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Original poster

To ask what a Christmas Eve box is?

207 replies

Qpobb · 14/12/2020 08:12

I keep seeing posts on my local FB marketplace advertising "Christmas Eve boxes". No idea what they are, what function they have or what goes in them? Surely there are enough presents given out on Christmas day itself!? I have no DC, so perhaps something that isn't relevant to me... However, I am curious!!

OP posts:
hansgrueber · 14/12/2020 11:45

To ask what a Christmas Eve box is?

A money making stunt! Instead of giving your children a new pair of pj's and a bit of chocolate on Christmas Eve you are now encouraged to spend money on a special box to put them into. As my dar mother would have said There's one born every minute.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 14/12/2020 11:45

The physical BOXES weren’t a thing in the uk at least

Iremembertheelderlykoreanlady · 14/12/2020 11:46

At our house, the Christmas eve elves bring new pjs and a game to play on Christmas Eve. No box.

They used to bring a Christmas film on DVD but we have all the decent ones now

TheKeatingFive · 14/12/2020 11:48

The concept of a Christmas Eve box was well established 30 years ago, though I don’t think people called them that.

Physically buying something labelled ‘xmas eve box’ in a shop, not so much.

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 14/12/2020 11:51

@TheKeatingFive

The concept of a Christmas Eve box was well established 30 years ago, though I don’t think people called them that.

Physically buying something labelled ‘xmas eve box’ in a shop, not so much.

Exactly

What i was trying to say but much better 😀🎄

AurorasGingerbreadHouse · 14/12/2020 11:53

It's a bit like a bedtime basket only for Christmas Eve. So all the things that you need for bedtime routine. Pyjamas, some kind of special drink/ food, things for Santa/reindeer, bed time film/book/activity. My kids are usually so excited by then, that Christmas Eve boxes are their incentive to get ready for bed.

BrumBoo · 14/12/2020 12:03

@hansgrueber (what an appropriate username!), as pp said, the entire concept of Christmas is a money-making event. You can pick and choose which parts you... well partake in. For example, I never bother with the elf (genuinely, the elf would have been sent back to the North Pole by day 3, I just CBA with that sort of thing), but most other families I know do it. On the flipside, I've not known anyone else to do Xmas Eve Boxes, but I quite like it as 'here's some presents, now chill your shit until tomorrow' thing. I did know one family who did the entire (or may it was everything but Santa) present opening on Xmas Eve, but they were of German decent. Different strokes and all that.

namechangetheworld · 14/12/2020 12:06

My parents never really did Christmas in a big way because they're joyless fuckers like lots of posters on here but even 30 years ago we were allowed to open one small present on Christmas Eve and have hot chocolate before bed. Exactly the same idea as a Christmas Eve box so it's hardly a modern thing.

We don't do literal boxes in our house either, but we do give the DC a new Christmas craft activity to do and a new (second hand) story book each. I certainly wouldn't be adverse to using a box if someone gave me one though. I'm not worried that my DC will become slaves to consumerism just because they get more than a satsuma and new socks at Christmas.

Wejustdontknow · 14/12/2020 12:07

I honestly don’t understand people that moan about more tat and kids not needing presents the day before Christmas. Pretty much everyone I know with children does it but it doesn’t contain toys it is pj’s, book or movie, reindeer food/Santa key and plate then maybe a hot chocolate or treat. I have done them for years, the main cost is the pj’s at £10-£15 per child, the rest is just a couple of pounds and much of it can be reused if you want. It is also things that would have been bought anyway just given in a box to create more excitement and sense of tradition. I enjoy giving them to my children, it makes them happy which makes me happy

SinkGirl · 14/12/2020 12:08

They started selling boxes because there was a demand for them with people doing this already. It’s not something that’s been conjured up from nowhere because the boxes are there.

VettiyaIruken · 14/12/2020 12:13

In my case it's a new pair of pyjamas and the ingredients for a hot chocolate.

I started doing it when the kids were very young because living a couple of hundred miles from my family and a few thousand from my husband's, it was nice for them to get videos of Christmas morning and I realised my children looked like tiny tramps because they were always so rough on their PJ's 😁

So it became tradition. They're now in their 20s and I still do it.

