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?

Oh, and DD knows it is me who does this - no elves were harmed in the making of our CEH.

And she is interested in it too - points out PJs that would be nice to have, and this year asked to include a chocolate version of a board game to play over Christmas as a family. One year, she got a very nice voucher for Gap as a present (communion or something) and couldn't see anything she liked for herself on a few visits. But she spotted a lovely pair of PJ legs for DH, and rummaged to find a nice top to go with it, and bought those (in about August) for the CEH.

For us, it is a nice family tradition and a good way to signal to DD about the bedtime routine (she has aspergers, so routine is important and she can find it hard to sleep on normal nights so Christmas Eve excitement is even harder to deal with - but lavender filled baths and relaxing/playing in the bath, before cosy pjs and a snuggly bedtime story together are a great way to settle her down).

OvO that is lovely and got me properly choked up reading it. Sorry for your loss and I think it's wonderful how you've managed to make a positive out of what must be a very difficult time of year. Your story highlights how new Christmas traditions are born. I personally find it fascinating reading what different families do, but then I must confess I love Christmas.

We did a Christmas Eve box last year after I'd read about them online. It was a bit last minute but I just thought it was a lovely idea. We'd already decided to do the Elf as my nephews (who were born in the US and are a little older) have one and get so excited about him coming. My youngest was only 1 then and it was lost on her really, but my eldest was 4 and understood. I wasn't sure what she would make of him but she absolutely loved him. He shows up around the time we put the tree up, which traditionally would be the weekend closest to the 12th in our house (although it happened a little early this year as we were travelling last weekend). Then he goes home the night before Christmas Eve and leaves a box for the kids to find Christmas Eve morning to say thank you for letting him stay and taking care of him. It was all a bit experimental last year and I wasn't sure if we'd do it again but when we hit December my eldest asked when the Elf would be coming. I wondered if it was because she remembered he left presents but actually she seems to be genuinely delighted finding him in the morning before they have their advent chocolates.

Last year it was a single box, undecorated, that I bought from hobbycraft for £8. We repurposed it after Christmas and it's currently an odd sock box. This year hasn't been a very good one in our household. I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks during the New Year, my best friend passed away suddenly in January and my MiL has been very poorly and spent most of the year in hospital. It's really made me think about life. Long ago I used to be quite crafty and arty. I had big sketch books that I drew in most days. In the last 10 years I've found less and less time to do these things until I have found myself not doing them at all ... and I genuinely miss it. It's all taught me you really don't know what is around the corner and I've been trying in small ways to make more time for myself to have fun.

With all that in mind the Christmas Eve boxes became a bit of a project for me this year. I decided I would decorate them myself and I have had so much fun doing it. They're simple wooden boxes, painted white, red and green with the girl's names on the front and a few small jingle bells on the side. They look a bit, erm ... rustic. But they were made by Elves so that's my excuse.

Inside they will get things that they will use on Christmas Eve. So no toys, that's for the big day. They will get PJs (yes, we are those sort of people apparently), a new dressing gown and slippers. None of these are Christmas themed but they are things they like. So Hey Duggee PJs for the youngest and The Little Mermaid PJs for the eldest etc. Then they each have a story book, an activity sticker book, a cup with hot chocolate and a few cheap Christmas DVDs I've spotted when shopping.

We don't do the key, reindeer food, Christmas plate etc. I think they're a lovely idea but just not for us.

Each to their own I say. It's Christmas, box or no box do what makes you happy.

blueoochristmas what a lovely post

I think new pyjamas is a great idea - you have to get new ones at some point in the year and Christmas Eve is as good a time as any since it's all about getting tucked up in bed and if there is any morning when you might be hanging around as a family in pyjamas it's Christmas Day. I remember as a child I always used to wish I could have clean sheets for Christmas Eve, but who's going to messing around changing beds the day before Christmas? I've never done boxes and I think strictly speaking an actual box is probably not necessary, but the idea of few bedtime treats is very appealing. I think its also good to spread the pleasures rather than having everything in a two hour bonanza on Christmas morning (I've always tried to hold back a few gifts for after Christmas lunch for this reason or encourage people to give the kids gifts when they see them over the holiday) I would probably only include things I was going to give for Christmas anyway - so maybe a DVD (what a dinosaur I am) that would be a gift anyway to watch on Christmas Eve and likewise bath goodies. Some lovely stories on here about other people's Christmas Eve box traditions. No need to justify and no need for some people to be so sneery either.

After the effort of sorting out Christmas presents and wrapping them I don't have the energy. Christmas movies are on streaming TV (if you must watch them)

we don't. no way. we spend enough as it is, including special events like panto, all the hundreds of meals out and catching up with friends and nice booze.

i have bought a couple of little craft sets at £1 or £2 which i'll bring out at the start of the school holidays but a box, no, i dont want my children to keep expecting that level of new stuff.

i do see a lot of the christmas eve boxes on you tube and channel mum vloggers but i really cant be arsed to go and create another box of tat which to be frank i will be binning a couple of weeks later.

We started a box when the dd's were little and it has grown into a bizarre ritual which involves a box full of the Xmas dinner vegetables with mini cans of coke, hubba bubba and stuff I don't like (for example Impulse body spray) underneath. Last year this turned into Ds deciding he was going to 'trap the naughty elves' and gaffer taping up the door.

until i read this i'v never heard of christmas eve boxes

Blue what a lovely post - with your arts skills have you thought about including a drawing from you to each of the children - referencing something from the year (or something like that!) - its the sort of thing that the children could keep as they grew up?

