Do you like Christmas Eve boxes?

[lottieandmia22]

I'm not sure whether to do one this year. I kind of feel that present giving should be on Christmas Day. OTOH it's making the most of Christmas perhaps?

We don't do Christmas eve boxes we do do new Christmas PJ's but we have a family photo shoot every year and get a Christmas photo at the same time as its usually in late Nov early December and use the PJ's for these as well as having nice photos on Christmas morning. Other than that we do the usual things everyone does like leaving Santa and the reindeer treats. I don't really understand Christmas eve boxes when they get so much the next day.

My dc are 2 and 4 so this is our first year doing it and I think it will be lovely. It's not extravagant...i wrapped an empty shoe box in Xmas paper and I'm going to put in pj's, a dvd, a couple of hot choc sachets and a little chocolate Santa each. And then their stockings to hang up and the mince pie and a little miniature whisky to leave out for Santa and a carrot for rudolph. Not much money spent but I think it will be lovely for the kids.

This is the first time I've done one as ds is only really old enough to appreciate it now (he's just turned 4).

It's just for him, not the adults, and has new pjs, a film, a book, a board game, a Christmas glass (that will be reused every year), a bath bomb and a little mini chocolate snowman. The film, book and game we will all do together as a family so I'm hoping it will be the start of a lovely tradition. I'll put a carrot for Rudolph and maybe a mince pie for Santa in there too.

We don’t do the box thing as such but all the kids have a bath fresh clean bedding new pjs on and put out reindeer food and biscuits for Father Christmas.... but my mom did this with me too!..

I do this - PJ's, bath bombs, homemade sweets, hot chocolate mix.....I started it when the dcs were very young and they love it, I've tried to drop it but it seems it is one of their favourite parts of Christmas, even cynical teenagers get a bit soppy this time of year!

Forgot the tree dec also an important feature of the box....lots of memories that appear every year.

Not really. I don't think they need a boxful of stuff on Christmas eve. A bath bomb and pyjamas i can understand as it all helps with bedtime but i'm not sure what else. And fair enough to the Santa ritual items, but at least they're just reused each year.

My ds doesn't understand Christmas Eve and for the moment we aren't telling him it's Christmas eve, rightly so he will be so excited, but there's no way he would sleep if he knew and we've found that him waking up on Christmas morning and being told it's Christmas day seems to be so much more exciting, like he cannot believe it. So no, we won't be doing a Christmas eve box, at least until he can read a calendar anyway 😋

New pyjamas (for a child) on Christmas Eve when you are about to go to bed on the most exciting night of the year is much more thrilling than new pyjamas in a pile of Christmas presents the following day. Same goes for bath goodies - kids are desperate to get in the bath and ready for bed on Christmas Eve, not so much on Christmas Day.

One thing I don't get about the Christmas pjs. Don't you have to wash them? Otherwise they have that shop material smell. My friend said nooooo don't wash them - they won't look new.

That is very true Lillian. I have an autistic 8 year old who won't easily go to bed on a regular night so I'm hoping a bath will help!

I mean wash them first or not as you choose - they are still new. I used to have to wash them because of sensitive skin, and eczema, but that is less of a problem now they’re older.

My ds struggles with change and big events like Christmas - all the school hoopla that goes with it gets him anxious for weeks in the build up and I’ve found the whole routine of it really helps him - like clockwork. CE is one of the easiest sleep nights of the year for us, bizarrely. It just takes the edge off and allows him to relax a bit. He talks about the ritual of the pyjamas more than the actual presents.

Lottie does DC(8) enjoy baths anyway? Many find the water soothing and it gives some kind of proprioceptive pressure that helps too (or something like that - I pick up bits at each course I go on, and some stick better than others).

We have a DD (about to turn 12) and when things are very tough, she will have a long bath and play with the toys for maybe an hour. Comes out very wrinkly but sooooooo much calmer. So the "playdoh" type logs of bath bubbles (come in a few colours) from Lush, or the "Icklebots" bath bombs filled with lavender, or "Intergalactic" which changes colour as it dissolves into the water are firm favourites. They've just introduced a "fidget spinner" for bubble baths, which actually spins (not well) too. I know there are other companies out there, but the lush ones really seem to have good smells and colours and make it fun, so DD will go for the bath.

