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Original poster

What on earth is a Christmas Eve box??

642 replies

Xmasevewhat · 04/12/2023 14:58

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?

OP posts:
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Snugglemonkey · 04/12/2023 15:14

Xmasevewhat · 04/12/2023 15:01

I thought as much. When I first heard of it I assumed it must contain something special or different but it just looks like contents of your average stocking. What's the point?

Show quote history

The point of ours is to occupy dc on Christmas eve with a few wee craft activities. We also get pyjamas for Christmas eve. I am not on Instagram so we do not do that. Neither was my mother, but she did the same for us as children.

Bleakmidwinter1977 · 04/12/2023 15:14

Otherwise known as Christmas gifts, which were generally given on Christmas day, but some parents feel the need to overcompensate by giving gifts both days. Maybe because they are looking for gratitude at providing bath bubbles, which would usually just be found in any standard bathroom.

Original poster
Xmasevewhat · 04/12/2023 15:16

Whatevs23 · 04/12/2023 15:13

I don't live in the UK, and this thread is the first I've heard of this concept. It's certainly not a thing where I live and wasn't a thing when I was growing up in the UK.

Could it be a US import?

I've been in UK my whole life and wasn't a thing before. Although we might have done or eaten something special on Xmas eve just not from a box with mu name engraved on it.

I had first baby this year so paying more attention to what UK kids expect and do around Xmas and other holidays.

OP posts:
LoreleiG · 04/12/2023 15:16

I have never done this and my kids have never queried why.

When I was little we had some of our presents on Christmas Eve though. Like in Germany.

Hedonism · 04/12/2023 15:18

Nonplusultra · 04/12/2023 15:02

Are you very new to mumsnet?

And/or the 2000s? These have been around for years.

Bleakmidwinter1977 · 04/12/2023 15:18

She probably should have stayed away, but she will soon realise how many nasty bitches there are here who think everyone should know every middle class mummies idiosyncrasies.

Verv · 04/12/2023 15:18

The name is new, but it's an Icelandic tradition. We used to do it when I was kid.
It's usually a Christmas Eve gift of some fresh pjs and a book to sit with while drinking a hot chocolate.

I dont really agree that it's a push to spend extra money, because mine was basically xmas gifts divided into two with pjs and a book gifted the night before.

It's sweet and I like it.

CherryBlossom321 · 04/12/2023 15:18

Really not new. They’ve loudly been advertised online and in the high street and supermarkets for years. We love ours.

TheKeatingFive · 04/12/2023 15:19

They were around in the 1980s, I remember getting new PJs and some chocolate in the Christmas Eve box. And a colouring book.

Original poster
Xmasevewhat · 04/12/2023 15:19

Hedonism · 04/12/2023 15:18

And/or the 2000s? These have been around for years.

Show quote history

I'm new to motherhood.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 04/12/2023 15:20

@girlfriend44 I see it as things you will use before actual Christmas Day though. Christmas isn't just the 25th December - it's a season.

Heronwatcher · 04/12/2023 15:21

They are a brilliant excuse for people on mumsnet to pearl clutch and complain about how ghastly, common, frivolous, wasteful and generally terrible they are, and to stealth boat about how wholesome their own traditional Christmases with home made family decorations, a tree from the garden and nothing more than a sniff of a satsuma and an educational wooden abacus are. See also putting decorations up too early, baby showers, hot tubs, ready meals, fancy cars, Halloween, tumble dryers…

The best posts are done in faux ignorance because people on mumsnet also don’t use social media either of course.

BIossomtoes · 04/12/2023 15:21

It’s another way to extract money from you.

GrandColombier · 04/12/2023 15:21

We did hot choc, biscuits new PJs and a book/craft thing for cChristmas eve in the 90s. But no box and all fairly chilled.

Ffsnotaconference · 04/12/2023 15:23

Christmas Eve presents have been a tradition in my family since my mum was young. She would be almost 68. Many of my school friends also did the same.

