To HATE the whole idea of Christmas Eve boxes

[TeeJay1970]

Don't kids get enough stuff on the 25th?

My nephews and niece now think it's their right to have gifts on the 24th as well.

Where does it end?

Yes I know AIBU!
Yes it's probably been done on here already in the last few weeks!

PJs, a small gift, pyjamas and a couple other bits, maybe a book and some popcorn.
It's also left on xmas eve by our elf on the shelf. (I'll get a taxi now shall I?)

Why the hatred for them? Seriously. The magic of Christmas is great and my kids love it. I feel your anger is very misplaced

Why are people saying you can only wear festive PJs in December? They're PJs, only your family will ever see them....
I wear my reindeer PJs in mid-July.

actually my sister gave me a christmasy old fashioned cardboard suitcase thing year before last with my present in it and it now nicely fits the kids stockings, a key ornament, and {whispers} the christmas table cloth, so I guess we do have a christmas eve box but its not got new things in it.

YABU, because people make of it what they will.

Nobody who normally does a minimalist Christmas is suddenly running out and filling up a box. People who do extravagant boxes with PJs, socks, drink, snacks, film, book, AND mug are probably the same people who do lots and lots of presents, expensive items in the stocking and so on.

I don't do a box because I can't be arsed and we don't need most of the stuff, but I do think it's quite a genius thing in terms of - new PJs so they look smart on Christmas morning rather than being in a ratty old t-shirt and pants or whatever your DC usually sleep in, look nice for pics without arguing with them about getting dressed too, and then the idea of a book or film is pretty clever, as kids are usually running around giddy with excitement (especially if with cousins etc) on Christmas Eve and being able to park them in front of a TV for an hour or two is quite the welcome break for parents, and if you time it strategically, they'll have worn themselves out with the excitement and the film/milky drink combo makes them sleepy and easy to put to bed, especially if you don't include too many sugary sweets with it. Or if you put in a book and tell them it can only be read at bedtime it makes them eager to go to bed - all of this is genius because DC never ever want to go to bed on Christmas Eve because they are too excited. Why not build tradition into a way to persuade them they really do want to go to bed?? It's much better and nicer than threats like Santa won't come or I'll send your presents back or I'll smack your bum in a minute. (Admittedly - not sure many 2018 parents are using the latter threat - but compared with our own childhoods?)

It's like stockings can be used as a stalling technique to stop DC from waking parents up at 4am, and contain mostly novelty, cheap or useful things - or they can be extravagant instagram-worthy picture perfect. It's really your choice.

I don't buy Christmas themed clothes every year but when I have bought them - PJs - I definitely wear them any time it's cold enough to which is 80% of the year :o

I don't buy Christmas themed clothing for DC as I personally find it a waste but I know lots of people like to. I bet we get given some for DS2 this Christmas though and it will unreasonably irritate me like it did for DS1 because they're going to wear it on Christmas day and then probably never again

I just started doing it for every second year (the year we don’t travel to seee extended family). That way there is a nice tradition for the year it is just the 4 of us. But the box is a family box, not one each. And I put something small for each person plus a new decoration for the tree and one DVD or Christmas book.

Hell no
We have stockings, bigger presents, nice food

No elves, no Christmas Eve gubbins.

Mine get new pjs (not Christmas themed as they'll were them all year) in Christmas Eve then we have hot chocolate and Dh reads 'Twas the night before Christmas and they put out carrot and mince pie etc and go to bed. Every family has different traditions but I agree, Christmas Eve boxes are bonkers.

I always have given DD new PJ’s and dressing gown on 24th after her bath. It was a way of making her snuggle up and get tired I put them in a box because it was a practical way to hand them over. She loves mugs (like mother like daughter) and has a brew or hot choc most night so adding in a nice mug over the years seemed easy. And I put in a tiny gift from what I’d bought for Xmas day just because I like seeing her face light up and it spreads the excitement.

No official ‘Christmas Eve Box’ malarkey. Just me making my daughter smile.

It’s sad that people can find something to dislike in something that hurts no-one and makes a child smile.

This year's one. Couldn't resist them, we read guess how much i love you every day for years and DD still says this to me all the time.

A bit crass, and buys into the commercialism. Each to their own and all that.

We used to always get new christmas eve pyjamas in the 80s. As did everyone i know. Never thought of it as being a new thing.

My two get new pjs on Christmas Eve. They are Christmas themed but they’ll wear them until they grow out of them. It’s a tradition, like to the crib service and reading the night before Christmas.

