Christmas eve boxes

[Newkitchenideas1]

Im looking for ideas for our x mas eve box. There is me, dp and two boys age 4&2, last year it seemed like there was too much sweet stuff so really looking for other ideas suitable. I see lots of bath bombs being gifted but not sure my two would appreciate them plus they have sensitive skin. I like the idea of new pjs but would prefer they got used for the whole of Dec! Any ideas welcome

I try and keep mine very simple - pjs, a Christmas themed book for a bedtime story and this year they will get a personalised mug.

We open ours on 1st December instead - winter themed pjs and 2 or 3 tops, the Christmas cookie cutters ( not new- just ones from last year) ditto books and DVDs though I pick up a few new books to add to it. Christmas or winter themed activity books, craft kits ( a printout of an activity and the supplies needed), fake snow was good ( though my kids weren’t fussed I thought it was good!) I don’t pretend it’s from elves or anything, it’s just a nice bundle of fun winter themed stuff.

Whatever will help them relax and wind down for bed on Christmas Eve. That might be a bath bomb, or a book, or a special mug, or something to wear, or a rising pillow spray, or special stationery to write to Santa, or relaxing bedtime music, or a torch to take on a walk to look at the stars, or Christmas stockings to hang up - it doesn't really matter. I'd suggest that the starting point shouldn't be "what should I put in the box?" but "how do I want us to spend Christmas Eve?" and then go for things that you will need for the evening you want.

Look on YouTube, I could have and do waste hours watching other people's Christmas Eve boxes on YouTube.

Ours is always the same. New Christmas pjs, which we then wear whenever after. Always hot chocolate, Christmas mugs, squirty cream & marshmallows. We always watch The Elf on the Shelf dvd (it's short & fun) and we always always always read The Night Before Christmas story. That's it.

I’ve put in Christmassy hot water bottles and big snuggly fleecy blankets in the past and they went down well. Other ideas I’ve used were a personalised key for Santa and reindeer dust. As PP said, Christmas craft sets and baking sets/equipment. I also include a book, dvd, pyjamas, hot chocolate and mug, festive friends biscuits, bubble bath and maybe a Christmas tree decoration.

I give mine new pyjamas on or around Christmas Eve, so that I know they will look respectable in the photos on Christmas morning. After that they can wear them to rags if they want! I tend not to do Christmas themed pyjamas but just choose something wintery though I do harbour a secret desire for matching family pjs. I don't a box as such but we do have certain Christmas Eve traditions like lighting a candle for the window, setting out Santa's treats on a plate we painted for him when they were little, putting Mary and Joseph into the crib, reading a special bedtime story so if I did a box I'd probably put those into it (which definitely sounds better than my current tradition of wondering where I left them). A board game or a dvd might be an idea too.

We do-
New PJ's
Bubble bath and flannel
Hot chocolate and marshmallows
New mug

Ooh thank you fot your replys! I will have hot choc for me definitely but im the only one who drinks it! I like the flannel idea, i will add that!! I also like the idea of santas special key as we have one of those for our plate so thats nice. Thank you and i will also look up videos on youtube - had no idea this was available lol

Last year (2&3 year old) I put in PJs, Christmas books, reindeer food (that the kids had made) a special key for Santa and I think that was about it.
I think I'll do something similar this year but I'm also going to do a box on 1st December! Never would've of thought of doing that so thanks to the PP that mentioned it. Fab idea having loads of craft stuff (my two would LOVE that) get them a new small mug each for hot chocolates. I keep thinking about hot water bottles but I may get them one, to use whilst supervised and then just to warm up their bed and take it out before they get in them? I'm probably being a bit precious so someone tell me AIBU- my kids are 3 & 4 now.

Meant to say, I didn't do one last year as DS was only 13 months (he still got new PJs for Christmas Eve though!) But in ours this year so far I've got;. The night before Christmas book, a santa bath pouffe, a santa rubber duck. Christmas themed plate and mug. I'll put his stocking and santa key in too. New pyjamas, (we've had new PJs in our family on Christmas Eve for 30+ years, we always used to get a book and some sweeties too. My grandma started it. Doesn't matter if they are themed or not because they're worn until they're grown out of.) New slippers and a bath bomb or some bubbles. Probably a kinder egg/gingerbread man.
He'll only just be two so we'll present the CEB in the morning, we have church in the afternoon and there wouldn't be the time to mess about with it after that.

