. Just no.

We have a kebab on Xmas Eve. It comes in a box. Does that count?

Ah, the elf on the shelf. We got one a few years ago when DS was little and by day 3 we were sorely regretting it.

I've still got the evil faced little bugger somewhere (elf not DS). I might get it out and give it away.

That's right everyone that does a box simply lobs it at them because they can't be bothered to go outdoors ever.

Are some of you people for real

That's right everyone that does a box simply lobs it at them because they can't be bothered to go outdoors ever.

Are some of you people for real

I'm not talking about the people who put together their own stuff for their own traditions. Sorry I should have made that clear. But the commercialised Christmas Eve boxes you can buy, often full of crap chosen by someone out to make a profit from it.

I’m away for work with six parents of young children. None do Christmas Eve boxes.
It’s entirely up to each family and fairly harmless unless it pressurises struggling families to buy yet more.

Myself, I think it’s about a need to generate a false celebration of something that you haven’t really got reason to celebrate. If you are loosely Christian then there is no need to make it an ever bigger month long fest of gluttony. You celebrate Christmas as the day all Christendom celebrates the birth of Christ. Without that focus, it’s a bit empty.

If you are loosely Christian then there is no need to make it an ever bigger month long fest of gluttony. You celebrate Christmas as the day all Christendom celebrates the birth of Christ. Without that focus, it’s a bit empty

What tosh. I'm a Humanist so don't have anything to do with the god crap. My Christmas certainly isn't empty because my focus isn't on a fairytale but on my family and friends at a lovely, celebratory time of year.

Just yet more consumerism and wifework. I doubt many men sort these boxes out.

What an odd comment! Why wouldn't men sort things out? My DH does the Elf on the Shelf thing every year and sorts most of the present wrapping and buying. He gets the PJs for the Christmas Eve box and gets it down from the loft, I choose the book. I don't understand why it has to come down to women/men. He doesn't fill it using his penis.

Agree with you, but the vast majority of men simply don’t do this stuff.

And you know that for sure? The vast majority of men? And that can be limited to fathers, seeing as we're talking about something for children.

I don't buy into the Xmas eve box or elf on the shelf!

Jesus H Christ these are little boxes some people put a few bits in on Christmas Eve.

This thread is insane.

No one is forced to do it.

I totally agree OP. The kids are getting mountains of toys the next day, it's just more shit that, let's face it, will end up at landfill, and I honestly think it's about keeping up with the Joneses. Is social media to blame? Everyone gets very braggy around Christmas don't they.

We are what I'd call "well off" - high incomes, kids in private school. I'd never dream of getting a Christmas Eve box because I don't children obsessed with getting 'stuff' - I get moaned at now but I'll be glad in 10 or so years when Uni is approaching and they have to learn the value of earning their keep, not just being handed stuff because they can be.

If you are loosely Christian then there is no need to make it an ever bigger month long fest of gluttony . You celebrate Christmas as the day all Christendom celebrates the birth of Christ

Advent you mean? My DM is the vicar and is at the head of the Christmas Eve Box, tinsel and glitter committee when it comes to it

It really takes away from the anticipation if you've had presents throughout December and then on the day before

As someone who has had one got almost 40 years, it really doesn't.

A pair of pjs and a book on Christmas eve is hardly comparable with everything that goes on on Christmas Day.

The excitement is in the agonising wait for Christmas day. It really takes away from the anticipation if you've had presents throughout December and then on the day before

No it doesn't! At least, not in our house it doesn't, and hasn't ever before. It adds to it! By presents through December, I'm not sure many people do that? 1st December box with stuff to make Christmas cards or a promise to bake some fairy cakes aren't presents as such, or are you thinking something different/I've missed something?

Our Christmas Eve Hamper has new PJs, and that's because the children have worn out or outgrown the previous year's, and I haven't bought them any others . It has their stockings in, ready to be hung. It has the Snowman DVD (in case we missed it being broadcast) which we watch every year with hot chocolate and sausage rolls.
And it has a pair of little jingle bells which the children ring as they go up their stairs to inform Father Christmas they're going to bed.

The only new thing is the pjs which they needed anyway, and which are exciting to sleep in on Christmas Eve. Everything else is the same stuff popped back in the hamper every year and is just part of a Christmas Eve Bedtime tradition.

I actually love it. It's delightful and cosy and full of anticipation, and bringing out the hamper heralds the beginning of Christmas for real.

My children get a small gift every day from 5th November to Xmas Eve, the 50 days of Christmas!!! Some days it's chocolate, some days a surprise day out or stay over, xmas jumpers, xmas bedding, baking, crafts etc. I m sure lots of people think I m ridiculous but I love planning it and they love having a surprise every morning. It's part of our tradition and we ve done it since they were tiny. Each to their own!!!!!

Monkey your Christmas sounds lovely! My other half is very gung-ho whereas I'd rather just skip it all and go skiing