As with all things Christmas (or any celebration), only do what is right for YOU and YOUR FAMILY. Just because "everyone" does it, doesn't mean that it is right for you.
In our case, we have a box. It is a family box. It is a Christmas themed cardboard storage box that holds a collection of festive DVDs in storage during the year (these are out for playing over Christmas so the box is not in use). No specific "Christmas Eve Hamper" or personalisation to it.
It holds a mixture of older items reused every year, and new things that get used up every year.
So DD's plastic plate and glass with Santa on them, which were bought when she was a toddler (and using plastic crockery), and come out of storage in early December every year, go into it for her to put out Santa's snack of cookies and milk, and a carrot for the Reindeer.
Her snowman covered hot water bottle, which is in use all winter, goes in too.
The family copy of the book "Twas the Night before Christmas" is kept separately to the rest of our seasonal books, and only appears on Christmas Eve in the hamper - it has been read as the bedtime story every single year since DD was born and she specifically asked for it last year (aged 13 and no longer generally in receipt of bedtime stories).
And DD's stocking, to put out, just in case someone might see it and fill it (we all know, but we have a collective "if you don't believe, see what happens" mentality that means she usually still "believes" on Christmas Eve and wakes up to a full stocking Christmas morning).
The new things are:
PJs for everyone (we all need new PJs in wintertime - some years, some are festive, others they are plain, DH never has festive ones)
Hot chocolate (we get the "lump of chocolate on a wooden spoon" types) for everyone, and often a Christmas beer for DH.
Lush festive bath bomb each for DD and I
Some families do a box with craft activities or things to do earlier in the day on Christmas Eve.
In our case, our box only comes out after dinner. DD has always known that I filled it, it was never done by Elves. We light the Christmas Candle first, and spend a few minutes reflecting on the year finishing, the good and the bad, and remembering family and friends no longer with us, finishing with a short family prayer. (Merging of Irish traditions and some elements of spirituality).
Then the box comes out, and DD lays out her stocking and treats for Santa, before going up to have her bath. She comes back down in fresh PJs, for her hot chocolate and her HWB gets filled. Then we both head upstairs, where I read her story and tuck her in for the night.
She finds it really helpful to relax, and take the excitement down a notch while making it special.