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 😂 🎄 🎅

CEHs can be for whoever you want them to be. Just the children. Or the entire family.

New pjs are a staple here for everyone - because Christmas is normally when it is starting to get to the proper cold part of winter and a new pair of winter pjs is usually a good idea for everyone. They don't need to be a Christmas design, in fact, often they are quite plain (and I need to buy DH's in summer as he prefers shorts even in winter).

It's like everything to do with Christmas (and life in general). There are hundreds of different ways to do it based on your personal beliefs, values, family traditions, energy levels, cash flow and budget, individial circumstances generally and at a particular point in time etc.

So you do you. Decide what works for you and your family.

I personally am not a fan of big gatherings and getting DCs all hyped up on Christmas Eve and having a party into the wee small hours. But that suits lots of people and it's what is their tradition. So I almost never mention it here or in real life - but as a way to illustrate my point here.

We like a day of quiet prep and gentle fun, good food for relaxed dinner, and a few of our own family traditions (some continued from our childhood, others we've established ourselves) for the evening.

And also - things change over time. So what worked when Dd was small, doesn't always work now with a teen. But some things remain important. So you can do things once, for a few years, or forever, depending on what you and your family want to do.

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These little packs are cute. I feel a bit sad as dd12 won't be interested but I don't want to buy one without the other.

Christmas eve boxes ARE for children.

But Im curious why you think adults never need to replace clothing items, do you still only have the same things you bought at 18?

If you wear something for 7-8 hours a night every night for 365 days its not unfathomable to think they may need replacing.

Xmas eve boxes are gifts, its just a nice tradition.

Same way christmas dinner isnt a 'gift', advent calanders arent a 'gift' or the xmas tree isnt a 'gift'.

@mam0918 chill !!
On average if I have a pair of PJs they last 3 or so years so I don't need new ones every year and I wouldn't want to wait until a special day to get them - I buy them when I need them.
I know lots of people like it as a Xmas Eve tradition - if that's their thing then I say go for it.
I don't really care. There are other Christmasy things I'd rather buy. Everyone is different.
The thing I don't get about Christmas Eve boxes is a lot of what people say they put in them are what I would put in a stocking - so makes me wonder what goes in the stockings !
Also a lot of stuff like Christmas crafts, tree decorations, Christmas books etc I think would be nicer to have in the month long run up to Christmas. Leaving them to Xmas Eve is a bit late. December 1st is better. I usually feel more Christmasy throughout December. That's when the shops and streets are decorated for Christmas, Sally Army Band playing the Christmas Carols outside the supermarket, Christmas fayres taking place, Nativity plays at school, Santa's Grotto etc. I wouldn't want to leave it all to last day before the actual day.
Maybe this stems from my retail days when Xmas Eve consisted of sorting out the Boxing Day sale, taking all the Christmas signage down and unpacking the Easter Egg delivery (yes really) 🤣

New PJs are delivered in the stocking presents the year before and put away til dec 1st. Actually bought in the jan sales 2 years before wearing. I like to plan ahead and get my moneys worth. Plus I size up so wear for 2 years.

likewise books are 1st jan so xmas eve is new film and popcorn/hot choc. maybe a cheap craft kit or game. the blow up reindeer antlers are great for older kids.

Isn't hot chocolate just a regular drink though? I drink hot chocolate all through winter. What's so special about Xmas Eve hot choc ?

All through the year tbh. Not just winter.

If you can't see how hot chocolate could feel festive then this thread is probably one you should've scrolled on by

It's part of the ritual and tradition. Same with having a bath on Christmas Eve with a bubbles to get into clean fresh pj's ready to leave out a mince pie etc for Santa. It's just a bit of fun, especially with kids.

Your telling me to chill but your the one attacking other people because its not how you personally do it.

We dont drink hot chocolate all year, its not a 'common' drink its more like a milkshake, its an occasional treat and to drink it often is pretty unhealthy... certainly not something to be encourage as a regular drink for young children.

I would not put a toothbrush and bubble bath etc... too us stockings are for small toys, games and mostly sweets.

As I explained everything recieved on new years eve is specifically for getting ready for bed. As other people have explained its nice to have new PJs in christmas videos/photos than ones you have been wearing for 3 months that had faded/bobbled/streached (hell with my youngest 3 month old clothes wouldnt even fit anymore).