I don't know if it's just a 'mumsnet' thing, but I've noticed that there seems to be a lot of people who are bothered about what other people do - or don't do - on here. I just can't get my head around why people are so arsey about what other people CHOOSE to do with their families and are keen to pass judgement on it.

I do a 'Christmas Eve Box'. It's just a box. A plastic storage box. In it, there's new jarmies for us all - I've always had new jarmies on Christmas eve, even 32 years ago! Hot chocolate, a dvd, the santa key, treats for us all, reindeer dust and santas plate/cup. Nothing extravagant. Nothing expensive. Nothing forced.

No one had my arms up my back when I chose to do this new 'tradition' in our family. There's nothing 'materialistic' about it. The only new things that are placed in the box is the food/drink and new jarmies. Everything else is reused and has been for the last 10 years (before I bought the box). The box is then placed in the loft again until next Christmas, usually packed with bubble wrap and breakable baubles to prevent damage. For us, it's about spending time as a family, making memories, opening the box to see what treats are there for us before Santa comes.

They're just a bit naff aren't they.

It is funny how people are so critical of anything that isn't quite the way they do it.

Do what you like. Let others do things they like. It's Christmas and if I want to be "naff" by giving my DC their pyjamas on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas day with the rest of their presents then I will

Happily your children won’t realise it’s naff, and just enjoy it newtssuitcase.

Having read the other thread on here about people’s worst Christmases I can’t find a negative thing to think about anyone who puts a little thought and effort into making someone else have a nice time, whatever form that may take.

I'm the naffest fucker out there. And I LOVE IT!!

I'm a CE box newbie. DD asked if she could have one as her teacher had been talking about them at school.
I haven't got a box though...does that matter? But have got some new pj's, a book and some sweets. I reckon she'll be delighted, funny thing is, is I give her pj's on Christmas Day, the delight is quite muted!
I resisted it before because it just seemed like another chore, but in the end, it's only a couple of things and I'd bought the book already.
My Mum and I always used to have a tradition of opening just one present on Christmas Eve and that has stuck with me since childhood as something rather thrilling and a tiny bit subversive, so if my DD enjoys and remembers, then I guess it's worth the effort.

Isn’t Christmas full of naffness?

Tinsel?
Christmas crackers with naff toys and jokes, oh and a naff hat?
Christmas jumpers?
Elf on the bloody shelf?

Naff is what makes Christmas fun.

We love Christmas Eve boxes, dd2 gets so excited about Christmas Day so getting something to open (Christmas Eve box) the day before calms her down a bit and gives her something to keep her busy and awake for longer, in turn giving me more time in bed the next morning, then they get their stocking to open whilst I have time to wake up before the main present opening begins.

I do the Christmas eve box. It's from the elves.
Consists of Christmas pjs, socks, hot chocolate sashes and marshmallows, sweets, bathbomb or bubble bath and a small teddy.
Older dd gets a face mask instead of a teddy

I don't have a box though.. I use a bag

No. Why are we teaching our children to expect more and more and more?

Mine get a couple of good quality gifts on Christmas Day, and a bag of a few items from Father Christmas. They are happy and excited by their gifts and do not feel deprived in any way.

I HATE this ethos of buy more, more, more.

But it’s not really buying more is it? New pj’s are always needed, hot chocolate you would probably buy it anyway, same with bubble bath and sweets?

It doesn’t really cost me any more as they are things I would buy anyway, it’s just made more special by presenting them together in a box/bag.

Just a nice book and new P.J.s. I think it’s a nice tradition, but anything more would feel excessive to me.

Mine are happy and excited by their gifts too, and are always grateful, they are not being taught to expect more just because they are given a couple of nice new things (that they need or would use anyway) over a couple of days. They just helped choose sweets and toys and books to give to other children they don’t know over Christmas and didn’t mention anything for themselves.

It is how you parent year round that counts, not how you do Christmas.

The only thing they expect more of is stories.

I like Christmas Eve almost more than Christmas Day! My father's family is German so Christmas Eve is actually the main event there.

In our box we have:
New PJs
A new decoration for the tree
A Christmas DVD
A Christmas themed book
Some popcorn
A new family game
Their Christmas mugs and Santa's plate

This year I am also adding some of those hot chocolate spoons (that you stir into hot milk).

We open the box sometime after lunch, then will spend the afternoon playing the game together, watching the film together (with the popcorn and hot chocolate/Baileys) and then we go off to church for the crib service in the evening, then make a detour home to drive through some of the housing estates in the local town to see some of the amazing lights that people have decorated their homes with. Then home for PJs, putting out mince pie/carrots and then bed!

It's such a lovely family day but without the stresses of Christmas Day (cooking a special dinner and really tired children from waking up too early in excitement!).

We put all of the Christmas books under the tree when it goes up on the 1st, and spend the month using those as bedtime stories for the children - they go up in the loft the rest of the year so it's nice to get them out once a year.

Beamur I don't have a special box. I bought a christmas decoration box from Dunelm many years ago and use that. Saves taking up space with another box and it looks christmassy!

That sounds lovely, Nobody.