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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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keye · 04/12/2023 15:27

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

Oh piss off its pyjamas ffs

Cel77 · 04/12/2023 15:27

Yep, just an excuse for more "treats" which are absolutely not needed by most children. It seems to kill the excitement of the morning as they will already have had stuff the night before, by more stuff the morning after. No point whatsoever. Like the Elf on the shelf, a lot of nonsense that's not needed whatsoever. And seems to create more work/stress for parents willing to do it!

wildlifeobserver1 · 04/12/2023 15:29

The things contained in the Christmas Eve box that people are describing, used to be my actual Christmas Day presents and nothing more.

Christmas commercialism at its finest

Tittyfilarious81 · 04/12/2023 15:29

I do them but I just fill them with chocolate and sweets for the kids to eat whilst we watch Christmas movies

TheKeatingFive · 04/12/2023 15:30

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

No, Christmas is a season, historically 12 days of it.

Hadjab · 04/12/2023 15:30

Ask a grown up or your care giver to explain.

Rude!

TheKeatingFive · 04/12/2023 15:32

Like the Elf on the shelf, a lot of nonsense that's not needed whatsoever.

My kids love the elf. Since when do we only do what's 'needed'. What would that comprise of with regards to Christmas?

Toottooot · 04/12/2023 15:33

Much better to do a December 1st box - at least they’ll get the benefit of the stuff in the whole build up to Christmas and nae jist the night afore. In my hoose Christmas pjs are worn all year round - nae just Christmas.

justteanbiscuits · 04/12/2023 15:33

CagneyAndLazy · 04/12/2023 15:26

🙏

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Where has anyone mentioned more than PJ's, chocolate / hot chocolate and book or DVD?? How is any of that tat??

Do you only provide practical homemade gifts on xmas day?! Even my mums family, very working class war era family, got a new nightie on xmas eve!

LegallyBrunette01 · 04/12/2023 15:33

We do Christmas Eve boxes sometimes a bag though. It's always new PJs (Christmas themed, but my kids wear them all year), a book or a very small toy and some chocolate. We love them. Presents on Christmas Eve is not new trend, I'm 45 and have always opened a present on Christmas Eve.

User136921 · 04/12/2023 15:34

I don't think this was a thing when DS was young in the 90s, his pyjamas usually came from the Next Sale after Christmas.

Justletpeopleenjoythings · 04/12/2023 15:35

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.

Bang on! The faux innocence is so tiresome.

Hadjab · 04/12/2023 15:35

Toottooot · 04/12/2023 15:33

Much better to do a December 1st box - at least they’ll get the benefit of the stuff in the whole build up to Christmas and nae jist the night afore. In my hoose Christmas pjs are worn all year round - nae just Christmas.

Wasn’t wrong to read that in a Scottish accent? 🤣

Lavender14 · 04/12/2023 15:36

We did this as kids, you were allowed to open one present on Xmas eve which always mysteriously turned out to be Christmas jammies to wear to bed that night. I do a Xmas eve box for ds, he's only little so it's a Christmas storybook to read that night at bedtime, his Christmas jammies and a bauble to put on the tree. I don't think it needs to be anything crazy!

Toottooot · 04/12/2023 15:36

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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Fits wanky aboot buying your geets new pyjamas that in my hoose anyway will be worn all year round? Books that will also be read throughout the year. Awa bile yer heid min.

Needmorelego · 04/12/2023 15:36

@Bleakmidwinter1977 so you don't do anything during Advent then?
Most church based Christmas activities (Carol Service, Christingle, Nativity play etc) all happen during Advent.

Ohmylovejune · 04/12/2023 15:38

I look at these and laugh because I think I invented them!

When the kids were small (25 years ago) I'd buy new PJs at Christmas and a Christmas story book to read. It was in part because it was fun to do (and new PJs were just normal spending) and secondly because it stopped my husband letting them open "just one present" on Christmas Eve.

As the kids grew older these things seemed to become more ingrained in society and celebs started all wearing PJs and taking family shots by the tree in matching sets. And now the boxes have appeared.

I'm sorry!

Wendysfriend · 04/12/2023 15:39

Tbh I only heard of them when I joined Mumsnet, I don't live in England, I don't recall anyone with children having these boxes here, until I joined this site , although in saying that they have taken off in recent years.

Tbh when mine were young, we always had new PJ's/nightwear that were used a couple of days before Christmas and we drink hot chocolate all year round and don't wait until December to overdose on it and had books coming out of our ears. So I guess we were sort of doing it without the actual box.

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 04/12/2023 15:41

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.

They really weren't.

ToddlerMumma · 04/12/2023 15:42

We do this with our 3 and 6 year olds. We use the same wooden box every year and put their Christmas PJs in there, Christmas books that we read together under the tree and hot chocolate. We also add reindeer food (porridge oats!) so they remember to land at our house. It's a lovely family tradition now and the kids love it

TheKeatingFive · 04/12/2023 15:42

They really weren't.

Erm what? Are you saying I'm lying? Misremembering? What?

Toottooot · 04/12/2023 15:43

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 04/12/2023 15:41

They really weren't.

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How do you know she didn’t have one in the 80’s? Yi dinna 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ponoka7 · 04/12/2023 15:43

I started Christmas Eve bags back in 1986. I wasn't the only one doing it. They had the latest Disney DVD and the corresponding M&S PJs in. That was when Disney did releases at Christmas and Easter. Then there was stuff that some people put in stockings. I'm mixed heritage. Santa and stockings wasn't part of my or my family's celebrations. Advent was celebrated. But I had a baby on the Advent so could do celebrations without other people commenting. Christmas is a winter festival. If you are or aren't religious it isn't just one day. We are in the season of Advent. Just don't buy crap stuff and put the PJ's etc in the charity shop/bag. We don't do adult presents, cards or take part in secret Santa etc. I detest salmon and bucks fiz, would be starving if I had a continental breakfast on what is a busy time. I have family far away who will be sacrificing their food on Christmas Eve (possibly a ram), then a Cow for the period that is actual Christmas. The food is communally shared. Horses for courses.

Needmorelego · 04/12/2023 15:45

@WhatATimeToBeAlive it's the calling it a "box" that is the new trend. Everyone I have ever known who celebrates Christmas gets some Christmas related things before the actual day.
There's no point in giving a picture book of "The Night Before Christmas" to read with your children on Christmas Day - the clue is the name. It's a bit late then 😂

Ponoka7 · 04/12/2023 15:45

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 04/12/2023 15:41

They really weren't.

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Yes they were. Or I just dreamt that my DD (born 1985) had them.