Christmas eve hampers

[attheendoftheday]

Inspired by the christmas traditions thread, I want to do a christmas eve hamper for the dds this year. They're still little (2.7 and 10 months at christmas), what can I put in? I definitely want a dvd to put on - any recommendations? Also things to tempt dd1 into her bath, is she too little for a bath bomb do you think? I don't think she'll find new pyjamas very exciting.

Any advice gratefully received.

And yes, I know it's July, before anyone points it out!

[Mhysa]

I started hampers last year, the DCs still go on about them, we also done the Elf on the shelf, so we went out and returned to our elf with the hamper and good bye note from the Elf - ours contained a Christmassy DVd and popcorn, bath bomb (from Lush a xmas one) and flannel each, a Christmas book, Pjs, slippers and bathrobe each and a soft toy each.
Ours was one big hamper for everyone, but each individual item had a lugague tag telling the DCs who it was for and how to enjoy it, iykwim, eg popcorn, turn of the lights, and enjoy whist watching your DVD, written from the Elf.

I friggin love Christmas! Can't wait to start organising! Eek!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I didn't know about CEH years ago but I did do new PJs and slippers.

As the DC got older, the present pile has got smaller so the stockings for the morning has spun it out a bit and DH and I used to doze listening to them secretly trying to open their presents. Much better with loads of wrapping too

DS will be 14 this Christmas so his presents will be mainly money (he's a saver) an X-Box Game.
He's got a birthday in December too.

[jamtoast12]

We do a family Xmas eve hamper which is left by the Christmas elves (elf on the shelf) in front of the fire at 6pm Xmas eve.

Inside I put...

Pjs from primark or similar
Sweets and popcorn
Hot choc
Bath stuff
Xmas book. Last year was the smelly sprout which went down well.
Xmas movie. Barbie Xmas or Arthur's Xmas both winners for mine.
Chocs and wine for me
Baileys for dh
Reindeer food (oats and glitter)

I find the Xmas hamper easy as its stuff I'd buy anyway for Xmas ...just a case of chucking it in a cardboard box and wrapping it in Xmas, tissue paper.

[chanie44]

I'm going to do Xmas eve hampers, but as they get enough stuff, im not going overboard:
Pjs
New electric toothbrush
Bubble bath
Chocolate Santa
Popcorn (will sky+ a movie)
An activity book or Christmas craft from the pound shop
Snowman soup
Reindeer food
Santa key

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

We do a stocking too but only for DC and will have some useful stuff in then some tat to keep them quiet in the early morning.

And a satsuma and packet of smarties

[shutitweirdo]

We do a CEH. I started it last year and they had new pjs, bath robe, pants and xmas socks. I also made them a christmas bag instead of a stocking (red fleece with white fur on the top). That had books, hair things, flannels, little toys and hot chocolate and marshmallows. Going to do the same this year but change some of the things. Already got dvd, books, new elf (we had one of the chipmunks last year), pjs. Getting excited already, this is the second year I have enjoyed Christmas.

[BiddyPop]

We do new PJs and slippersocks for everyone (DH, DD and I), bath bombs for DD and I, some nice hot choc mix (I got the cubes of real choc stuck to a wooden spoon last year - YUM!). I also put in our family copy of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" as we read that every Christmas Eve for the first time over Christmas (I have loads of other books for earlier in the month).

I keep meaning to get a DVD, DD loves the Santa Claus series and Home Alone (I am afraid HA will get wiped from freesat box so need to get a hard copy soon). But it currently works well for us and the DVD may be better coming from Santa.

Ours is not "delivered" as we don't do elf on a shelf or similar. We have dinner, put out the goodies for Santa, light the Christmas candle, and then I bring out the hamper - DD heads off for her bath then, into new PJs, back down for her hot choc (she gets milk, cookie and tablets everynight anyway) and then off to bed with the book.

All toys etc go into the stocking on Christmas morn.

[BankerMommy2010]

I love the idea of the CEH and will be doing one for my son tbis year, hes 3 (4 in feb) so nice age to get the magic of Christmas. As others have said, it will mainly be filled with stuff id buy for him anyway, weve always done xmas pjs so they will go in the hamper, im planning to put in the following

Pjs
Christmas slippers or slipper socks
Christmas mug with hot choc sachet
His fave chocolate Cookies or jaffa cakes
A story book for us to read at bed time
A short dvd to watch before bed (Christmassy)
A key for santa as hes already worried santa will get stuck in our chimney (lol)
A letter from buddy (our elf on the shelf) saying good bye
And maybe a bubble bath but I was planning to have jsmper delivered whilst ds is in the bath... might rethink that one.

I will do a stocking, his stocking only has a bit of choc in it & maybe a small toy, I dont go overboard on the stocking as hes far too excited to see what santa has left under the tree to be bothered.