It doesn't hurt anyone and it's just a nice little thing that feels christmassy. 🤷‍♀️

user1496146479 · 14/12/2020 12:22

@myhobbyisouting

"Christmas eve BOXES weren’t a thing years ago"

They were absolutely a "thing" 40 years ago. I don't understand why pps think that just because they weren't aware of something that it didn't exist at all

This!! I the far side of 40! I had a Christmas box. Back then it was new pj's, book, colouring book, maybe hot chocolate when older. I still have box, my eldest ds uses it now. Now for us, it's new pj's, fluffy socks, hot chocolate etc. Stuff we would do anyway, box saves on wrapping paper etc. My son loves that it used to be mine!!

Such drama on this thread.... I don't like hot chocolate so Christmas boxes are OTT..... then just don't have hot chocolate, have something else, nothing.... but stop being so bloody judgmental on those that do!!

Give me strength!

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 14/12/2020 12:24

I DIDNT SAY CHRISTMAS EVE PRESENTS DIDNT EXIST YEARS AGO

I SAID THE BOXES DIDNT EXIST

😩🎄

RufustheSniggeringReindeer · 14/12/2020 12:24

Adding to the drama with use of caps lock and emoji

TheSunIsStillShining · 14/12/2020 12:24

[quote Zoecarter]@CherryPavlova I am In my 30’s and always had new pjs. (So the pictures look nice of Xmas morning really) but it’s a nice way of getting kids wanting to go to bed on Xmas evening. X[/quote]
Does this means that you have as many pj's as old you are? :)

Jaxhog · 14/12/2020 12:35

Because some cultures give a box of presents on Christmas eve rather than Christmas day.

Oooohbehave · 14/12/2020 12:37

I don't do a box, but DCs always get new PJs on Christmas Eve and this year I've bought some hot chocolate bombs for them too. DH always gets me PJs on Christmas Eve too.

Leaannb · 14/12/2020 12:41

@bobbiester

It's a made up thing to get people to buy more stuff. Never existed a few years ago - now there's competitiveness to see who can put together the most cutesy box.

In my day, as kids, we just used to sneak a few Quality Street - watch a film and go to bed.

I got Christmas Eve boxes living in Cardiff as a child. I'm 50
Leaannb · 14/12/2020 12:41

@RufustheSniggeringReindeer

I DIDNT SAY CHRISTMAS EVE PRESENTS DIDNT EXIST YEARS AGO

I SAID THE BOXES DIDNT EXIST

😩🎄

But they did
JudesBiggestFan · 14/12/2020 12:43

I'm not one for creating extra work at Christmas, but I actually enjoy this...for children much of the joy of Christmas is in the anticipation and it's all pArt of that Christmas Eve excitement.
The actual boxes we use are just one I bought from Asda for my three boys. Inside they have new pyjamas, a new mug with a sachet of hot chocolate and marshmallows, reindeer food and a new book for bedtime.
We order dominos at about 5 then the boxes get brought out and they get all dressed for bed, we watch a film with hot chocolate then they all trot off to bed with their books while we lay out the presents and have a glass of baileys. It's nothing materialistic...just a nice way of making Christmas Eve feel a bit more special. Plus encouraging them to bed a bit early!

EurosprogBauble · 14/12/2020 12:45

But they did

Can you tell us where you would have bought said boxes then?

NerrSnerr · 14/12/2020 12:49

Exist so that people have something to feel snootily superior over because it’s not their personal cup of tea and therefore anyone who partakes in it is doing Christmas wrong

This explains it perfectly. So many people on Mumsnet cannot understand that just because they chose not to partake in something doesn't mean that the people that do are wrong or somehow inferior.

We haven't done Christmas Eve boxes but we do have an elf which is even more controversial on here!

EnPoinsettia · 14/12/2020 12:57

@Qpobb Now I prefer a prawn dumpling. Then I realised I had them for a while to properly compare. So I google Dumplings and Baos and up popped this place. Dumplings and baos and choux buns. Mmm.

Yeahnahmum · 14/12/2020 13:19

Just another ploy to get you to spend even more money on your kids.

And to make kids even more entitled re pp that said her kid was unimpressed there was no xmas eve box to set the mood 😂

BrumBoo · 14/12/2020 13:22

@Yeahnahmum, please tell us how you do Christmas better than everyone else! How do you get your children not to be 'entitled' at Christmas, and how long exactly do they cry for when you've only got them a lump of coal and a cardboard box to play with?