To think Christmas Eve boxes are absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary?

[dressinggownwearer]

Just that really. Do children not get enough at Christmas without giving them even more the day before?! What are Christmas Eve boxes even for/full of that can't wait until Christmas Day?! Am I being mean and a grinch or do people agree?

I agree!

I’m excited about doing these.... but my dd is a bit young atm so might start the tradition next year.
I thought it typically had things in like xmas pjs, a book (Christmas related) to read, hot chocolate 🍫 and festive bath bubbles. It’s to set the mood and have a nice good night....

I agree - we don’t do the elf on the shelf either though so I am quite grinchy!

I thought this until I had a child, now I enjoy it, I don't put anything expensive or present like in there, pyjamas are the most expensive thing, then it's filled with things like Christmas themed colouring books, the tray for Santa's snacks, his magic key as we don't have a chimney, and reindeer food.

YANBU

Christmas Eve is wonderful and magical and I don't give my children a single gift until Christmas Day.

I agree with you to a point so I do a similar box at the beginning of December when the tree goes up. I dont see the point in getting Xmas pj's the day before when they could get more use out of them and most of the fun is the run up to Xmas so they get to wear them during December. I also put things like Christmas mugs and hot chocolate in it but they get to enjoy them for a few weeks rather than just that night.

I agree but my dc are adults so it wasn't a thing 20 years ago.
I don't think my dgs gets a Christmas eve box.

We have only started doing it the last few years, they get Christmas pyjamas, socks, hot chocolate, some gold chocolate coins and Christmas game which is usually something from Asda for a couple of quid and they love it. It doesn't have to cost a lot and it's fun and in the spirit of Christmas!

We do a family Christmas Eve box that contains new pj's for everyone, slippers, bath bomb, Night before Christmas book and new mug for hot chocolate. We also do some snacks and a movie- I used to get exactly the same growing up as a kid years ago.

I mean. Of course they're unnecessary. But they're not harming anyone, it's just a nice ritual for Christmas Eve. Growing up a lot of my friends would've had new pyjamas on Christmas Eve, and I'm sure lots of families watch a movie and have some treats.

My DC are too small now, but I doubt we'll bother. But I don't think it's a big deal either way.

Don’t do them if you don’t like them. They aren’t compulsory.

For anyone I know who does them, they’re just a vehicle for nice things to do on Christmas Eve. Craft stuff, a dvd, books, hot chocolate. Take it or leave it at a personal level, but what do you care what others do?

I dont see the point in getting Xmas pj's the day before when they could get more use out of them and most of the fun is the run up to Xmas so they get to wear them during December.

Couldn't agree more with this. We have an Xmas activity box which comes out at beginning of December and we plan for some Xmas related activity every day for the entire month (nothing extravagant, just making cards takes up a few days). They also get their Xmas pj's and any other clothing at same time so it's worn all month.

I feel the fun is much more the build up than the actual day itself. UK is (usually) one of the most magical places to be in December and I love for them to experience that.

I'm with you!

We usually do something simple on Christmas Eve like hot chocolate and a film, whatever. I don't see the need personally for more stuff/gifts.

Every bloody year there are threads about this. You do you. If you don't want one that's absolutely fine. We love ours. No harm done.

We have special little things we put in ours that we bring out every year. One is a hard back pop-up copy of T'was the Night before Christmas which we read late on Christmas eve. The children each have an engraved silver bauble that is kept in there and hung on the tree before going up to bed last thing. We also keep the plate for Rudolph's carrot etc in there so get it out of the box then to leave for Santa/Rudolph.

So no ours isn't wasteful, it's the same things every year with maybe a little treat thrown in, but even if it was more toys or whatever, who cares? All sorts of things about Christmas could be deemed wasteful or unnecessary. Doesn't make it wrong for other people to do it, but I could definitely live without other people pissing on my traditions.

I don’t know any family who only wear their Xmas PJs during the Christmas period.

YABU because you don't have to do them if you don't want to. I've always done them as they add a little more magic - my two love them.

My friend told me about it about 10 years so before it was a 'thing' and I thought it was lovely. Just pj's, hot choc and a cheap dvd of a xmas film. I did it once or twice and contrived to put it in the doorstep, ring the bell then nip back in the back door so the kids thought the elves had delivered it. Not everything has to be onerous and overblown.

Each to their own?!?

We do a first day of advent box. It has all the Xmas books, the nativity set, the advent calendar and festive clothes in it.

That way they get enjoyed all of December before being put away for next year

We don't do it - they get enough with the advent calendars, stocking and presents! If I want them to have new pjs, I'll just get them.
We watch something on the tv, put out mince pie etc for Father Christmas and have a lovely evening without more gifts!
I think many children will grow up expecting so much and feel the pressure to outdo it when they are parents themselves. Where does it end?

We put warm pyjamas in but not Christmas ones - then they can be worn whenever.

We usually do something simple on Christmas Eve like hot chocolate and a film, whatever.

And some people wrap that up and call it a Xmas Eve box. 🤷‍♀️

I cannot wait for the Elf on the Shelf threads to start btw.

It just adds another layer of stuff that people are expected to do / “BUY”! I reject it as consumerist nonsense. We put a carrot and some whisky out for FC & the reindeers.

When I read what some people put in them, I wonder what goes in the stocking, as to me it is all that stuff: chocolate coins, hot chocolate, socks, bath bomb etc. My children get things like books and games as their actual presents, not pre-presenrs, although I would give a Christmassy book earlier in December. Do Christmas Eve boxes replace some of the stockings and other gifts, or are those all more generous too?
To be honest, my DH always wants us to spend more at Christmas and I am always reluctant as I found Christmasses so magical as a child and probably want to replicate my childhood for my kids.

I used to agree.

I have a box in the attic that doesn’t come down until Christmas Eve, and has various bits like Santa’s plate, the window candle, stockings, a book we always read, as well as various things for the table setting the next day and buried in the bottom, the stencil for Santa’s boot. I don’t need these things until Christmas Eve so they are boxed in the attic til then.

I also have some rituals that have evolved for Christmas Eve to calm the dc and wind down towards bed.
I make sure we have respectable pjs for the inevitable photos in the morning. Not new ones as that would unsettle ds, but newish.

I realised that Christmas Eve boxes are just a more ritualised version of what happens in my house anyway.