What on earth is a Christmas Eve box??

[Xmasevewhat]

I've suddenly seen 'Christmas Eve boxes' popping up everywhere. In shops, on Etsy, social feeds. Never even heard of the concept and now all of a sudden it's everywhere.

Can someone explain the point? Seems like they are filled with same kind of things you'd put in a stocking. Be honest, is it just another Instagram fad/ excuse to spend money?

Lol @ all the "MY Xmas eve traditions are modest and tasteful. Everyone else is doing tacky shit for the likes".

People give new PJs/book/bath bomb/etc on Xmas eve - not everyone, but enough people that shops started providing nice/tacky/[whatever your opinion is] way to present them. Not hard to understand.

New Pjs for kids on Xmas Eve = tacky

Giving every male member of you family new socks/jumpers/toiletries Christmas Day like they can’t get them any other time of year for themselves - absolutely fine

🤨

We’ve had a Christmas Eve box for years. It’s usually got a Christmassy book for each child, some festive chocolate, a Christmas craft activity to do on Christmas Eve whilst the adults are being boring and sorting stuff and new Christmas pjs. I’d like it noted that those new pjs are worn on Christmas Eve night and then put in the pile with their other pjs. They’re not used once and thrown so no different from me just replacing their outgrown pjs.

If you don’t like it, don’t partake.

It's not a difficult concept OP. You clearly started this thread, feigning ignorance, so you and your ilk can look down their noses at other people who might do things that you don't. I don't do Christmas eve boxes but do give new PJs on Christmas eve to my kids. If someone else wants to do a whole box then good for them, it's nothing to do with anyone else.

Some of you would hate actual Icelandic Christmas. We have to give the children 13 little presents in the run up to Christmas - they put their shoe in the windowsill and get something in it every morning starting 13 days before Christmas Eve as all the Yule Lads come to town.

Kind of like a stocking but spread out and you have to remember every night!

I'm not saying I never buy new pyjamas, it just seems like any mention of a Christmas Eve box always, always has pyjamas, which makes me think there must be a massive market in pyjamas!

Yep. There's a massive market in pyjamas.

And my OH had them in 1972. So people did it then.

I think the idea is you kind of eek out your growing child's pyjamas and save the next new pair for Xmas Eve.

It's so not complicated.

*Some of you would hate actual Icelandic Christmas. We have to give the children 13 little presents in the run up to Christmas - they put their shoe in the windowsill and get something in it every morning starting 13 days before Christmas Eve as all the Yule Lads come to town.

Kind of like a stocking but spread out and you have to remember every night!*

Ooops that's way too lovely and trad and crunchy. And continental!

Re calibrate.

That is really new, my son is 21 and we didn't do it.

My son was deprived :). He got a stocking, presents and I used to (and still do) put chocolates in a fabric Advent Calendar that we've had since he was very small!

Elf on the Shelf is just silly.

Xmas Eve box slightly less so if it's just new pyjamas and you can wear them all year!

And yes, it's another way to separate people from their money.

That sounds really nice. You have the book event too don't you?

whilst the adults are being boring and sorting stuff

What is this "stuff" that I should be sorting on Christmas Eve that takes so long that the kids need entertainment while it gets done.

Fair point. Guilty! Not just the male family members though, the female members get socks too.

You can't have enough socks though.

@enchantedsquirrelwood prepping food apparently is a big Christmas Eve thing. I dunno? I don't do Christmas dinner.

It is full of unworn and only slightly worn clothes, which may well include lots of Christmas pyjamas...

You can’t have enough pjs in my house as my autistic kids chew or poke holes in them. And socks as well to be fair, they cost me an absolute fortune in socks. Unfortunately they can’t be gifted 20000 pairs on Christmas Day to last them the year though 🤣

No one feigned interest, I've have children ranging from 7-22 and the "box" nonsense has only really been pushed over the past few years. Yes, many families have their own traditions on Christmas eve, New pj's, books, DVD, but it's recently been packed as a "Christmas Box" and twisted into another must have expense.

Well I do cook Christmas dinner but I don't do any prepping on Christmas Eve. I usually do it before I go out to do a Christmas parkrun. It's only peeling some veg so I don't need to do it later. Takes about 15 minutes.

A new pair of PJ's per year, per person, is not excessive at all!

It is full of unworn and only slightly worn clothes, which may well include lots of Christmas pyjamas

I wonder what percentage of landfill is Christmas pjs? 🤔

These are cosy pyjamas though, wouldn't they be hot in the summer

Never done Christmas Eve boxes.

But when DC were little, the elves would leave a DVD, hot chocolate sachets and instructions of keeping chimney clear, place for Santa's treat and what to leave for the reindeer in the chimney...

There's no space for the pj's after all the hot chocolate sachets have been disposed of.

What is this "stuff" that I should be sorting on Christmas Eve that takes so long that the kids need entertainment while it gets done.

Oooh check you! so organised, can't think of a thing to do on Christmas Eve!

When my eldest was little I used to always get him some pjs and a dvd or book on Christmas Eve. It's basically the same thing but with extra fillers!

I still just do pjs for my kids because I save the other bits for the stocking like you said!

Hate to be that person, but they were even around in the seventies because I had them.
The reason I had them was because my Mum, born in the 1940's also had a version with new nightclothes and a treat.

Sorry you didn't experience this. Others did.

I don't have a box it's just a pair of pj's and a book. Despite mine getting too old for Xmas books and the oldest not even wanting Xmas pj's they don't want to give up the tradition.