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?

@thecatsthecats you sound like my sort of festive celebrator! But you've forgotten about the winter solstice and Saint Lucy's day.

And Gaudete Sunday, but that's a bit niche religious, and also assumes that you'll be fasting all advent, which virtually nobody does.

We do one similar to most other people. Ours have new pjs (not Christmas themed so they get more use post Christmas eve), snacks, new movie, bath goodies and little odds n ends to use during the afternoon when we are winding down before Christmas Eve walk (we have a dog, and there is a charity that runs a local float around on Christmas eve that my children like to go and give treats to the volunteers). Its never expensive and just adds to the festivities here :)

What exactly is the issue with them?

That they are advertised by their purveyors as a 'tradition' when they are actually something very new, invented for purely commercial reasons (as is the Elf on the Shelf).

'Tradition' is one of those buzzwords associated with Christmas.

That they are advertised by their purveyors as a 'tradition' when they are actually something very new

Not true at all. As you’d know if you read the thread.

Also who cares if these traditions are long standing or not? Everything starts somewhere.

If it has just started then it's not a tradition.

Words have specific meanings.

Using words with specific meanings to evoke feelings and cause spending is not really what Christmas is all about. It's just using Christmas as one more opportunity to turn a penny.

I don't see the point of them. We just do the traditional sign in the window, hang his stocking up and leave cookies a drink (NOT milk as I can't stand milk in a glass, makes me feel sick) and a note for Father Christmas. We also do a note from Father Christmas to our son as well.
And elf on the shelf is even worse. What's the point of it?

Using words with specific meanings to evoke feelings and cause spending is not really what Christmas is all about. It's just using Christmas as one more opportunity to turn a penny

Christmas has always been a huge commercial opportunity.

But a) Christmas boxes go back at least 40 years and b) they’re not even particularly commercially focused compared to plenty of Christmas stuff. The ire against them is very strange (and certainly not explained by your immense touchiness over the T word)

@TheKeatingFive, au contraire, while some people may have received pajamas or a book or enjoyed hot chocolate and a board game with families as part of their Christmas Eve in times past, the commercial phenomenon of personalised boxes and boxes with ready-packed contents, the promotion of The Christmas Eve Box as a 'tradition', and the creation of the idea that this is a Thing is all shiny and new.

And elf on the shelf is even worse. What's the point of it?

It’s loads of fun, my children adore it. 🤷‍♀️

And (before you all start) we operate a policy of

No surveillance
No social media
No spend beyond initial 5 euro for cheapy elf

And elf on the shelf is even worse. What's the point of it?

£££££££££££££££

b) they’re not even particularly commercially focused compared to plenty of Christmas stuff.

a) Give them time.

b) Saying they are not particularly commercialised compared to other 'Christmas' elements isn't an argument that they are not commercialised.

Elf on the shelf is great fun, my dd loves it...I got a cheap one in the pound shop for £2...it hasn't cost me anything else, except perhaps my sanity as I think of more random scenarios to put him in...

the promotion of The Christmas Eve Box as a 'tradition', and the creation of the idea that this is a Thing is all shiny and new.

Things do adjust and develop and that is allowed you know.

Our Christmas Eve box is actually exactly the same format mine from my childhood.

Oh except the elf brings it. You’ll love that.

£££££££££££££££

I really don’t get this objection. Our spend on the elf has worked out at 1,25 euro per year and he has many years ahead.

'Bah Humbug' I say...

'Bah Humbug' I say

Clearly

Your initial spend on the Elf multiplied by whatever number of other families who bought the same product = ??

My guess is £££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

Not being responsible for other people’s spending. 🤷‍♀️

One of the best five euros I’ve ever spent, I just say.

My children get a new pair of pyjamas on Christmas eve but nothing else. They get enough stuff as it is and they love Christmas eve as we spend most of the day watching Christmas movies so don't need anything extra.

If you like them have them if you don't, don't.
We sure like to convolute things nowadays.

I've always been confused about why some (SOME) parents spend a fortune on these.... My sons and I leave some whiskey out for santa and some carrots for Rudolph. We all get in our snuggly pjs and watch a Christmas film on TV with some quality street.

My child was left very upset at school when a child went on and on and on about his xmas eve box and all the presents he was going to get (and my son was not).. completely spoilt in my opinion!!!!!

Such a shame!!!!

I think it's more 'watching a generation of children growing up completely spoilt and not understanding that Christmas actually isn't just about presents'....

I have nothing against individuals spending their money any way they want. I do have a bee in my bonnet about an item dreamed up in someone's kitchen in 2005 and flogged at book signings and multiple trade shows as a 'tradition' over the next several years, until it finally achieved a commercial breakthrough.

There is a reason the Elf on the Shelf is actually called the 'Elf on the Shelf®', a huge marketing success story.

Watch out for 'The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday -shoppapalooza-Tradition' coming your way some day.