Xmas eve boxes for children who aren't here on Xmas eve?!

[georgeballooney]

I KNOW this is super early but we are away for 10 days from Monday and then I am working a lot until Christmas so today I have done a lot of my christmas shopping.

This included the contents of my DCs Christmas eve box PJs, hot chocolates, book, toy, sweets that sort of thing. She is 4.

Was putting this all in the box this evening and DH was asking why I haven't done one for DSC who are 15 & 12. I said because they aren't with us Christmas eve this year. He thinks this is unreasonable and I "would still do it if it were DD" whereas I think it's unnecessary if they aren't even going to be there (probably get one at mums).

I did them one last year when they were with us (that was the first year I'd done any at all).

So basically aibu to not do a Christmas eve box for children not even here on Christmas eve? They would be here but only until about 11am on 24th then with mum until boxing day.

And aibu (probably am) to tell him to make his own damn boxes if he wants to.

and the name wasn’t self explanatory enough?

and you needed to understand why kids NEED them? As though Christmas is about only need.

and simply couldn’t understand that people do things because they like it. Whether you know about it or not.

Op likes doing it. It’s that simple. Some people have different traditions to you. It’s that simple.

I said what was in it in my OP.

I would have done one they can take with them to their mums. Only because I’ve been the step kid who missed out on Christmas Eve with my dad AND the fun stuff they did ok Christmas Eve and whilst I logically understood it, It did upset me.

If the step-kids were going to be with OP on Christmas Eve night, she would do them a box. She did one last year when they were there and will do one next year when they will be at OP's house.

It's their mum's turn to have them on Christmas Eve and OP would be over-stepping if she gave them boxes to take to their own house, as their mum probably has her own plans. If her DH is so concerned about the lack of Christmas Eve boxes for his older kids, to take to their mums, he can make them.

No it’s not.

If they were there on Christmas Eve night, OP would do them each a box. As they will be with their mum, OP isn't doing them one. It's the step-kids' mums turn for whatever Christmas Eve traditions she does in her house.

The purpose they serve for us, is knowing the kids will have nice, new, clean matching PJs on for the Christmas morning photos, the hot chocolate and snacks for the Christmas Eve movie won’t have been eaten advance. We had a Christmas Eve story to read and when they were small we had the reindeer food in there.

Thanks for taking the time to explain why you have them 🙂

None of this explains why he can't do it for his kids if he wants them to have one. If you think his question is 'totally valid' then so is OPs answer, if he feels differently, he can make them up some boxes.

There’s the danger of trapping it in the lid as he closes the box.