What goes in your Xmas Eve box?

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Found a lovely big box while out shopping today, wondering what others put in theirs for Advent or Xmas Eve?

If for 1st Dec I'm thinking I can put things in that are used all month so maybe better value... also DD turns 6 a couple days after 25th so Xmas things go away and Birthday things come out quickly.

Ideas list under consideration so far:

Xmas PJs
Chocolate coins
Advent Calendar - wrapped up as a present
Oranges/satsumas
Xmas teddy bear - DD adores anything soft and furry
Furry xmas blanket
Xmas themed hot water bottle
Hot chocolate packet or set
Xmas jumper - school will have a jumper day before the end of term
Xmas hair slides or similar
Xmas bubble bath or bath bomb if I can find one
Small size Xmas mug/cup - can find one in a £1 shop
Xmas craft bits - DD loves making stuff

There are bits I can put in that are not new but from storage:

Xmas pudding bobble hat
Xmas Books
Xmas baking cutters

That's obviously too much, but anyone do anything more original?

I suspect the shepherds would have welcomed the hot chocolate, might have been a chilly night. Joseph on the other hand would have preferred a stiff gin.

Anyway, let's get back to the true meaning at Christmas, or Xmas if you prefer. Apparently X means Christ.

@rhinocrash Love the idea of Christmas bedding on Xmas eve so they want to go to bed! Genius.

It's a stupid thing designed to get people to spend money on things they don't need and has absolutely nothing to do with the real meaning of Christmas.

What the hell is a Christmas Eve box? Please explain the link to the nativity

Well if you’re working on that basis, then let’s get rid of Father Christmas, turkey, mince pies, fairy lights and the Morecombe & Wise Christmas Special too, shall we?

We do a Christmas Eve box, but keep it really simple with PJs, small Christmas themed chocolate e.g Santa lolly and hot chocolate sachet. Think one year I put in some slipper socks too.

I'll give it all up, apart from The Morecombe and Wise Christmas special

Hang on...what? Did someone say Christmas candelabra ? ?

I'll give it all up, apart from The Morecombe and Wise Christmas special

Titania, this board does not seem like your natural home

I think the 1st December thing is fairly bonkers. That's when we put the tree & decorations up. There might be Xmas music (carefully avoiding Whamhalla obviously) but no gifts.

That said, I live overseas & my dc spend every Xmas with their dad in the uk. Which breaks my heart a little bit every year - I bugger off travelling to avoid it all.

I make each of them up a parcel for Xmas eve which includes new pyjamas & a stocking full of treats. This goes in their suitcases.

We also do an Xmas night the evening before they fly - Polar Express, hot chocolate & a snuggle on the big sofa.

My late teen DD has always had new PJs on Christmas Eve, when she was small she also got a hot chocolate drink, magic reindeer food and I'd get out the Santa key for her to hang up, (I still hang it up now with a little less ceremony) and at bedtime the Night Before Christmas book would appear. It was all about a magical bedtime really, and off to sleep so Santa would come.

I think what's new is the special boxes and the more commercial aspect, people actually get boxes delivered.

I need more info on the Christmas Candelabra too!

Christmas candelabra

This year ours has Christmas bedding and pjs, some chocolates/sweets . Hot chocolate bubble bath and a film

It’s one of those German things with candles and spinning bits, although not the full carousel set up one day.
It’s pretty magical, but not quite as jazzy as that @TitaniaQueenOfTheFairies!
It comes out every year, I’m not buying a new one each time. We always spend actual Christmas staying with our families and have to fit into their traditions. Advent is the only time we get to make our own, which is where the box full of (reused) goodies arriving on the 1st came from. Nothing especially commercial about ours, take away the box and it would just be getting festive decorations, books and games out of storage.

So glad this wasn't a thing when my kids were little - how did they manage to enjoy Christmas without it.... and elf on the shelf and all the other nonsense. Just seen the ultimate in Christmas naffness in my Next catalogue - matching sets of Christmas pyjamas for the whole family .

Each to their own

A lot of people moaning about a Christmas Eve box then go on to say that they just do pjs, hot chocolate etc. So how's it any worse if it's in a box?!

I think it's loads less overwhelming to eek the presents and excitement out over a few days then do it all at once.

