Christmas Eve hampers

[Everyonelovessparkles]

Frame my name have some nice Christmas Eve boxes on offer (still £30 but they are personalised). My DC are 3 and 5 so just starting to get interested in Christmas. Just wondered what kind of stuff people put in a Xmas eve box to see if it was worth starting. Thanks.

Liking the idea of starting on the 1st with an advent box. We have Xmas bedding which goes on the last day of term. Decs go up beginning of Dec (they'd be up after Halloween if I had my way!). I've done a Christmas Eve box the last few years. Mainly because it means it's time to settle down, get ready for bed, new PJs, DVD, hot choc with marshmallows and cookies. A Xmas tree decoration for each of them (they'll take their decorations with them when they leave home). Mine are teens now and I'm not going to stop. But then they still get stockings, and probably always will.

We tried to do a Christmas Eve box last year, but DS1 (then, nearly four) was hugely over-excited and it just didn't work. We also realised it was a bit late for 'to do' things, as Christmas Eve can all get a bit busy.

Instead, this year, a bag will arrive on the day the Christmas tree is put up and decorated. I'm planning to include their Christmas PJs, Christmas activity books, a new Christmas story and a couple of Christmas novelties. If we do it early enough, I might also include their Christmas jumpers.

I am also going to focus on filling their advent calendars will chocolates this year. I tried all sorts of little toys last year, and the eldest kept saying he wished he had a chocolate . I'll also add a little note on days there are going to be special treats.

Can I ask what you all use for your boxes / where have you bought them from please? My toddler is more into the idea of Christmas now so would love to start this in our house!

Our Christmas Eve box (though there is no "box" it appears in the lounge while dinner is being eaten) is designed to get excited children into bed.
They therefore contain bubble bath, new pyjamas, our usual Christmas book we will have been reading and a sachet of hot chocolate.

TKMaxx do great boxes at Christmas.

This is my favourite Christmas tradition! We have a large box that the elves leave for us on Christmas eve. The box is for the whole family and contains:
Christmas PJ's for everyone.
A 'ticket' for an activity (in the last couple of years we've been to the pantomime, the cinema, to the Snowdome etc. This year we are going to the Harry Potter studio tour, which is expensive but something that dd will just love).
Hot chocolate and marshmallows
A betty Crocker cookie mix to make cookies for Santa
The special plate and cup that we use every year.
The dd's stocking
The magic key
Last year I wrote and printed a story about our cat helping Santa to save Christmas to read at bedtime.

The only thing that costs money is the pjs, the cookie mix and the day trip. Last year we went to the cinema so it was much cheaper. This year we have just forgone going to Harry Potter during the summer hols and saved it for Christmas.