We still have a christmas eve hamper and as Biddy says the contents changed as we grew. it was used partly to occupy us for the day and partly to chill us out in the evening, now we just do it cause it is an extra bit of magic!
It used to be a new pjs, new toothbrush a video and some colouring when we were very small.
From about 4-10 it was tickets to the panto in the afternoon a letter from father christmas, the magic key, reindeer food etc. some quieter activities, colouring, baking ingredients etc. Plus new Pjs, some bubblebath, and a new toothbrush!
In our teen years it was cinema tickets for that evening, a gingerbread house kit. Crimbo mugs (the same every year) some nice hot choccy, cinema snacks, new PJ's and a new toothbrush!
Now the youngest, my Dbro, will be 19 this christmas, so for the last few years mum sticks some teeny liquors into the hamper for hot chocolate with a kick!
Dad has whisky, me and mum have white chocolate mint liqueur, Dsis likes baylies, Dbro opts for salted caramel vodka, and oddly DP likes a shot of jager in his hot chocolate!
Me and DM split the cost of the hamper, as I drag DP along and Dbro and Dsis are still in education.
We also used to have a "December 1st" hamper that brings in all the little festive bits and bobs that can be done in the lead up to christmas, crafts, advent calendars, christmas yankee candles, christmas mugs. Mum just used printable colouring sheets/crafts and re-used the candles and mugs so no extra cost, just a little bit of excitement to start the festive period off.