Opinions on Elf on the Shelf and Christmas eve boxes

[Titsend]

All opinions

We don’t do a Christmas Eve box. DD gets new pjs on Christmas Day.

We have an elf, but he doesn’t report back to Santa or do anything naughty. Ours is a good elf. He arrives on 1st December with DD’s wooden advent calendar. A chocolate coin appears in that every morning and occasionally a note e.g “today we are putting the tree up”, “today we are going to xyz” etc. Last year he did bring DD some craft bits to make her Christmas cards one day but otherwise I avoid physical presents in December. He occasionally hides for DD to find him (on a Saturday, not a busy week day!) She plays with him with her other toys quite a lot and enjoys looking after him. He goes back with Santa on Christmas Eve.

I’m dreading her realising that some DC get toy advent calendars. That’s a step too far for me personally.

I'm just going to copy & paste my post from a few years ago. I post the same every year so can save myself some time!

"I've done a Christmas Eve box for years now. Since my youngest was a baby and he's 10 now. It wasn't a 'thing' then, with companies selling boxes etc.

I love it.

I'm going to tell the story of our box which I tell on every one of these threads every year so feel free to skip this post!

My DS2 was stillborn - he was due on Christmas Day (but arrived a few weeks earlier). This time of year has massive potential to be a sad and depressing time.

I read someone's post about Christmas Eve boxes and how elves delivered it and I loved it and decided to steal the idea and alter it slightly.

So we have our box delivered by our DS2 to his older and younger brother. They are presents from him to them. Santa lets him borrow some magic to let him do this. (They're too old to believe this now but when they did it made me so happy)

Its a way to bring our DS into Christmas in a happy way. My other two boys talk about this box all year and call the pyjamas in it 'Bobs pyjamas' [not real name] every time they wear them. That also makes me happy.

I do spend a lot of money. I won't apologise for it. I'm not a keeping up with the jones' type or materialistic (no more than the next person). I don't get to buy my DS2 any presents so the money I'd spend on him gets spent on the Christmas Eve box.

I do hate all the insults thrown the way of people who do this box. 1% are probably the showing off on FB types but 99% are just doing something to make their family happy. You might do it buy buying that £400 iPad or by going on summer holidays. There's times we all spend money to make the day happy for our children.

However you do Christmas I hope you all have a great time."

The same stuff is said every year so I think it’s still all relevant to this thread! My youngest is about to turn 13 though, no believers here anymore 😭

@Toowit that's lovely, yes I agree do Christmas how you do it and it really doesn't matter what others do. It's your way.

We do neither, but do DHs countries Christmas traditions at the start of December so the kids get things I would say equivalent to a Christmas Eve box then and it kicks the season off for us.
Elf on the shelf is too much like hard work for me.

I tried the elf on the shelf thing but tbh none of us were really into it. I thought this year instead of doing an xmas eve box I'll just give my son xmas pjs from 1st December and put his xmas bedding on, and we can have movie/hot choc nights throughout the month.

@Toowit that’s beautiful and what a lovey way to involve your son into Christmas. Special memories for your other children too. Thank you for sharing.
People rant about “these days” but my son is 23-and we have been doing special advent stuff since he was small. I just don’t think there was anything official or spoken about I guess as we’d not have Internet forums to discuss them!
I’ve never done a Xmas eve box as PJs are for the festive period and NOT after Xmas so would be a waste to get them one night before Xmas. So pjs, duvet covers, Xmas plates and cups etc come out gradually from the end of November. We have an Advent angel as I hated the spying and naughty aspect of the EOTS but she now has a ragdoll elf friend too so there is a bit of fun as well as nice things. It’s not expensive though as they might have a set of cookie cutters (same set each year) hidden with them one day to make cookies or a note saying we will go to see Xmas lights at night or a Xmas DVD (we add to these each year or so) or a hot chocolate sachet etc.
I have a box of Xmas books that have been added to over the last 23 years so it’s a tradition to choose a book to read while the advent candle burns. Now I read a chapter book as well as even the younger kids are older... so we’ve had the Boy called Christmas/girl who saved Christmas series and the Christmasosaurus so far and this year have stashed Michael Morpegos version of The classic “the snowman” and also a copy of the box of delights.
Christmas is great.

@Toowit
That’s lovely and I might be stealing your idea! My DS2 was stillborn in June and I’ve already been pondering how to still include him in Christmas and other occasions. I’m so determined he will have his place in our family, it’s all I can do for my precious boy now. Your idea is brilliant!

@Rainbowqueeen

The planet just can’t take it. Unnecessary consumerism

This. It's also taking away the focus on the main day.

toowit and giespeace I am so, so sorry for your loss it is a lovely way to include your babies in the day.

One thing we do do is advent giving.

During December I buy 24 items that we donate to our local food bank. I'll get a mix of food and personal care items. It's a way for us to focus on the giving rather than receiving.

Absolutely love the Christmas eve box. I love trying to find new things to put into it every year. We do a family one so we're all involved.
Elf on the shelf however I hate with a passion. I do do elf on the shelf but regretted jumping on the elf bandwagon from the first Christmas I introduced it to my children. Would never reccomend it to another parent!

I've done both for about 6 years now (I have one 8 year old DS).
We started Elf on the Shelf because his nursery were doing it and he loved it. I just do what the nursery did and move the elf to a different place each day - no messy, naughty elf. I don't like anything over the top.
Same with the Christmas Eve box. I put in pjs, some chocolates and a new mug or cup. I just use an old wooden crate that I painted years ago and used a stencil to put DS's name on it.
I also use a refillable advent calendar each year so it's less wasteful. I had one when I was younger and thought it was great.

No Elf, no box.
Christmas Eve we bake gingerbread and mince pies, have got chocolate and watch Santa Claus The Movie. Books and winter pyjamas and a Christmas Jumper are given at the beginning of advent but not with much pomp lol and we make decorations throughout December.