For many people it’s not a new thing. It’s actually part of their family traditions.

it would be things like? New pjs for Christmas Eve night/a book/a game or (when mum did them for me and dbro were kids) a movie. Some hot chocolate. Basically things for Christmas Eve.

This isn’t a new thing and no one is under obligation to do. The fact that some people may give ‘tat’ doesn’t mean that it’s not been a tradition in some families for many years.

Bleakmidwinter1977 · 04/12/2023 15:23

Needmorelego · 04/12/2023 15:20

@girlfriend44 I see it as things you will use before actual Christmas Day though. Christmas isn't just the 25th December - it's a season.

Winter is the season. Christmas Day is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and saviour.

caringcarer · 04/12/2023 15:23

My kids are adults now and when they were little I always gave them a Xmas dvd to watch on Xmas Eve whilst I got on with prepping the veg Ahead of Xmas day. They had a Xmas story and warm milk before bed. Just didn't come in a box. My Aunty used to buy all my 3 DC new PJ's and chocolate coins for Xmas every year. We sometimes let them open her gift to them on Xmas Eve so we'd get a nice photo on Xmas morning. Lots of people put a special Xmas mug that DC only use over the Xmas period then it goes back in the box for next year. Same with Xmas book, Twas the Night Before Xmas is popular in Xmas Eve boxes. Others put in craft to keep DC busy on Xmas Eve.

letspopthekettleon · 04/12/2023 15:23

A disgusting and completely wasteful greedy use of the worlds resources for 'keeping up with the joneses' type gross parents.

Should be bloody boycotted!!

keye · 04/12/2023 15:24

I always gave my kids fresh pyjamas on Christmas Eve, some sweets, bubble bath and a dvd/video - it's just a box to put the stuff in. So while the boxes are relatively new, the concept isn't. It's not what I would put in their stockings because it's for the evening before Christmas Day; not the day

Daisies12 · 04/12/2023 15:24

Just more ways that capitalism makes people think they need to buy more crap to make them happy, as we continue to destroy the planet, and all for a photo on social media. Honestly, I despair.

Bleakmidwinter1977 · 04/12/2023 15:25

A new pair of pj's on Christmas Eve is very different to a personalised box of "stuff" available to purchase online, in the form of a "Christmas Box".

letspopthekettleon · 04/12/2023 15:25

Daisies12 · 04/12/2023 15:24

Just more ways that capitalism makes people think they need to buy more crap to make them happy, as we continue to destroy the planet, and all for a photo on social media. Honestly, I despair.

Exactly! And all the wanky parents on this thread with their ideas. Please!! Stop buying tat!!

crochetmonkey74 · 04/12/2023 15:26

They are not new and they do not have to be full of tat- I'm 49 and I had one when I was little- it was a satsuma crate that the fairies (my mum) put our new pjs and dressing gown in, our favourite christmas books and later, videos. It would be waiting on my bed for when I got out of the bath and before getting in bed for Father Christmas to come. Also, it had our Christmas mugs that again, only came out once a year. MY mum had one when she was little - and she was born in 1947!
It doesn't have to be tat and plastic!! It was also the second most exciting bit of Christmas (first was the stockings)

CagneyAndLazy · 04/12/2023 15:26

letspopthekettleon · 04/12/2023 15:25

Exactly! And all the wanky parents on this thread with their ideas. Please!! Stop buying tat!!

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🙏

Crunchingleaf · 04/12/2023 15:26

I have been doing a Christmas Eve box since my teen was a baby.
Always new PJs but they are never Christmas ones so he can wear them all year round, a new tree decoration (when we were putting tree up this year he got a kick out of looking at all the ones he got over the years.). Then a little treat.
No photos uploaded to Instagram, no matching PJs etc. They are things that would be bought anyway and he has had same box every year for years.
I did actually buy matching PJs for my youngest two this year because they are baby/toddlerNd I thought it would be cute BUT again they aren’t Christmas themed so can be worn afterwards for as long as they fit. I don’t put pictures of the children up online.