To ask what a Christmas Eve box is?

[Qpobb]

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!!

First year doing it with fiancé but no kids yet. I come from Germany and we celebrate on the 24th in the evening. We have always done one gift each on the 24th and then the rest on 25th. This year we are doing a Christmas eve box instead. I got him a book on how to draw fantasy maps (he loves maps and fantasy worlds), a small note book, pencils, posh hot chocolate and a small whiskey set. I read about them last year and thought it was a great idea so that we can celebrate a little on the 24th with any children we have and in this way honour both traditions

@AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken I charity shopped all mine & if I fancy a film I've always managed to find it to rent or buy. It's like cds, I just don't have them or anything to play them on now.

Weird how the first result that comes up on Google tells you exactly what to put in one. You were absolutely after a bun fight.

Sorry *PrincessNutRoast", I am unrepentant

I'm struck by just how difficult these boxes are for some people to grasp. An OP who needs to ask MN what they are, and I've just been on another thread where more than one poster was telling us how they "cannot understand" them and "cannot imagine" why some people like them.

I really didn't think they were such a difficult concept. What exactly is everyone struggling with?

Doesnt hot chocolate, with all the caffeine, add to Xmas eve not sleeping??

Perhaps more the ‘why’ not the ‘what’.

@Bananahana I guess it depends what time etc. Also a warm drink can be very relaxing

Both hot chocolate and cocoa have fairly minimal amounts of caffeine, especially as you only use a few teaspoons per cup. Unless you are making hot chocolate by melting a whole bar of chocolate in the milk the caffeine will be negligible - the sugar will have much more of an impact.

lovepickledlimes hello, fellow expat here. That is exactly what we do at home.

We're doing a box for mother and father in law to enjoy on Christmas Eve. I'm putting some wine, chocolates, nuts and a game (maybe a jigsaw- haven't decided yet).

For us, it's a nice idea because Christmas in our home happens on the 24th and I want them to feel that they are a part of it. We also have Christmas day in the traditional English way, so our little son has the best of both worlds!

It's another Christmas idea. If it's not turned into a competition, it can be pleasant.

It,s a waset of money.

@june2007 is having some hot chocolate, bubble bath, watching a Christmas movie in new pjs and god forbid maybe a cheap colouring book or game a waste of money or is it the fact that it is presented in a neat box that makes it a waste?

I actually did [Google] but it just came up with the outer boxes for sale. I want to know what's in them!

A little tip: googling this phrase "Christmas Eve boxes mumsnet" for me brings up "What goes in your Christmas Eve box" and "Christmas Eve box, what's going in yours?" as the top two hits. I often do this when looking for a specifically MN thread on something, as it works better than MN's own search. I hope this is helpful

I think it's fairly obvious though from "Surely there are enough presents given out on Christmas day itself!?" that this wasn't a simple fact-finding mission, more that you wanted to TELL OFF PEOPLE WHO DO THIS.

For the record, I've done it since my eldest was old enough to understand (40 years ago) and we would give her one present with our 'special' Christmas Eve dinner, a small one waiting at her place. Not an extra present. In later years I realised that any themed Christmas clothing like knickers, socks and giant Christmas-themed jigsaws were best handed out the day BEFORE Christmas. We still do this.

Several people this and every other time this topic comes up excuse their urge to Tell People Off with pious concern about 'pressure on parents'. People can say till they're exhausted 'it's hot chocolate and a DVD to share on Xmas Eve' or 'it's new clothes for Xmas Day' but the urge to tell people you disapprove, don't like it, don't think we should do it, must be really strong because - there's two weeks till Christmas - plenty of time for more wide-eyed innocents to post the question fifteen more times and for the piously concerned to express their virtuousness.

Oh and, "I do find greed a bit unappealing" wins the thread.

I don’t even understand the requirement for new pyjamas at Christmas.

I don’t even understand the requirement for new pyjamas at Christmas.

It’s not a requirement, it’s a something some people choose to do

What else do you not understand about gifts of clothes at Christmas?

@ToniTheDonkey

I don’t even understand the requirement for new pyjamas at Christmas.

Well, if you don't comply, the Xmas pj police come round and arrest you. 🙄 It's not a requirement. It's a choice some people make because they want to. It doesn't affect anyone else or mean that everyone must make the same choice.

In hindsight the opening of the Quality Street tin on Christmas Eve was the equivalent of this when I was a child.

@june2007

It,s a waset of money.

Yes, if it's not something you enjoy. If it is...

I'm actually thinking of doing one this year, for the first time. Just think how many people who don't understand them and think they're a requirement, whom I could absolutely confound. I'll have world domination by Twelfth Night and these people presumably won't be capable of understanding that either.

@SnuggyBuggy

In hindsight the opening of the Quality Street tin on Christmas Eve was the equivalent of this when I was a child.

Same here, along with opening one of the wrapped presents.

We used to refer to the quality street tin 'a five pound tin of quality street' which is over 2 kilos and considerably larger than they are now, but they were comparitively expensive and a real treat, unlike now where they're much smaller, worse quality, and cheap enough that many people have several of them in the time they're on sale.

An overindulgence !

So when I was little on Christmas Eve we would always get New pjs and a Bottle of matey bubble bath to get us all ready and chilled for the night. We would also watch the muppets Xmas carol and have treats such as hot chocolate. Its just a nice way of presenting it.

Wait, what? How long have these boxes been a thing? I thought they were a very recent development!

@lollipoprainbow

An overindulgence !

And everyone knows Christmas is all about doing the bare minimum necessary for life!

@yearinyearout

So when I was little on Christmas Eve we would always get New pjs and a Bottle of matey bubble bath to get us all ready and chilled for the night. We would also watch the muppets Xmas carol and have treats such as hot chocolate. Its just a nice way of presenting it.

Wait, what? How long have these boxes been a thing? I thought they were a very recent development!

We have posters over 40, 50 and beyond who had some kind of treat on Christmas Eve when they were children. It's more established now to put the treats in a box (though it did happen before), and nowadays the box is usually made for a film night, and yes, it's relatively recently that one was able to buy them ready made and branded as Christmas Eve boxes. But the concept itself isn't at all new and until I saw how absolutely confounded so many MNers are by it, I didn't think it was all that difficult either.

It’s more established now to put the treats in a box

Im going to say container now

Forever...

Everyone stop questioning the poor OP’s motivations for starting the thread. We’ve all had a lovely 8 page bunfight to entertain ourselves so we should be thanking them, quite frankly.