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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

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Original poster

Those of you doing Christmas eve boxes...

53 replies

Loueytb3 · 12/12/2012 13:19

What do you use as a box and what are you putting in it?

I have so far got pyjamas, night before xmas book, reindeer food and I want to get a dvd (but haven't yet). But it suddenly occurred to me I haven't got anything to put it in. What are you all doing?

Planning on getting their elf to leave it overnight on the 23rd as a thank you gift . They will need to put the reindeer food out in daylight and have time to watch the dvd before they go to bed on 24th.

OP posts:

LauraShigihara · 12/12/2012 13:26

The elves deliver ours on Christmas Eve, not in a box but in a large present bag - you know, the sort of thing you put presents in instead of wrapping them. I then use the bag as a bin on Christams morning which is a bit wasteful but looks nicer in the photos.

This year, I believe that the elves may be leaving out the dvd present as it never gets watched in all the excitement and putting in Pass The Pigs instead.

Marne · 12/12/2012 13:50

This year i have got the dd's a build a bear penguin each and will be putting new pj's and a book in the build a bear box. Last year they just had pj's and a book wrapped up in a parcel.

WhatWouldGibbsDo · 12/12/2012 13:58

I usually wrap each persons pjs, slippers etc and put them into little piles tied with ribbon. However this year, after reading LauraShigihara's post, I may be stealing the present bag idea

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 12/12/2012 13:58

Do you wrap them all up?

Like the idea of a present bag. When do they deliver it on Xmas eve?

OP posts:

jojane · 12/12/2012 14:01

I did a box last year wrapped up but this year I have got a felt Xmas sack so will use that.

LauraShigihara · 12/12/2012 14:04

No, nothing gets wrapped. I am totally bored with wrapping by Christmas Eve

Our routine goes lunch (by which time all visiting adults have appeared), walk on the beach and when we return - by the power of the elves and nothing to do with the adult son left in front of the telly a bag has appeared on the front doorstep .

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 12/12/2012 14:16

Actually, we could do something like that. DCs are at the CM's on xmas eve until mid afternoon, so I could put the box/bag out before I pick them up

OP posts:

OvOinAManger · 12/12/2012 14:19

This year mine is in a fancy box that was sent full of Ambrosia rice pudding for a product test.

It has dressing gowns, pyjamas, Christmas colouring books, Santa glasses, popcorn, hot chocolate, Lego shaped soap, bubble bath, mini marshmallows, sweeties, toothbrushes, face cloths, fake beard and loads of moustaches, torches, and maybe some other stuff but I can't remember. It's all wrapped so can't check.

No DVDs or books in it this year as I've already done a Christmas movie day and they got some DVDs then, and this year I made a book advent calendar so by time Christmas arrives they'll have 24 new books!

It gets put in the garden at lunchtime on Christmas Eve and we find an excuse to get them to look outside and spot it.

I love doing all this daft stuff.

MerylStrop · 12/12/2012 14:42

Don't you find that it dilutes the whole specialness of Christmas if they get gifts all through December? I mean, it's lovely, but bloody hell ovov isn't that a bit ...er... expensive? Do you do that instead of a stocking?

We don't usually do a christmas box but this year it happens that my 3 all need pyjamas and I know that they will be excited about them on Christmas Eve in a way that they wouldn't be on Christmas Day when there are actual toys about.

Plus it might get them ready for bed sooner.

They will also be getting one of those chocolate lollipop things that you get for making hot chocolate and I've just bought Michael Morpurgo's Christmas story collection. I think I will shove it all in one present bag a la Laura downthread

BeaWheesht · 12/12/2012 14:58

Mine goes in a gift bag.

Ds will be 6 on 23rd and dd is 2 and they're getting:

Christmas tumblers with crazy straws
Popcorn
Muppets Christmas carol
Santa comes to Scotland book
Maybe other Xmas books if I find them in the spare room!
Lush fun bars (plasticine type soap)
Star wars pjs
Red and white pjs
Socks
Novelty glasses (spectacles) if they've any left in asda
Letter from Santa saying go to bed and don't get up too early
Christmas tree decoration each

Will give them in the afternoon of Christmas eve as we are probably going to be travelling in morning.

OvOinAManger · 12/12/2012 15:04

Nah, it's stuff they'd get but just spread out. It makes sense to give books and DVD during December so they get the fun of them in the run up, rather than getting a Christmas DVD/book on Christmas day and then they have toys to play with and also aren't as fussed with after as Christmas is over. Iykwim, since that was a long waffly sentence.

The books were an extra expense but it's books, they are in thir own special exempt from worrying about cost category.

I do spend money on the Christmas eve hamper, but like I say it's stuff they'd get anyway. Plus maybe a few extras. But I like to make a big deal with this as we tell our DS's it's from their bother (my DS2). He was stillborn so this is a nice way to bring him into the day. And I don't get to buy him anything (well a new toy for his grave) so I figure I'm just spending the money on the hamper that I don't get to spend on him. His brothers talk about him and the hamper all year so for me it doesn't dilute anything, it really adds.

My DS2 was born at the end of November but actually had a Christmas Day due date, so I do go a bit mad on the whole Christmas fun thing as it would be easy to just wallow.

BeaWheesht · 12/12/2012 15:08

OvOv - that has made me well up a little bit. I'm so sorry for your loss , that's a brilliant way to include your ds2 though.