I dont know why you think buying PJs on a random wednesday in october is somehow superior to getting them on a specific day. My kids wear PJs every single night, they can and do have more than 1 pair. Its not like they only get these naccesities at xmas and are wearing rags until xmas eve, its just they get a nice new pair on xmas eve that then goes into rotation with the others.

Why have you come on the christmas forum on a christmas eve box thread specifically to shit all over peoples traditions?

Do you not have anything better to do with your life than complain about things that in noway effect you but bring others joy?

This year I might make the kids dodge the bath, put on old holey PJs, drink a glass of lukewarm water and block up the chimney before bed 😂

We dont drink hot chocolate all year, its not a 'common' drink its more like a milkshake, its an occasional treat and to drink it often is pretty unhealthy... certainly not something to be encourage as a regular drink for young children.

Whereas in this house, as DD was significantly underweight for years, she had a glass of (full fat) milk in summer or a cup of hot chocolate (with squirty cream, the shame! ) in cooler months for years going to bed. Because we needed to get extra calories into her.

Every family and their circumstances and traditions are different.

We tend do do new PJs (not Christmasy), hot choc and bubble bath. So largely it’s stuff they’d have/get anyway but just bundled together to make it feel a bit special. It’s symbolic as much as anything.

We dont drink hot chocolate all year, its not a 'common' drink its more like a milkshake, its an occasional treat and to drink it often is pretty unhealthy... certainly not something to be encourage as a regular drink for young children.

I don't think milkshake is unhealthy. Hot chocolate has cocoa and a level teaspoon of sugar - much less unhealthy than many regularly-eaten things. What matters is overall diet, no one single thing is unhealthy if it does not contain any weird ingredients.

Should say 'I don't think hot chocolate is unhealthy', my brain is rotten

@mam0918 I am not attacking anyone's traditions. I am (trying) to have a conversation about the different things people do. I have - in the past - taken on other people's traditions because I have thought "ooh that's nice to do".
But seriously - I drink hot chocolate all year round. There's no ritual to it - put powder in cup, add boiling water 😂.
Same with bubble baths - we have bubble baths almost every other day because we like bubbles (although getting lots of different bubble baths for Christmas is one of my 'things').
As mentioned before I used to work retail so Xmas Eve was one the most un-christmasy days to work and when I finally got home around 10 pm I was too ruddy knackered to do any thing special so I think I have a mindset of Christmas Eve being 'just another day'.
I like hearing about other people's traditions. It's interesting. Some I don't necessarily 'get' which I why I like to ask why people do it.
It's called a conversation 🙂

It's just another added pressure for busy, short of money parents. My dd has never had one I don't think she's deprived !!

"But seriously - I drink hot chocolate all year round. There's no ritual to it - put powder in cup, add boiling water 😂."

The ritual is sitting together drinking it, all ready for bed on the night before Christmas. Some people jazz it up a bit with marshmallows etc or a festive mug hugger biscuit. As you well know

The "I used to work in retail" means nothing. I've often worked Christmas Day in the least festive environment you can imagine but I still love the rituals of Christmas.

@JubileeTissues that's really nice if you make a ritual out of hot chocolate if you don't drink it often. I drink it all the time - but I don't drink coffee or tea so it's just my hot drink choice really.
Every family is different. I have my own Christmas rituals/traditions which I expect a lot on here would say "why" or "huh?" too.
I don't know why people have got the impression I am criticising what people do. I am just asking why people do certain things out of genuine curiosity.

@JubileeTissues oh and the retail thing was just my personal experience. I hated the job and felt it sucked joy out of everything in my life 🙂
I know other retail workers who enjoy the festive season.
I didn't enjoy Christmas for many years. I enjoy it now and enjoy hearing about what other people do.

But then why comment?

No one is forced to and those of us that do choose to do it find it zero pressure.

The fact you jump straight to the word 'deprived' would indicate your taking this WAY too personally when no one has said anything of the sort, its a tradition some have like Befana or Magi... no one is saying your wrong for not having the tradition but you are wrong for trying to zap joy from those of us that do.

First weekend of December we put the tree up. Then we go out and the elves leave us a box under the tree when we come home. Contains mix of:
Crisp snacks like those tubs of cheeselets/mini cheddars
Fluffy socks
Popcorn
Gingerbread house make your own
Tubes of smarties/jelly tots
Tub celebrations
Hot chocolate
Shortbread
Art/craft set for DD or new crayons
Advent calendars

It's usually a treats box to last us through december. I prefer it at beginning as gives us the month to enjoy it.