We do it here
She gets a book , pyjamas, teddy, blanket and a bath bomb
We get in from doing Xmas eve stuff ( lunch out with family and then drop or the goodies for the nurses on the ward that treat her )
Then we go home have a bath with her bath bomb as she loves them.
New pyjamas on, watch a movie, put out Santa’s snacks then go to bed and read her new book.

We’re doing a box for the first time this year. It’s got new PJs in which they get every year, a new Christmas book again which I’ve done every year and then treats for eating whilst we watch a film on Netflix. So basically it’s a box to put everything in that we’ve always got and done on Christmas Eve. I bought a very sturdy £2.99 one so that it will last a while and it’s for both dc to share. I am considering going all out and buying a new bar of Christmassy soap to go in it too for their Christmas Eve bath!

Oh and I don’t do Christmas pyjamas, they’re normal pyjamas in a slightly bigger size so they get their wear out of them.

Nope! Not doing it won't do it waste of money, would rather give the money to the dogs trust,

So how long are your children wearing too short pajamas for because you are "timing them"

6 months at current rate of growth, primarily because he is autistic and hates 'new things' but accepts Christmas pyjamas (which he wears all year), probably because we've always done it.

Thanks for making me feel shit about short pyjama bottoms though. are you my SIL?

It's a waste of money to buy a child pyjamas and a book? How odd. I'd be buying them anyway, the fact that I put them in my grandmother's decorated crate is irrelevant.

I think Xmas Eve box is too much..you can spend £5 in Poundland and get some bits though like dvds books treats etc.

I don't see the harm. I've always had new jammas and slippers in Xmas Eve, way before it was a thing. My mum had it when she was a child too. I like it, it's tradition. When in uni I told my friends about it and one in particular liked it and was going to ask her parents to start doing it.

We didn't have boxes, but there was a routine. Bath with new bubble bath, new pyjamas and dressing gown, fresh bedding. Hot chocolate, book (when smaller, in bed) or film (older) both Xmas themed. Maybe open a small gift that evening, eg a teddy or similar.

So like the Xmas Eve boxes just not wrapped. Jammas, slippers, bubble bath, hot chocolate, film/book, sweets, teddy. When I have kids I'll do the box. Not buy the ready made ones though, extortionate. You can do one cheaper and one more suited to your child's interests, yourself.

I don't think of it as extra 'gifts'. More making Xmas Eve a fun relaxing time. It's stuff lots of families would do anyway. Eg film, hot drink, new pyjamas (ready for Santa). Nothing OTT special. It's just that putting it in a box makes it more exciting for children and part of the Christmas magic.

And I'll continue doing the pyjama thing even when I'm old and gray. Its our lovely Christmas tradition and a part of Christmas

I also don't get the ridicule from some people - the view that anyone who dies Xmas Eve boxes are just spoiling the kids, it's a sign of commercialism gone mad. Or worse that it's a bit greedy and indulgent

. Do what you want at Christmas. Buy your kids a second hand bike or an aeroplane, do boxes or don't, cook dinner or do oven stuff, go to midnight mass or dont. Do what you want. But I really don't get this making fun of looking down on others supposed frivolity because someone chooses to do something you don't agree with.

We had pjs on Christmas Eve when I was younger. We’d get together with cousins and all get changed into them together, it made for some very cute pictures.

I don’t get what’s wrong with adding a mug, some hot chocolate and a dvd or book to that. Christmas is a very busy time of year for lots of people, a way to make a calm but still exciting time, and get kids ready for bed seems like a great idea to me.

Mine get their Christmas teeshirt on Christmas eve. Then there is no argument about what to wear the following day. It has become a tradition in our house and they wait to see what weird and wonderful design has been chosen. Cheesy, ahhh, funny, weird, we do the lot!

Also I don't see why kids would be 'made' to wear short pyjamas because they aren't allowed new til Christmas (not aimed at you lonny , more at those who think it's either/or).

Surely if your child outgrew pyjamas you'd buy new whatever time of the year it is? Also surely most children have more than 1 set of pyjamas? And Christmas pyjamas can be as little as 5pounds in Asda. So I don't see why, for the majority of people, buying Christmas pyjamas is a massive issue

I don’t understand - you dont like them, then just don’t do them?!?!!!!! Why judge others for what they want to do? I couldn’t care less if anyone wanted to do a 1st of December box, Christmas Eve’s Eve box and a Christmas Eve box. Who cares !