In our case, yes there is a naice hot choc (lump of chocolate on a wooden spoon to melt into hot milk) for everyone in the house, and a Christmas Beer for DH.

Lush seasonal bath bomb for DD, and a very relaxing one for me, possibly a nice shower gel for DH. (All will get used in our house - and one year we had no bath available, we got naice shower gels for everyone).

Also do the new PJs for everyone - not necessarily festive themed, just nice warm winter ones (or shorts and tshirt ones for DH!).

We also have old favourites that come out - the family edition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" bought for DD's 1st Christmas, her plastic Santa glass and plate (to put Santa's treat onto), her stocking, and her Snowman covered hot water bottle. The HWB and crockery are in use already (all winter, and December, respectively) but form part of the tradition to setting up for Santa and getting organized for bed.

Last year was only the second time we had done one. We had nice bubble bath each - stuff that I wouldn't dream of buying during the year on a regular basis. Hot chocolate sticks, pj's and bed socks, a Christmas book my Mum gave the girls a couple of years ago - it goes away again after Christmas to be reused! A big box of fake snowballs (home bargains), Christmas mugs (again reused each year) and little one got a Christmas colouring/sticker book and the big one got a book that she wanted to take to bed to read. Oh and the Christmas DVDs get put in as well.

Oh yeah and Father Christmas' plate and mug and the stockings.

We do Christmas pjs, a book, hot chocolate and a pinata . You can usually get a Christmas themed one from home bargains. I just fill it with a tub of celebrations or quality street. Once they ve had fun knocking all the chocolates out we snuggle up in front of tv with them and the hot chocolate and watch a Christmas film before bed.

We have a DD(5) and we always do

-Pyjamas
-A book, which we then read together at bedtime (this year it's Mog's Christmas)
-A Beanie Boo (she's obsessed)

Might do a DVD too, something christmassy we can all watch together.

This might be stupid question but if people put in a dvd, mug, hot water bottle etc every year then isn't your house full of mugs and hot water bottles after a few years? Just how many do you need?

Our plastic plates, plastic glass and HWB are all old and well used during December, it’s just nice to put all the things for getting ready for Santa and bed in the one place.

But in our house, dd has always known that I do the CEH - there are no elves harmed or involved in the making of my hamper!

So there’s no build up of extra purely seasonal things.

I’m not really sold on the whole Christmas Eve box personally - there are enough presents flying around the following day. However I do like the idea of creating a tradition so I would concentrate on the “ doing” something together rather than the gift side. We’ve got a lovely copy of The Night Before Christmas to read and a nice film together ( I quite like Polar Express) When my DD was around 4 I got her a personalised video greeting from F.C. via PNP app ( I think) - they are of really good quality and you can personalise them with photos of the children. She was completely mesmerised. Alternatively you can get letters from F.C. which might serve the same purpose and be fun to open on Christmas Eve.

I was very sceptical about Christmas Eve boxes at first. However this will be our third year doing it and they are a huge hit in our house. We don't really put presents as such in them (no toys at least). It's more of a Christmas Eve survival kit. The reason I did the first one was we had introduced an Elf on the Shelf who my eldest loved. I was worried she would be devastated when he left. So the elf leaves a small box of gifts when he goes home the night before Christmas Eve ready to be found the next morning. They find the boxes when they get up that morning with a note thanking us all for letting him stay and saying how he has to get back to help Santa get ready. It's silly I guess, but it's stuck with us.

He leaves each of the girls new PJs (which they would get anyway), some hot chocolate and plastic Christmas cup, a Christmas film and book. It doesn't break the bank but my eldest (who will be 6 this Christmas) has already mentioned him and the box this year. She said it was one of her favourite bits. :) Between that and making the ginger bread house that's our Christmas Eve sorted. One of my favourite memories from last Christmas was us all sitting and demolishing the ginger bread house with our cups of hot chocolate just before the kids went up to bed.

I also enjoy crafts and make the boxes myself in the lead up to Christmas. That probably helps reduce the cost slightly. But it's something I really enjoy and gets me in the Christmas spirit.

I used to do Christmas books but we now have loads.

Our box has hot choc sachets, DVD, marshmallows and new pjs. I use them for wind down on Christmas eve evening.

I don't bother with anything else as Christmas day is for gifts.

I tend to put something in to encourage my dc into the bath on Christmas eve. I find sprudels, bath foam or magic flannels are better received than bath bombs.

I often pop a christmas sticker book in to keep them busy while I'm prepping food.