To feel guilty I haven’t done my DS a Christmas Eve box?

[Redonionsalad]

He’s 7 and we never have really, except a couple of years ago when I did a few sweets and a colour in a bauble kit.
He has new PJs to wear every Christmas Eve. This year I did get them from vinted as money has been tight.

Everyone I know seems to be doing them. I feel rubbish this morning.

We have never done them either, I never knew it was a thing until a few years ago but haven't bought into it.

We’ve never done one. DD is excited enough about Christmas, why would she need extra presents the day before?!

My son is 12 now and we have never done Christmas eve boxes. He has never mentioned it either so I'm guessing none of his friends do it either. Certainly their parents have never mentioned it when we have chatted about Christmas.

Never did elf on the shelf either - nursery had one and DS just announced that the elf lived at nursery 🤷‍♀️

I'm sure your son will have a lovely time regardless.

We are having a fairly chilled day - couple of friends popping in this afternoon, then party food (DS request!) And watching the grinch 🙂 I suggested we could go out for a meal this year and ds was outraged that he wouldn't get party food 😂 they often enjoy the simple things!

Are you kidding?? Never done a Christmas Eve box in my life. I don't know anyone who does.

Live and let live etc, but I think there is so much gifting over Christmas I find it really hard to understand why there needs to be something else - there is more to Christmas than unwrapping stuff

4 dcs and never done one.

Never done one or elf on the shelf. Ds is nearly 13 and has never asked for one. Ds has worn pyjamas since a toddler and doesn't like hot chocolate. I never had one as a child. All is good.

No need for them... Another job and stuff that's only expected to last for 24 hours. My MIL did them a couple of times for the kids and it was a right pain, who wants a Christmas mug the day before Christmas just so it can go straight into storage (she says to sound like the kind of mum whose kids don't have Christmas mugs and socks all year round).

Mine are older and so Christmas Eve boxes weren’t a thing thank god! I think it ruins the anticipation of the big day. The more presents they get the less they appreciate it. It’s just fuelled my social media and shops.

Yes what goes in them ? It just seems like another thing to think about I couldn't honestly be bothered.

I have never heard of a Christmas Eve box but if its just more cheap pointless tat to give to kids who are already getting a shed load of presents literally the next day, then no thank you, they can shove it.

We already get enough brain washing that simply having more material "stuff" makes us "happy".

Never even heard of this nonsense
People just get mugged into buying stuff no one needs

We don't do one. I feel like it would dull the excitement for Santa if presents appeared the night before too.

I have teenagers and have never done a Christmas eve box. They have never mentioned it or even cared. At this age, set in the rituals of what you do on Christmas eve and that's what he'll always remember and look forward to!

Oh its really easy. Just put in the pjs and a few random snacks you have lying around the house and a Christmas book from their shelf as well as their stocking to hang up. Don't go out of your way or buy new things, just assemble.

Mine is 9 and we do new pyjamas as an early present but no box. Everyone is different. I don't do the elf either, but do the milk wine and mince pies for santa. Just do what you feel nostalgia about and your child will grow up thinking that's the way Christmas is.x

Christmas Eve boxes don’t need to be a big thing - new pjs to put on after a bath ready for Santa is enough!

CEBox is a really recent thing and not a tradition in the true sense of the word.

With the excitement of the big-day, I am sure your DS will neither notice nor care.🎄

I have received my first ever CEBox this year......
I am a retired 60 year old.😂

Christmas Eve boxes seem to be a very recent 'thing'. It's just another marketing ploy to extort money from people.
Don't get sucked into it.

Is Xmas day not good enough anymore? Now it’s gifts in anticipation of gifts? Xmas is ridiculous pressure already on parents and also overwhelming for children already without adding this nonsense into the mix.
Retailers would adore that you are feeling guilty for not buying more stuff. Don’t buy into it OP. It’s not necessary. Most children have grown into fully functional adults without all the daft stuff. Most are probably better off haven’t not had it. You’ve done enough. Forgot about it. Along with the insta present piles and hot chocolate stations and elf’s and visits to winter wonderlands.
I was an only child who felt extreme pressure to bring delight into Xmas every year and it became too much. So much so i don’t do presents at all now and haven’t done for years because the happy memories are scarred with anxiety.

YABU to feel guilty. That’s how people keep getting conned into buying all this absolute crap that no one wants or needs year on year.

Fuck that!
Nope, absolutely zero guilt here having never ever done such shite.
I’ve no time, energy or money to get dragged into those shenanigans.

Now then, Christmas eve activities we do do!
Party, picky tea with a good film on, tree lights and the 4 of us all in one room together for an hour or two.
That is the BEST!

We don’t do one here. We do get new pyjamas every couple of years when DS has outgrown the last set, and this year for the first time ever he has asked for Christmas bedding so I have a set of that to put on (certainly won’t be getting new every year)

We also don't have an elf. DS gets very anxious about being ‘good’ so I told him that it was a secret but elves get sent to houses where someone needs keeping an eye on incase they are on the naughty list. He takes not having an elf as a sign he can relax!

I'm 48 and my siblings and I always woke up to a small present on Christmas Eve. I do the same for DSs - one small gift each given today instead of tomorrow. So the concept isn't that new!

I doubt your DC will even know that others are getting a box. By the time they go back to school, they won't be talking about getting new pyjamas and a craft set on Christmas Eve. Please don't feel bad.

This is a lovely message.and true i think.

My Dds are late 20s into.30s no children but they have bought new pyjamas for themselves and partners for Christmas eve, I mean the photos will probably go on.social media but the sentiment is there.

Don't feel rubbish! I does feel like everyone does them and they get more extravagant every year looking at social media. But most people I know don't actually do them or they are token things like PJ's and Chocs.

Also it feels like you think Vinted is a bad thing.....don't feel that way. I always do Christmas from Vinted (mostly) as there is no way I could afford alot of things otherwise. This year only one present for each child is brand new.

We only started Christmas eve boxes when DS was 3 as we went away with his cousins for Christmas who got them. I only put in chocolate, pjs and a small thing to do for the day which in all honesty....I would have got anyway.
I'm working today so put in make your own reindeer biscuits and Lego so DH had something to do with the kids.