And we replace the toy ducks and squirters every couple of years - I know she's old to have them, but she really does play with them still and it extends the time in the water which all helps the relaxation process. And she still loves her original stacking cups set too (they can get washed in the dishwasher - but the ducks and squirters get stagnant water inside so need replacing). If your DC enjoys the water, things like bath toys for small DCs (we buy them in JoJoMamamBebe and Tiger has some good ducks at times) or bath crayons are great.

And we use a lot of lavender shower gel to get her clean and relaxed at the same time - I don't know if J&J baby bath/gel is still available, but both Source and M&S versions are good.

On the other hand, a shower is great for energizing her in the mornings as the water pounding down seems to act differently (not all DCs can handle the shower though, as it can feel like too much on their skin - while she loves it, DD can only handle the regular shower, and not a power shower as we've had in some hotels).

Sorry for going slightly off-topic....

I would never wash a new garment . What do you do if you buy a dry clean only garment? Do you get it dry cleaned before you wear it?

We have one. It contains (this year), new pj's for DD, a box of Lindt balls for me and new pj bottoms for DH. We open it after dinner on Christmas Eve and then we kinda 'start Christmas'.

I've never heard of this. Never done it, or Elf on a Shelf.

I know a lot of European countries give their presents on Xmas Eve and I've therefore always wondered what they do on Xmas Day but that's a bit different.

As for the "I haven't watched a DVD in years", we have loads, both new and from the charity shop (and then donated back). Much easier than faffing about with streaming. Shove the DVD in, press play and go. We have got Amazon Prime now but that doesn't have everything you want.

i'm 36 and mom always got us new pjs for Christmas eve.. we always used to have a bath, into new pjs then watch a Christmas film before bed.

I do the same for my kids.

I don't get this 'its new fangled commercialism' hoo-hah, its not new fangled/American.

OP - one of the reasons I love the idea is I also have an ASD just-9-year-old, and it will scaffold the start of Christmas for him really well. I think new PJs and a nice new book before bedtime is a lovely way to say right, Christmas starts here. Nice and calm, and if it's the same box every year it's also familiar.

I always wash everything before I put it on the kids. Things still look/feel new to me at that point. They are still plush and fresh. And they're new to the kids, too? Though I always have to buy him the exact same brand and style, so maybe I have less of a stake in it.

What do you do if you buy a dry clean only garment? Do you get it dry cleaned before you wear it?

I am cynical about almost all dry clean only clothing. It's a way the manufacturer can protect themselves against idiots who can't wash accordingly to labels IMO, rather than a genuine need. I look at the fabric composition and always wash on a coolish wash and low spin unless it's underwear, and also always wash inside out. Never had a problem.

I'm nowhere near enough organised to do elf on the shelf haha. I think that if I can get my daughter in the bath, there is a chance that she will sleep on Christmas Eve though!

She does like baths but we mostly have showers for quickness

Is it only my DC who don't wear PJs? They haven't worn them since toddlerhood, much preferring a pair of pants (DD also puts on a vest top) !

Though it can be a bit of an issue when school want to do a pyjama day or they have overnight trips

almost

Only dd wears pjs in bed, the boys usually only wear them to 'lounge'

My DC don't wear pj's, just pants. If it's particularly cold they will put a onesie on.

They're also coat refusers, I wonder if there's a correlation?

For me it’s an antidote to consumerism. Getting excited about simple things, pj’s, hot chocolate and a little something, like a xmassy colouring book, I hadn’t thought of a new tooth brush but I’ll be adding that to mine. The box is the most ‘excessive’ bit. Mine are vintage style mini apple crates that match my home decor. These double brilliantly as a place to tidy kids debris to over the following week. They are the same every year and are really more for my convenience than their pleasure.

What is the obsession with PJs?

As a pp says, her goal is to get them into bed asap after getting it, so they open them, put them on, sleep then get up and get dressed ready for Christmas Day!

So what on earth does it matter if they are new? They're barely going to be consciously in them for five minutes! It's like buying a ballgown to wear while you get ready to put on your work clothes.

It's just a new idea designed to relieve parents of more money, which is fine - we live in a commercial world - but let's not dress it up as some super-ancient important tradition handed down the centuries.