Those of you doing Christmas eve boxes...

[Loueytb3]

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.

I'm doing this for the first time this year. I'll use a basket and tie it up with ribbon so it looks pretty, no wrapping as wrapped pressies are for the Big Day. I'll put in new PJ's, snowman soup in a Christmas mug, DVD (have got The Grinch), some naice biscuits, reindeer food and whatever else springs to mind.
I'm at work on Christmas Eve until lunchtime, so I'll come home, take the dc's out for a LONG walk, come back home and eat something warming and filling for tea then the basket will come out. The plan is that the dc's will be knackered and then full of hot chocolate and will then sleep.

Nickelbaby are you the Nickel Books lady? If so I have bought a book from you which will also be going in the basket :)

yes, that's me :)
thank you :)

Oh I just remembered there's a Christmas plate and tumbler for them to leave out for Santa too

Everyone sounds as if they will be having a a lovely Christmas Eve this year.

My parents weren't into pyjamas last year (they are a little formal ) so so we just put jamas in for the kids. That includes our grown-up children in that - they have never grown out of the excitement around Christmas Eve traditions and I will be truly sad if they ever do.

My problem is that I get so caught up in the festivities that I end up wanting to cram too much in and become the family Sergeant Major 'No, no, you can't go to bed yet - we haven't made a runway out of tea lights in the garden so the sleigh can land'

OvO that's a sweet way to include your DS2. I lost a little chap on Halloween a few years ago and we light him a beautiful candle and eat sweets on his behalf each year on that day. It's a nice opportunity to use his name and feel he is still one of us.

Oh, and Happy Birthday, nickelbaby's baby (although not so such a baby now, I'll bet )

I use a christmas gift bag as well, nothing inside is wrapped.

It's just, PJs, a DVD, Snowman Soup, a christmas book and reindeer food.

DH will be getting some local beers at the same time.

I bought cartoon cardboard boxes from pound shop, they had loads of Toy Story and Disney Princess ones. I will be putting in new PJs, toothbrush, bubble bath, expanding face cloth, Santa sacks and a small chocolate Santa. Nothing too exciting, but dd will be thrilled with it! We have been watching Christmas films and reading books for most of December so didn't bother with any new ones.

I am also doing one for DH, it will have boxers, some lush shower gel, chocolate Santa and a bottle of posh beer.

OvOinamanger I'm so sorry to hear about your little boy. That is a really lovely way to include him in Christmas.

It's in a banana box at the minute... Doesn't look very festive. Only thing wrapped is new pjs.

What's a Christmas Eve box?

I just do new pjs and a christmassy dvd. Sometimes one we already own, sometimes a new one (arthur christmas this year)

The dc know it's from me. We just use a cardboard box or a bag, nothing is wrapped. We eat hot pork sandwiches, drink spiced cider (the adults anyway, the dc have apple juice or hot chocolate), eat chocolates or stollen and watch the film.

I have felt bags, they arrive with the elves, christmas book and DVD and advent calenders, then at bath time Christmas Eve, they will be on the door with book, DVD, jamas dressing gown and slippers, new bubble bath and toothbrushes then disappear again with the elves.

oh and a letter from Santa !

thanks Laura

mainly very grownup, but still so tiny and dependent (except my neck hurts, most likely from holding her)

Oh so jealous :-( other than opening presents. I was never brought up with Xmas traditions. Never had a stocking, new pyjamas, Xmas day clothes, Xmas movies, board games etc.

I have been trying to get my family in on the spirit but not happening.

Can't wait till I have DCs and can start traditions and Xmas eve boxes!!

What is a Christmas Eve box?? Never heard of it before. Is it just a gift of pyjamas on Xmas eve?

I love this idea...I had never heard of a Christmas Eve hamper before this thread. I have bought new toothbrushes, the polar express DVD, popcorn, cans on sprite (this is a very rear treat of fizzy drinks), father Xmas special key, pjs, chocs, reindeer food and hoping to get a nice tree decoration each and an expanding flannel! Any ideas where I might find them?

I have seen expanding flannels in Asda, habs and bodycare

I use a cardboard box which I cover in wrapping paper. In it are pjs, a xmas book, a tree decoration and a small chocolate snowman.

The dc's find it on the doorstep when we get back from afternoon crib service- quick dinner, bath, new pjs and choccys and new stories before bed. It's my favourite part of christmas!

We have no suitable size shoe boxes etc. so I bought some good medim sized ones from Paperchase justifying the cost of a box by thinking it will be used every year. I've been looking for boxes to keep and wrap presents in as one of my DC is just beginning to get interested in rummaging for surprises.

Anyone know where to get big boxes from? Or is it a very US thing...I figure that they will get re-used every year and don't mind forking out for some if it stops the DC guessing and ruining the surprise.

New pj's on Christmas eve is a family tradition I can trace back to my great great grandma who was born in 1856.Apparently she used to save flour sacks through the year,bleaching and washing them over and over to make them soft then she would sew a nightie/nightshirt for each of her 7 dc to have on Christmas Eve.She also unravelled the hem of her best shawl one year to embroider a flower on the neck of the girls' nighties.
Then her mother,my great gran carried on 'sewing shifts' for bed for her 4 dd's on Christmas Eve-I was 6 when she died and I remember her sewing a Christmas shift for my doll when I was about 4.
My gran didnt sew so her dc were bought new nightwear for Christmas Eve and my mum always bought me new pj's-how I remember the special smell of new winceyette-it meant the start of Christmas to me.I did it for my two dc and have chosen to carry on for my dgc-all of them so I can include my step gc :)

We do a rather modest Yuletide box on the 23rd,
it gets dropped of by the elves at 3-4pm,
there's a knock at the door,but the elves are always gone by the time The DC get to the door [Fgrin]

They get new pj's each,normally with a favorite character on,or naice traditional type ones,this year it's 'hello kitty' and 'octonauts'.
a book each,and a DVD to share,'Arthur Christmas' this year.
It's wrapped in brown paper and string,inside a gift bag.

So they get to open,don the pj's,watch the DVD,then it's up to bed with their new book,and straight to sleep

greylady what a lovely story :)

I have a large cardboard box that I use for holding decs during the year, and transfer the pjs, slipper socks, and naice hot choc (the kind where a chocolate brick is attached to the end of a spoon), and "Twas the night before Christmas" into it in early Dec.

We keep the Christmas DVDs out for watching during Dec, and the Christmas books come out from 1st Dec too. Twas the night before Christmas is the only book that is not in general circulation beforehand (Christmas Eve is it's fisrt reading every year since DD was born).

Hi, first year of doing this Christmas Eve box. I'm putting in Pj's, hot chocolate, robo fish, Christmas story book and some glow sticks. Not sure what my 2yr oldis gonna think of it all though but it's gonna be the start of a tradition!!
Merry Christmas all ?? xx