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?

I don’t think it’s an obsession. It’s something you have to buy anyway (assuming DCs wear them) - generally pyjamas (along with pants and socks) are not something to get excited about. Wrapping them up for Christmas Eve makes them a bit of an event - as pp said, it’s not about mass consumerism it’s about getting bit of pleasure from something quite mundane.

Not sure if I'm doing it this year. Mine are 14 and 12 so they are not that bothered. We do an advent treasure hunt every day with a small gift and they are 4 days behind with that! I'm doing a Santa Pinata, sparklers, fire pit and hot chocolate instead. With a new dvd to watch and game. May give them their new PJ's for Christmas morning.

I have never heard of this in my life until now. Google trends shows that they only started being searched for in around 2013, and have increasingly spiked every november/december since (trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=GB&q=christmas%20eve%20box&hl=en-US)

So it seems like a new money-making opp. for retailers tbh. And I can't see much difference between this and a stocking, which IS a long-standing tradition, so I think I'll just stick with the latter for my kids.

My link didn't work for some reason, but if is kind of interesting:

trends.google.com/trends/explore?date=all&geo=GB&q=christmas%20eve%20box&hl=en-US

I have done this since 2002

They only get pjs once a year

So by god they appreciate them

Retailers have seized on something that people were already doing and made it a thing in recent times - some people on here have passed it on from their childhoods and I’m sure people have been arguing about them on mumsnet for years now. Last couple of years you can buy pre-packed ones or special boxes.

Never heard of them before I joined Mumsnet. Won't be doing them.

Before this even became a 'thing' we used to get new pyjamas on Christmas eve for Santa coming and have some hot chocolate with cream on it (when I was a child in the 80s), so I've always done it for my children, except I wrapped up the hot chocolate and marshmallows and pyjamas to add to the excitement. I've always done some baking on Christmas eve, sometimes the kids help, sometimes they don't. These days, as the older 2 enjoy board games, we usually add a new game to the family collection on Christmas eve too. But as a rule I hate the commercialisation of Christmas, excess stuff etc....

No

My children get a book amongst other small bits

This year i have bought ds2 ' a trump Christmas carol'

Which quite obviously has to be read the day before Christmas

No and it sounds like commercial bullshit. Christmas is expensive enough. I cant see me ever doing this.

We don't do it. We do do the elf, have for years. Elf brought fleecy PJs on 1st Dec for the 11 & 14 yos who have hardly been out of them since as they're both ill, and usually are in December.

We take them to the village pub now on Christmas Eve, lots of their friends there. Home by 8-9, check NORAD before bed. Not sure the 11 yo still believes but I'm not admitting it - ever!

Nope. Just more commercial materialistic shite that we are all meant to do.....

This.

What's a Christmas Eve box? Some people really like to give themselves extra work don't they?

Don't do Christmas pjs either, I think it's ridiculous. It like people are trying to create this picture of perfection for 24 hrs. Perfect child in perfect PJs sitting by the fire opening gifts. Perfect to share on Facebook. Ugh!!

The children usually find a parcel on their pillow at bedtime containing new pyjamas and a novelty toothbrush and toothpaste (though dd is a bit big for that now at 12!!) but that's as close as we've ever got :)

Rufus I think I love you.

I have been agonising over what to get my BIL for Christmas but he is now going to get A Trump Christmas Carol :) He is a lecturer in American politics so he should find it a nice bit of light reading poor man will probably get 20 copies now!!

Oh excellent

It was in the waterstones get one half price offer

MsHarry Yes truly ridiculous to give a child new PJs at christmas what is the world coming to?

I tell you what, I'll give them to them on Christmas morning instead. Does that make it better for you?

We have always gone evening ice skating, came home had hot shower, chocolate with cream and marshmallows hung stockings then bed. No boxes. My kids are older now but they remember we always did an activity with them on Christmas Eve. One year we booked to paint pottery Christmas baubles and still have them now. The grown kids comment what fun they had doing them, when we decorate the tree.

I've never done a Christmas hamper so to speak, and mine are older now anyway.

We have always had new pyjamas on Christmas eve and a takeaway and watch a film all together. The Roses usually gets cracked open as does the champagne and nuts and nibbles.

Now they are older though the boys (15 &20) don't do pyjamas so they just put joggers on and dd still gets new pj's. Not Christmas ones as she won't wear them all year if they are Christmassy.

We definitely do not give extra presents. No need for dvd's etc though as we watch films on Netflix, amazon or sky.

Can I also ask about all this talk of hot chocolate etc. Makes it sound like an all-night affair slaving over a stove to hand-grind the cocoa beans on the thighs of virgins before an elaborate presentation ceremony.

I just had one and it took me about 10 minutes to make and drink. Why does Christmas Eve HC have such special significance when it's just a hot drink, same as a cup of tea? You all sit round and gaze at each other for a few mins while you drink it and then go back to the TV?

(I say all of this as a fairly festive type too, but I feel like I am missing some massive point of this, and I am honestly curious at the level of importance/significance placed on such mundane things - the bauble painting I get, that's a 'thing', with a tangible outcome. But making a cup of hot choc? That's just ordinary everyday? You can't force a scenario to "make memories" gag for the collective family memory just by buying some new pyjamas. This thread has also prompted me to realise just how much I hate the contracted term "PJs" too... I think I'll go and put some Slade on...)