The aim of a Christmas Eve box is to help the kids wind down and spend some family time together (or keep them occupied for a bit while you do last minute jobs). It's not presents for the sake of it or loads of extra toys. Like pp have said, some of this would have traditionally been stocking presents but they are being given a day early

Well, we always just made hot chocolate and read stories, so i guess its no different if you put the books and hot chocolate in a box before hand! Its the extra stuff as detailed in the OP that seems way OTT.

Back on topic: we've not done one before because we have a toddler but this year going to do...

Personalised Christmas book (same every year)

New pjs (non Christmas)

Hot drink + marshmallows

Santa plate (same every year)

Stocking + empty sack to put out (SEY)

Christmas colouring book + activities

Popcorn + snacks + drink for Christmas movie

Diy movie ticket (we stream movies do no dvd)

Reindeer food to scatter

New toothbrush and fancy toothpaste

Possibly a Christmas bear or something to make her go to bed

Maybe a family activity like a gingerbread house to bake or cookies to decorate or cakes for dessert the next day

Ffs can people not read? It's a list of IDEAS not everything that will go in the sodding box. Or everything new this year - because for example I've done some Xmas baking with my child before the age of 6 y'know.

Can't even be bothered to reply to people on here. While my life as a lp may be hard at least I'm not at miserable as some of the b*tches on MUMSNET

Don’t know why people are acting like this is some new thing. I’m in my 30’s and my siblings and I got new pyjamas and a present every year on Christmas Eve, it just wasn’t presented in a Christmas Eve box! My son is 14 and I’ve been doing this since he was 2. Don’t see what the big deal is, it’s stuff he’d be getting on Christmas Day anyway and just means he has his new dressing gown to wear on Christmas morning when he gets up. When he was little he’d get a Christmas book and that would be his bedtime story that night.

As a PP said, every year on mumsnet there are a significant number of people who have never heard of a Christmas Eve box and are utterly horrified that anyone would present pyjamas and hot chocolate to their child in a box. Even on this thread, where a quick skim of one or two previous posts (including the OP) would make it perfectly clear what's being discussed, posters have taken the time to post 'but what is a Christmas Eve box? I just don't understand!' It's all part of the competitive 'my children are delighted with one charity shop toy and an orange' mumsnet posts that are so common at this time of year.

OP you do what you want with your Christmas. It's your decision only and the only ones who matter are you and your child. I think it is a lovely idea and will be a memory in years to come. If I wasn't so disorganised/lazy I would do something along the same lines.

My kids just get new pjs (not xmas themed) and I'd be buying them anyway as they've always outgrown theirs by xmas so just makes sense.

They get wrapped & go under the tree after dinner.

I generally loathe tat so i wont buy xmas themed stuff as a rule (although am massively tempted with winter themed duvets)

I sneered when my DD first mentioned these new fangled Christmas Eve boxes when she first started doing it with her 6 year old a few years ago. It was only a few days ago he was sat with me beaming while telling me about what goes in his box from his mummy. He was thrilled that he'll be getting new pjs, a new Christmas book and a sachet of hot chocolate with a mug. He told me it was the very best part of Christmas as it's just him
And his mummy and that he shares his hot chocolate with her. I take back my sneering

It’s not another present if it’s the same things every year though is it? It’s just things that people generally have but presented in a box. We have hot chocolate in the kitchen with the odd Christmas mug that we’ve got over the years, Christmas books oh DS’s book shelf, Christmas films on SkyQ, candles in the drawer in the living room from last year, plenty of warm blankets (not Christmassy) etc it’s just not presented in a box and certainly doesn’t come from the elves.

DS does get new PJs (not necessarily Christmas themed) and a tube of sweets wrapped up from us on Christmas Eve. I’m going to get pounced on now as I do put a few sweets and a kinder egg in DS’s shoes on the night of 5th December and I’m not in any way German!

Personally, I’m not a fan of giving big gifts such as board games and craft sets etc the day before the big day but most things mentioned are just things you’d get anyway.

OP did you manage to find any Christmas bubble bath? I have scrolled every site I can think of the last number of days and can't find any, I was looking some for 1st of December boxes for nieces/nephews.