Original poster

Loueytb3 · 12/12/2012 15:10

I do it as well as a stocking. It started off with having pyjamas on christmas eve not pinched from someone on here, oh no so we have done that for a few years. DH and I also get new pyjamas - why should we miss out

The elf only started last year. The book we already have (will just get moved from bookshelf into the box). Reindeer food costs peanuts, or you can make it if you can be bothered The DVD I thought would be a nice tradition for DCs and they generally don't cost much nowadays. Need to decide which one though (suggestions gratefully received).

I guess we have a limited time when the DCs are going to fall for it, so its got more elaborate year on year. Eldest DCs are nearly 6.

I am at the amount of stuff some of you have got though.

OP posts:

ShowOfHands · 12/12/2012 15:11

Suggesting that giving gifts on Christmas Eve dilutes the magic of Christmas, tends to imply that the magic of Christmas is solely about the presents. Christmas is what it is due to carols and music and story telling and sharing food and family and laughing and joking etc etc. The hampers are just a nice tradition in this house and cost as much as a book from the charity shop, a pair of pjs and some decanted marshmallows/hot chocolate. I actually prefer Christmas Eve anyway.

Our Christmas Eve stuff is left in a cardboard box covered in Christmas paper with shredded newspaper like a bran tub. A neighbour delivers it while we're out walking on the beach.

Llareggub · 12/12/2012 15:11

Mine get PJs and slippers left under their pillow by the elves.

waltermittymistletoe · 12/12/2012 15:11

Mine has: pjs, slippers, dvd, hot choc, popcorn (for dvd) cookie mix to make santa's cookies, bag of sweets each (3 of them!) and the Night Before Christmas book (same one gets put in every year and then hidden after Christmas till next year!) all covered in glitter and snow.

OvOinAManger I'm so sorry about your ds2 but what a lovely idea :)

OvOinAManger · 12/12/2012 15:12

Thanks, BeaWheesht. It was actually MN that first introduced me to the Christmas eve box and I just changed it from elves delivering it to my DS2. Love MN I do!

ShowOfHands · 12/12/2012 15:13

Arthur Christmas is out on DVD.

What Christmas DVDs do you already have and what ages are you trying to cater for?

OvOinAManger · 12/12/2012 15:13

Oh and thank you too Walter.

MerylStrop · 12/12/2012 15:21

Ov, that's lovely. And I agree about books. They get written off as essential spending in our house.

SoH, no, that's not what I meant at all. We always have nice grub and do fun stuff on Christmas Eve because we are usually visiting other people on Christmas Day and it seems to be important that Christmas comes to our house too.

DD is so freaked out about Father Christmas (She tells me she knows its me, but she sort of really wants him to be real) that I don't dare introduce any elves into the mix. So it will just have to be from me and DH

OvOinAManger · 12/12/2012 15:22

I second Arthur Christmas. It was £7.99 on play and amazon a few days ago so hopefully still is if you do get it. We've watched it 3 times already.

waltermittymistletoe · 12/12/2012 15:31

AndIfATenTonTruck · 12/12/2012 15:56

Last year we were at the ILs on Christmas Eve and they wanted to go out to the pub as is their tradition, with DH, which left me and DS at their place alone (8pm bedtime, then I got to have an early night too which I quite liked!)

This year we will be at my parents' place and I tried to get them interested in PJs and a film. But they don't wear nightwear around the house, and so didn't quite get the idea of lounging in front of a cosy film.

Anyway, I have a delivery coming with DVDs of Elf, Miracle on 34th St and Muppets C Carol. Will also put in a bag of popping corn and a bag of mixed nuts. Will wrap up some PJs for DS which he already owns (he's 3, he won't notice!) and my snuggly winter Cyber Jammies which I have been saving, also I have got myself some new slippers, and got DH new PJs. Will put a doggy treat in a plastic takeaway box for the spaniel (she goes mad for plastic to chew on). Then a new nutcracker for my dad (actually an Alessi walnut opener in the shape of a heart) and I just don't know what to get for my mum. Apparently she has no need for PJs, slippers, or anything. Chocs? a book light?

betterwhenthesunshines · 12/12/2012 16:25

It's going to be the first year for us. DCs are 11 and 8 so I don't want another 'magic elf' thing. So it will be just a "Welcome to Christmas" box. DD was with me helping choose new PJs for GPs who are staying with us. It will have PJs, bottle ginger wine, probably champagne too, a new family game instead of DVD and basket of nuts to munch on while said game is being played. And maybe a bath bomb.

It will go in a basket we already have I think and I plan on using ribbons but no gift wrap so it is obviously different from stockings.

nickelbabylyinginamanger · 12/12/2012 16:26

DD is only one (today ) so we're just doing pyjamas.
no other stuff.
but we (me and DH) will be having a nice cup of hot chocolate before church

and possibly a nice cup of hot chocolate before bed

I like the idea of a box of entertainment for Christmas eve - a really lovely build up to Christmas.

In the future (as you were asking for ideas), we will probably do something like this:
Christmas Eve tea followed by game.
then change into pyjamas and read a Christmassy book
then church (so obv DH and I won't be in our pyjamas!)

then home and put out the food for father christmas and the reindeer.
then hot chocolate and bed.

hopefully, the child will be asleep through the service, but knowing this one, maybe not....

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