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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think Christmas Eve boxes are absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary?

999 replies

dressinggownwearer · 19/10/2020 07:14

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?

OP posts:

ShebaShimmyShake · 20/10/2020 22:03

The original St Nicholas resurrected some young boys who had been chopped up and boiled/pickled to sell as meat. That certainly makes him a good guy, but I can't see many parents using it as a Christmas Eve bedtime story (it gave me nightmares when I first came across it as a small child). He's also the patron saint of sex workers. If that's not dubious commercialism then I dont know what is....

ginandgingers92 · 20/10/2020 22:03

YANBU - totally agree with you

MrsMayo · 20/10/2020 22:05

I've never even done the Christmas Eve Box but find all you haters a bit pathetic. People can spend their money on what they like. If it makes you feel bad because your child's best mate is having one and yours aren't that is just tough. Best friends parents can do what they want. It's their Christmas, not yours.

Gabbygirl13 · 20/10/2020 22:07

Who cares what someone else wants to do on Christmas eve. I mean I personally don't but what a weird thing to ever consider haha

TheKeatingFive · 20/10/2020 22:08

The original St Nicholas resurrected some young boys who had been chopped up and boiled/pickled to sell as meat.

I remember that bit in the Benjamin Britten cantata. I nearly fell off my seat.

ShebaShimmyShake · 20/10/2020 22:11

@TheKeatingFive

The original St Nicholas resurrected some young boys who had been chopped up and boiled/pickled to sell as meat.

I remember that bit in the Benjamin Britten cantata. I nearly fell off my seat.

Kind of makes it hard to be appalled by what a box of pyjamas and chocolate does to the Christmas spirit....

Incrediblytired · 20/10/2020 22:12

I don’t really buy more stuff. My brother gave us a box as a gift and he kindly put a little glass on it for Santa’s whisky and a magic key for the back door.

I put some hot chocolate in and pyjamas, maybe an activity or game or dvd. Nothing we wouldn’t do anyway. Can’t see why that’s a problem for you?

narcdad45 · 20/10/2020 22:14

I think it's a load of crap too, along with baby showers, sex reveals (gender, as it's more commonly known as), save the date cards, Halloween treat boxes, it's all a loss of toss.

Each to their own but personally I find it all bollocks 😁

Newmumatlast · 20/10/2020 22:15

@ShebaShimmyShake

Sounds like pretty standard netflix/youtube documentary fare to me haha

VirginiaWolverine · 20/10/2020 22:25

@Newmumatlast

"I'm genuinely not sure what the point of the elf is for otherwise - why is it logically there if not to report back to Santa?"

In our case, the elf first came on a sort of educational visit/cultural exchange to find out about how people celebrate Christmas here while sharing her magic elf Christmas tips. And now she mostly just comes to stay because everyone loves her visits. She is also invited to every play the children are in, regardless of the season.

TheKeatingFive · 20/10/2020 22:27

Our elf comes to help us get into the Christmas spirit. And because she likes spending time with us all.

oobedobe · 20/10/2020 22:32

My personal feelings on Christmas Eve boxes are firmly on the fence. We do new PJs for the DDs, we might have hot chocolate, we will watch a movie and have popcorn - maybe even a bathbomb. But do I dress it all up in a special box, no.

I did one years ago when DD1 was 2 but I soon realized I was shopping to fill it (not saying everyone does this but I would have) and it was almost becoming another stocking, so I decided not to do them after that.

Kbr22 · 20/10/2020 22:36

When our DC were little we left out a carrot water and a mince pie for Santa, then, once they were asleep, I left a sack on their beds with little presents in jigsaw, books a tangerine and pyjamas. If they woke to early they could open these, and give us a couple more hours sleep. We then all went down to the tree together to see what Santa had left under the tree. I suppose a little like a Christmas Eve box but the children didn't open them until they woke up. I remember when my son aged around 6 woke up at 5am I was so grateful for these small gifts.

MountIronSolo01 · 20/10/2020 23:00

YANBU the Elf on the shelf is waste of space too.

WorriedMummy2020 · 20/10/2020 23:05

Agree, I refuse to do them. I'm not a party pooper or scrooge but just see no point on the hype with these.

Topsyandtimison37 · 20/10/2020 23:17

I give presents off elf on shelf instead

VirginiaWolverine · 20/10/2020 23:28

I think that a lot of posters objecting to Christmas Eve boxes and elf on the shelf have very much got the wrong end of the stick. One of the reasons I like them so much is that I really don't spend all that much money on my DC, and the rituals and traditions we create around festive occasions are a very good way of making not very much feel like something special.

EerieArmOff · 20/10/2020 23:34

I do one for my little girl.

It has Christmas pyjamas, new dressing gown and slippers, a Christmas Day outfit and shoes, Christmas film, new book, mug, hot chocolate, mini marshmallows, chocolate coins and some activities for her to do while I'm busy on Christmas Eve.

It's a tradition now.
She only gets presents from me and my dad really, so I do go very much OTT at Christmas/Birthdays. I can afford it though, so don't really see the issue.

EerieArmOff · 20/10/2020 23:35

Oh, and a bath bomb and bottle of snow fairy from lush. Plus some other nice bath stuff.

Can't forget that!

ApplesinmyPocket · 20/10/2020 23:37

My DC are adults but when they were small I always let them open one present on Christmas Eve.

Now, if they're here for Christmas, they still open a present on Christmas Eve - usually a game or jigsaw we can all do together during the evening.

Last year it was the Christmas Eve Game - surely even the Grinchiest grumbler can't argue it wasn't the right night for that!

Oh and we also have and always have had a Dec 1st box - with advent calendars, decorations and Decembery things to do or eat throughout the month.

No hype was ever involved - these were just the traditions we came up with long before there was a Mumsnet to tell us we were doing it wrong

EerieArmOff · 20/10/2020 23:38

I make big, elaborate scenarios up for elf on the shelf too
He usually arrives in a balloon of some sorts and finds himself in all sorts of predicaments, bringing small gifts (sweets, magazine, hair stuff, nail varnish...) most mornings.

Adds a bit of fun to those dark, cold, long winter mornings.

LadyWithLapdog · 20/10/2020 23:43

Never heard of them till a few days ago on MN and I’m not going to start them now. We do, however, do St Nicholas on 5 December, sometimes 6th if I forget.

MrsMayo · 20/10/2020 23:43

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MrsMayo · 20/10/2020 23:48

I love Halloween

jessstan1 · 20/10/2020 23:49

narcdad45 sounds sensible to me.

Ladywithlapdog, I'd never heard of Christmas eve boxes or elf on a shelf until last year on Mumsnet. I wonder when it all started over here in the UK, seems quite ridiculous.

At least there really was a Saint Nicholas.

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