What do you put in Christmas Eve boxes?

[Underthehills]

DS is 5 at Christmas. DD is 1 in January. What do you put in your Christmas Eve boxes? I haven’t done one before. Sooo excited it’s coming 😂 🎄 🎅

We had a box that got filled every year.

I added this into my Xmas budget and worked for us because I put in useful stuff I'd have got for Xmas or just because it's needed anyway!

So

New pyjamas or dressing gown or slippers.

I didn't do Xmas themed as were intended to last as useful items!

Book - I brought a beautiful pack of 5 Xmas books one year and have one a year over time so economical!

dvd (that was Xmas themed or cars/planes and we've watched them all over and over each year!)

Sweets/ hot choc/ biscuits to eat whilst watching film.

Bubble bath

New blanket if needed.

Colouring books and pens.

The things that didn't make the box were given as Xmas presents so I just split those useful items up.

Stocking was then smaller items I didn't use for Xmas even box such as colouring pens, hot wheels cars, craft items, stickers, toiletries and when younger character socks and pants!

As ds for older (teen years) I added things cub as crackers, cheeses and bottles of j2o etc which we had for Xmas eve evening whilst watching films.

My advice is keep it small and simple and cheap and don't raise the expectations one year.

I see (on SM 🤦🏼‍♀️) people who give large presents on 1st December and/or Xmas eve and I do wonder how you top that Xmas day or times like now where cost of living is rising.

Pj's (not always christmas ones)
Book each (including DH and I - my mum magics them normally)
Christmas bells to ring one year that then went on the tree...
Chocolates etc
So varies a little but book and pjs are a constant. The Santa plate is in there too

"Before social media it's quite possible that different traditions emerged that were not common."

I know. That's what I said.

I'm kind of in agreement with @LadyMonicaBaddingham .
Well sort of....
I buy Christmas themed things to do throughout December (like make your own tree decorations etc). If I left them until Xmas Eve we wouldn't get chance to actually make them.
Things like new pyjamas - I buy those whenever we need them throughout the year. If it's warm winter ones needed I would probably buy them when the weather starts getting cold - so November time. Why be cold in bed for several weeks waiting for your new ones? Also things like novelty Christmas jumpers/socks. Better to get them at the beginning of December to wear them all through the Christmas season. Once Boxing Day is done the Christmas vibe ends (even though it's technically until 6th January) so no one will be wearing a jumper with Santa on or socks with reindeers.
I'm not against the type of things people put in the boxes but waiting until Christmas Eve is a bit late to actually use and enjoy the stuff. The main Christmas 'season' is December 1st - Boxing Day really.

Which would explain my valid query about what Christmas boxes are. Which was answered clearly and pleasantly by other posters.

Mine her PJs, Xmas choc, book, dvd and small gift to occupy them.

Oh and Santa key and reindeer food

What would anyone recommend for a 3 year old girl? She doesn't seem to be into Disney Princess stuff. Thanks

I do 1st December box so the pjs get used more and we can do colouring / sticking / Christmas card to relatives all through the month. The elves come that day too and the advent calendars.
Christmas Eve I might do a little movie box with popcorn and 'movie tickets' to choose something to watch.

How many years until Christmas eves eve presents are a thing?

Nothing - they get enough on Xmas day!

We don't do Christmas Eve boxes (they weren't a thing when my DC were little) but we have always done a set of Pjs and a first little gift to go with it every Christmas Eve. These are wrapped up under the tree.

When the SC wake up, they have very small stockings that they're allowed to open straight away. These were designed to keep the children busy from when they woke up at stupid o'clock until 6am when they were allowed to get us up. Typically it included a small chocolate Santa they could scoff, a magazine or activity for them to do and a few other cheap bits that you can get for a £1 each. Usually costs no more than £10 a stocking. These days with teenage girls, it tends to include a face mask (their yes, they do on Xmas morning, a nail Polish, suduko book etc...)

Santa's sacks were then opened with us at 6am. This contains most of their gifts but their 3 big gifts are under the tree and they tend to open those around lunch time.

Forgot to add, this is what my parents did for me... so it's out tradition going back to the 70s. That said, whilst we were always given Christmas Eve pyjamas, they often weren't wrapped, just given to us after our baths with our first gift from under the tree. Always a little something to keep us entertained- like top trump cards.

I do more of a December 1st box but without a box. Christmas pj’s, the books come out, movies, colouring sheets I print off and their Christmas mug that comes out every year with their preschool Christmas picture on.

Interesting, @goherbie that they weren't a thing for you either, although I do like the pyjamas and little gift under the tree idea.

"Forgot to add, this is what my parents did for me... so it's out tradition going back to the 70s."

Indeed. It was a thing in the 70s. It's the notion of the box itself that is a red herring. It's a gift, not a "box"

I see more posters have added to the when will X,Y,Z become a "thing". Predictable.

"What would anyone recommend for a 3 year old girl? She doesn't seem to be into Disney Princess stuff. Thanks"

We reuse every year and the theme is Christmas. So a book, how Winston delivered Christmas or the jolly postman or whatever, their Christmas mugs and plates for Santa, new pjs (any theme), colouring or crafts and a letter

We do a December 1st box as DD1's birthday is 18th December so there's enough going on around then for us.

We have a selection of Christmassy books (polar express, night before Christmas, a Peter rabbit one and a few other random ones - reused each year)
Christmas pyjamas (worn long after Christmas too!)
Our Jellycat Elf (instead of elf on the shelf and I just set it up doing little things in the playroom, nothing elaborate)
A Christmas jumper or t shirt to wear through the month, at nursery or whenever she wants
A small jar of reindeer food (bird seed) to sprinkle on the step on Christmas Eve
Some chocolate coins or a chocolate lolly

This year it will also include our tickets to Disney on Ice

@KangarooKenny I have this one from hobbycraft and I reuse it each year

www.hobbycraft.co.uk/white-wedding-hamper-crate-42cm-x-24cm-x-22cm/6459681000.html

@Maireas what is she into?

My dd will be 3 this December so she'll have the things I've listed in my last post as well as some kind of crafty thing or sticker book probably paw patrol or Bluey as those are her favourite things at the moment.

You could also make a voucher for a Santa visit that you've booked or a voucher to go see Christmas lights in the town centre, then for cake?

I was born in the 70s and we had a Christmas eve presents which always meant new pyjamas/nightie so we would look good for Christmas morning photos and a book, we always had books.

We have continued this with the children but it is just pyjamas, not Christmas themed and again books when they were little and we used to watch Polar Express and Prep and Landing. We kept it simple, same with Christmas presents.

Anything like Christmas mugs come out on 1st December along with the door wreath and Christmas table decorations because I remove Christmas stuff before 1st January as I see in the New Year with a no Christmas stuff.

@kangarookenny I bought a wooden box from hobby craft and painted it then stuck on some wooden snowflakes/spelt our ds name - can be used year after year.

In ours (ds is 4) I put:

Pyjamas
Snuggly socks
Some chocolate coins
A mug for got chocolate
A Christmas dvd for us all to watch together

Can I just do a request/reminder for those who put reindeer food in to ensure no glitter is in there so it's safe for wildlife?

Thank you, @MsSquiz - that's helpful. She's my dear friend's grandchild and because of covid we've never met, but I'm meeting her this year. She's into animals, loves dogs. I've checked - her family don't do these Christmas Eve box things but are ok if I bring an early gift for her to open.
Thanks for the ideas 😊

This. They already get enough crap on Christmas Day. Do they really need more?