Are we the only parents who don't do Christmas Eve boxes?

[User6447482684755]

we have just never bothered, something else for me to think about too!

They've never questioned why they don't get one. They weren't even a thing a few years ago right?

I was Christmas shopping today (I know, early but I don't often get much chance to shop mid week when kids are at school). The cashier picked up on me buying for Christmas and was chatting nicely, she says oh well you give your kids a Christmas Eve box yeah? Just her assuming that all kdis have one. She meant well but I am questioning myself now.

I was like no we don't!

we tend to visit family on Christmas Eve and gifts are exchanged and sometimes opened early (from family). We always have take away on Christmas Eve!

that is our tradition.

we have an elf on the shelf but we do it our own way. Sometimes I wish I never started though.

we also don't bother with the whole matching PJ thing.

we tend to just do things our way without following any fads! That's okay, right?

Every. Single. Year.

If you don't want to do a christmas eve box, then that's fine. Enjoy your own traditions.

If you want to do one, then crack on. Enjoy it.

Replace christmas eve box with elf on the shelf, North Pole breakfast, matching family pj's, fancy advent calendars etc etc etc.

Christmas evolves. Traditions evolve. If MN existed in Victorian times there'd be thread after thread of "AIBU not to join this christmas tree fad?"

We don't but I do a sort of December 1st box in that I get all our Christmas shit out at the beginning of December- wooden advent calendar, dvds etc to make sure they get used.

We don’t have a box but our DD’s do have new pyjamas, not Christmas ones, as do I and now MIL who comes for Christmas as I did as a child (I’m 43). My DD’s also have hot chocolate, again as I did as a child.

I don't know anybody who does these in real life. I've only ever read about them on mumsnet. Also no elf.

I don't for my kids and it's a conscious decision because I feel that it's all part and parcel of the Christmas consumerism and spending ridiculous amounts of money.

For me, I want a greater emphasis to be on the family time, memories, good company and good food.

Thanks all. I actually do tend to but my youngest some Christmas pjs to wear from November until early January or all year if she wants to 😅 but I can't afford matching ones for us all, I also don't think we are the type of cutesy family for matching pjs! 😅

saying that, the last two years I've got into Sainsburys the day before Christmas Eve and bought Christmas pjs for like £2 in the sale and I've been wearing the same Winnie the Pooh Christmas pjs I got last year all year!

I have no issue with other parents doing all these things. I've just never kept up with fads etc myself and I am very much 'my way' kind of person anyway!

my own mother always went ott at Christmas with all different things but honestly I used to find it all overwhelming myself.

😂

For the OP: 🏅

If MN existed in Victorian times there'd be thread after thread of "AIBU not to join this christmas tree fad?"
🤣🤣

I didn't mean this post to offend or annoy anyway. But I just constantly feel like a shit parent when we aren't doing things other parents do or get asked why. Social media doesn't help as we see what people are up to etc. back in the 90's it wasn't like that 😅

I used to get my stocking on Christmas eve as I was growing up but I am doing Christmas eve boxes with my little one. Pjs (winter not Christmas themed), a book, a little toy/activity, a snack and a bauble.

What the fuck is a Xmas eve box?

No we don't do them. If we get them Christmas pjs at all, it's early December so they can wear them in the run up (and then continue. Festive stuff gets year round wear here). We already have Christmas books, no one needs Christmas dvds now there is Netflix etc, we have cocoa in the cupboard if were having hot chocolate... so I don't really know what I'd put in one. It's lovely if that's a tradition a family wants to do, but it's not one I can be arsed with

We don't do Christmas Eve boxes. Or Elf on The Shelf. Or matching PJs. Or expensive advent calendars (we have one that's just pictures that we use every year)

Basically it's the 80s here

i don’t. But I wouldn’t buying clothes that weren’t needed and now she’s a teen she wouldn’t wear what I chose anyway!

My autistic brain doesn't really fully understand this first comment. But I'm not sure I ever implied I was above Christmas boxes? Don't get it, sorry! 🤷‍♀️

Everyone does Christmas differently...and that's ok

I also think that Christmas Eve boxes is something you have to start when pretty young and they've always had one. My kids are slightly older now and they might question why I've randomly started one year - not that I am intending too. If you get what I'm trying to say!

No Elf or boxes here (two small children so working out what we do and don't want as we go!). I've seen too many friends with slightly older kids dreading the elf time so I'm not going to go anywhere near that.

Hot choc and a classic Xmas film together on Christmas Eve afternoon, yes, and we seem to have got into the habit of saving buying new (non-festive, non-matchy) pyjamas for Christmas so we open those on Christmas Eve as well. We aim to have all visits and jobs done by lunchtime on the 24th then we go into bunker down, only us until the 27th but that may evolve as the grandparents get older/lonely.

HOWEVER we do have well-meaning grandparents sending bits and bobs for Christmas Eve, but we just try to use them in the spirit of, not necessarily on the actual day itself...!

We don't do it.. Or the elf..
Don't see the need.
Each to their own though

We’ve never bothered with Christmas Eve Box, Elf on the Shelf, Matching pjs, reindeer food, Santa footprints by the fire etc. And similar to others, we just do chocolate advent calendars, stockings out on Christmas Eve and present exchange on Christmas Day.

We’re also the kind of family who buy a tree and decorate (no colour scheme, everything gets thrown on!) about a week before Christmas, but leave it up for the 12 days of Christmas. Have never got my head around putting a tree up in November. I guess DH and I try and recreate our 70s childhood Christmas. 😅 It works for us.

Same here we are stuck in the 80s I quite like it! 😊
I love choosing a beautiful picture advent calendar, although we did branch out and get a musical one last year.
And I don’t get the whole Christmas Eve box thing, that’s presents two days running, why??
And no creepy elf thing is getting into my house, that’s just bloody weird.

Yes, this; you're very special and completely unique op 🤣

Obviously joking. I don't know anyone who does a Christmas eve box, that I know of.

We have a Christmas eve bday in our house which is sacrosanct. Strictly no mention of Christmas until we put the mince pie and carrot out, so no Christmas eve boxes.

Never even heard of Xmas Eve boxes!

No

I dont !

I grew up with family coming round on christmas eve for drinks and nibbles or we would go see other family, as a kid a christmas eve box was never a thing.

No matching PJ's either but i did get christmassy/winter bedding that can stay on the bed over winter, like the brushed cotton stuff so its nice and warm for the kids.

I feel i would rather spend the extra money on stocking fillers or an extra present for someone. I also like to try to donate to charity and get my DD to pick an online gift to send to another child.