I might do hubby a hamper too... I might tell him to make me one but put a budget on it :)

We're doing elf on the shelf this year.... how does your elf arrive

[BeaWheesht]

My dc (6 and 3) will be getting:

Pyjamas
Slipper socks
Xmas books (Santa needs a wee was good)
Xmas DVD - not sure what as we have loads already!
Popcorn
Sweet each
Stockings (from last year)
Reindeer food
Chocolate coins
Xmas decoration each for tree
Santas magic key (from last year)

[Rubybrazilianwax]

I do new pj's for each of them, last year I bought these boxes go put bits and pieces in. Just a mug, sachet of hot chof, marshmallows, a few christmas animal friends cookies and a sachet of reindeer food. I tied the top with ribbon and a candy cane to finish it off.
I don't say an elf has brought them, it's a special gift from Mum and Dad, since everything else is from Santa the next day.
This year I plan to make a personalised snuggy blanket for each of them. Well that's the plan but I will have to start early to get them done. I have bought some coloured fleeces blankets and I hope to use some felt sewn on to personalise them

[therumoursaretrue]

We always got new pjs on Christmas Eve as kids and loved it!

It became part of the whole thing and DSis and I love doing the whole santa routine and going to bed so much cause it was made into a whole 'thing' which always started with new pyjamas.

[iloveholidays]

We did this for the first time last year. It included...

PJs
Bubble bath/foam soap
Personalised flannels
Christmas chocolate biscuits
Santa key

This year I plan to add in...
Reindeer food
Socks or slippers
Book
DVD

And maybe anything else I've bought for the stocking.

[cathers]

I do the CEH every year for the DC. We get home from the crib service on Xmas eve to find the elves have been and left a box with new PJs, a chocolate, a christmas book and a lovely bauble to put on the tree.

We have dinner, get in pjs, read the stories and eat chocs, then put the bauble on the tree before dcs go to bed. When the DCs start their own families they I will box up their baubles and they can put them on their tree. I love Christmas Eve!

[JustasmallGless]

I have started doing a Christmas hamper on 1st December in order to completely string out the celebrations

Wooden advent calendar arrives which gets filled each night by the Christmas fairies with a note with an activity to do. That's a whole other thread!!

Hot chocolate (will do snowman soup this year)

New Christmas Pjs

Advent of books (25 Xmas books all wrapped up)

Xmas DVDS we have a few Xmas related which I gather up and hide around now then put in the hamper with 1 new one

Printed letter to Father Christmas for them to write (that's one of the activities for the advent calendar)

[Therealamandaclarke]

I need this in my life.
Really excited now. Thank you

[Therealamandaclarke]

My eldest will be 3 by this Christmas moving.
Pinching ideas I will do a CEH with:
Their Stockings to hang up.
Pjs &slippers
Sweets
Hot choc kit
Toothbrush (see above)
Bath bomb for me.
Wine for DH
Christmas book
"Reindeer food"
The usual treats for FC.

[Katieweasel]

Any ideas for nice boxes to use as hampers. I know I could just wrap a box in christmas paper but would like to find a really nice Christmassy box.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Have you got a HomeSense or TKMaxx near you Katie?
They do gorgeous boxes, lidded with the pattern inside and out.
IIRC about £8.

This year though I'm going to get cheapie baskets and ribbon then put it all in Cellophane (Hobbycraft sell it, different widths. At Christmas they do printed and coloured as well as the clear.

[AmandaLF]

Google the Christmas emporium. It's a Xmas shop open all year and do personalised Xmas things.

[BaconAndAvocado]

We do new PJs and an annual. The most exciting bit for the wee ones is the letter from the Elves explaining how,hard they've been working and how they have been helping Father Christmas make sure all the children have been good.

[blizy]

I love the idea of a CEH, I am defo going to make one up with yummy adult goodies to spoil dh and me. Our daughter was stillborn so Xmas is always a bit rough, but I like this idea.

[Jellypudmum]

We put in all stuff for a cosy Xmas eve.

New pjs
Bubble bath
Popcorn (mince pie flavour last year)
Hot chocolate
Hot choc stirring stuck things with block of choc on end.
The Nativity (went to see Nativity 2 at cinema last year so will hopefully but nativity 2 this year) and polar express DVD.
The night before Xmas book
New slippers
Cookies
Snugly blanket

We sit snuggled on the sofa with DVDs on n tree lights twinkling!! Tis luvly!!

[Jellypudmum]

Thinking of doing one for dd and relatives this year (grown up wine n goodies as well as bpnew pjs)!

[HappyMummyOfOne]

I dont wrap as a hamper but leave new pjs, slippers, dressing gown, dvd and treats on DS's bed to discover christmas eve. Used to be a christmas book but most aimed at young childrenso swapped for a movie.

[BankerMommy2010]

I was in b&m bargains the other day and came across a lovely basket for 4.99 its cream and lined with cream material edged with red check and a heart hanging on the front.