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?

No we just do new pyjamas. No box. It's starting to verbally and it creates so much more work.

Get silly, not verbally!!

We have Dec 1st, which definitely works for us. The stuff in it is getting lots of use. Our Elf (who is a Senior elf who knows better then to get up to mischief) brings it. We put the tree up after bedtime on 30th Nov and the box is under the tree in the morning.

Christmas activity pads
DVD
Reindeer hot water bottle
Christmas PJs + bed socks
The 'believe bell' for the tree.
Small Christmas lego set (a reindeer this year)
Chocolate coins

what is the obsession on MN with pyjamas? they seem to be crucial to a successful Christmas....

I give mine new pyjamas - its the only time I buy PJs and they seem to last the year!

It's mainly so the kids aren't wearing rags in the Christmas day photos though...

Nope not giving myself anything else to do plus I have only ever heard of them on mumsnet.

I've only heard of them in America and on MN.

I don’t dislike the idea as such, but I’d never do one. DD’s birthday is on the 23rd so we try to keep Christmas Eve as a present free buffer between the days.

We do a xmas eve box for our ds ( age 6 ) have done one since he was small.

This year its a santa gift bag but every year we put in a new xmas dvd ( this year its The Stickman) , a xmas book, snowman soup, reindeer dust and a small sweetie ( chocolate snowman ) this year I've added a santa stop here door hanger

I think it is potentially a nice idea. I'd prefer having one that is all about the tradition, rather than more new gifts. But we always seem to be in a different place for Christmas, so haven't really settled into a tradition with regards to what we do on Christmas Eve - I do feel that's a bit of a shame, but just how it ended up.
Christmas Eve is a perfect time to enjoy the continuity of always doing the same thing, and getting out a box and discovering those same well-loved things in every year I think would be really lovely.
For example, my friend used to always read the same book with her family all sitting round the fire on Christmas Eve and eating mince pies, and then they would put their Christmas stockings out and put out a mince pie and a glass of milk, before going to bed. So they could have had (if it had been a thing then) a "Christmas Eve Box" with just the book they always read, and some mince pies and their Christmas stockings in it. Although I would put new pjs in too, just because I love them.

We just do PJs my mum used to give me a tiny present on Christmas Eve. I'm tight though so don't do it for our 3 :) they are honestly just happy with the PJs though.

I love doing a Christmas Eve box, ours have got bigger each year. This year they contain new pj’s/onesie, mini pot of Pringles, dvd, Popcorn and some sweets. Dd1 also has Kevin the carrot and the book to go with it, dd2 has the padington book and teddy from M&S. I have bought nice boxes from b&m that can be used for storage.

Oh hell no. Each to their own but personally I have enough on my plate dealing with Christmas Day. It’s no to elf on the shelf for the same reason.

I do Xmas eve bags, nothing too expensive but I put in chocolates, matching pj's, books and a small toy. By doing this it means I can tidy and clear the living room in peace as I can put the DC's in the kitchen with their new toy (which is usually playdoh) and sweets.

They seem to have become all the rage now. Each to their own, but I have no plans to do them. Mine get enough stuff on Christmas day without expecting things the day before too!

Love them! Ours has new PJs, a family DVD, one small gift to open on Xmas Eve, Santa's key, his quaich and mini of Baileys, mince pie plate, hot chocolate, marshmallows, bottle with ingredients to make muffins and Elf on the Shelf's door for him to go back to Santa.

I get them new pyjamas (which they nearly always need - when they didn’t I got them slipper socks. They are not Christmas themed but nice character ones rather than usual supermarket whatevers) Matey bubble bath (only at Christmas) and a snazzy toothbrush, and their stockings and the Night Before Christmas. Gets them all happy to get in the bath and ready for bed, then downstairs to do the mince pie and carrot ceremony, then story and hang stockings.

I had no bedtime routine as a child, and would just stay up late Christmas Eve like every other night and get anxious and struggle to sleep. It’s only pyjamas and bubble bath, and it makes me feel like I’m making it special for them and makes bath time fun. They are so eager to get to bed and to sleep after their little routine it’s lovely.

I have put new pjs, a selection box, some reindeer dust and a Santa key in my sons Xmas eve box.

There's not a lot in his, I don't think they need that much in them.

I don't get one for my children although they have always received new pyjamas on the last pocket of the advent calendar. My parents friends DC always had this and I was really jealous as a child

Other than that we tend to host a big party on Christmas Eve so we are usually really busy tidying and cooking. DH has a bit of a tradition of walking with the DC to collect the turkey from the butchers and more recently a box of cakes from a local bakery where they also get a hot chocolate and a toastie.
The party means we don't get chance for a family film or relaxing bath. The kids go to bed late and knackered after a quick dunk in the shower. We don't use a magic key, have an elf, nice list letter or anything along those lines. Father Christmas' mince pie gets put on any old plate and he gets a bottle of beer.

I used to do new PJs on Christmas Eve which evolved into PJs, a Christmas DVD, a Christmas mug and a hot chocolate and a bag of popcorn.

My kids are now 18 and 16 and were horrified when I said that this year I wasn't bothering (obv DVDs now superceded by technology so I don't do that now).... They said for them it's the best bit of Christmas!

Yes. Ours has new pjs, the night before Christmas book which is in there every year, the santa plate,the stockings, the carrot, any reindeer food they have made in the run up to Christmas and santas mince pie. So the only new thing really is the pajamas then it's just all the stuff we do Christmas Eve like hanging the stockings and leaving out the food etc for santa.

I've always given my kids new pyjamas, a tree decoration and a Christmas DVD or book and chocolates to go with on Christmas Eve. They've always had a bath bomb in their Christmas Eve bath too. So for us, the only new concept in recent years is the actual box. Some people are skeptical of anything new claiming commercialism ruining Christmas.

It's the first time I've done it this year, but I've done 4 adult boxes and everyone has put something in. Dh mini bottles of booze and mixer, Ds munchies, dd pj's and I've added some nice smellies and a new board game for everyone. Just hope it goes down well.

PJs
Hot chocolate
Christmas dvd
Sweets/chocolate/popcorn (depends what's on offer)
Book
Slippers
Reindeer food