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

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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?

It definitely wasn't a thing up to a few years ago. Nor was the cursed Elf on the Shelf.

It's just another way to flog useless tat.

We've always had a festive Christmas Eve dinner followed by opening gifts from family. It morphed into a family gift exchange, where all the DCs buy a gift for their siblings and for me. Christmas morning gifts are from Santa.

No. I didn't.

I've never done them. I'm not sure what they are for.

We normally go out to the pub on Christmas eve, eat there with friends, walk home 2 miles in the cold singing carols (we're rural so no-one to complain), hot drinks, ds off to bed. I sit up sorting presents/stockings, prepping the veg for the next day.

No Xmas Eve boxes in our house. Wasn't a thing while I was growing up, and it seems like just more pressure to buy stuff at Christmas.

I also don't do the Elf thing because I consider it a creepy nontraditional consumerist import. Definitely too cool for that.

No it's just more commercialism that I don't wish to participate in.

No elf on the shelf either 🙄

Waste of time and resources imo.

I don't but we do give pyjamas & a selection box after dinner on Christmas eve. My kids look forward to receiving the pjs especially.

No elf on the shelf here either he seems like a pain in the arse 🤣

I’ll probably do a Xmas Eve box for our young un now he’s a bit older, but absolutely not to elf on the shelf. I have no idea why anyone would but themselves through that torture.

Well I do one. My kids love it. It is our favourite bit of Christmas and a lovely family tradition. Not tat. No extra money. Just a few early presents in a nice reusable bag to start the festivities and get them settled nice and early with a book and a hot chocolate.

You sneer all you like. I am very happy being so tragic and uncool.

No box, no elf and no PJs. God, the commercialism of this is hideous. I’m all for family traditions (we always have pancakes for breakfast on Christmas morning, for example) but the whole pressure to have these other things? Nope. Not doing it! Stick to your cool, OP! 😎

What is a Christmas Eve box..? Have I been asleep for the last 5 years. We don’t have an elf. But we do have a sort of nativity scene that we mess about with. x

The arrival of Elf on the Shelf, matching PJs and Xmas Eve boxes directly matches the rise of social media. They’re all photo opportunities.

We don't do Christmas Eve boxes and probably never will. They do get new Christmas pyjamas but they're not reserved specifically for Christmas Eve, just the season in general.

We normally go out to the pub on Christmas eve, eat there with friends, walk home 2 miles in the cold singing carols (we're rural so no-one to complain), hot drinks, ds off to bed. I sit up sorting presents/stockings, prepping the veg for the next day

ooo, you’ve made me feel all Christmassy with that!

Christmas Eve Box?

What next Halloween Coffins?

I’ve never heard of anyone doing one or a dec 1st one IRL/outside of MN. Certain countries doing all the gifts on Christmas Eve yes, boxes no.

Yes, literally just you in the whole population 😏

We do presents on Christmas Eve because it's the more important day in my culture. Specifically, we do presents from my side of the family on the evening, and presents from DH's side on the day. I never questioned whether we are the only ones to do this because who cares if we are or aren't. I think every family has their own traditions and customs. Just stick with what you're normally doing.

I've never even heard of this. And no matching Pj's here and no elf. I like to relax at Christmas and all these things seem to run counter to that!

You know what I don't get? Sitting down on Christmas Eve to watch a Christmas film. Do those families ban Christmas films until Christmas Eve then? As by then last year my kids had seen the Grinch around 125 times and sitting down to watch it would have been as exciting as watching Bluey 😆

I quite like the idea of that 🎃

Actually now I read it back, so do I!

I do so much for Christmas but just cannot be asked with Christmas Eve boxes.

The Elf on the Shelf arrives on 1 Dec with little surprises for the children throughout the month.

Each child has 1-2 advent calendars

We go to Lapland U.K. every year and lots of other fun things leading up to the big day.

We have a big family Christmas dinner party where they'll inevitably get gifts given by friends and family who come. Lots of food and treats to be had on the day as well.

Christmas Eve we have a nice tradition dinner we do every year and watch a movie. The children leave snacks for Santa on a plate and put out their stockings (the whole family have stockings) down by the Christmas tree and then it's up to bed.

Christmas morning we all do Stockings as a family and then gifts and then a big traditional Christmas breakfast before heading off to Christmas dinner with the family in another house where they get more food and gifts.

They absolutely DO NOT need Christmas Eve boxes. I will not be suckered into one more 'tradition' by the pressure of social media and marketing. They have never asked for a Christmas Eve box and certainly won't be missing out

I’m not even doing advent calendars this year after both Dc had scoffed them all by 5 December. We’ve always had a relatively short Christmas period as lived overseas where Christmas isn’t a big deal for a lot of people so while they do put up decorations in the malls etc, it is relatively contained ( finish work Christmas Eve, back on the 27th) and stuff not in the shops till November. The pre Christmas work wind down doesn’t happen at all- December used to be v busy. This is my first uk Christmas for years so will be interesting to see how I cope with the three month build up.

I don’t think the op was being a ‘cool girl’ for posting this. I think it’s a fair question. I suspect a lot of the parents don’t do Christmas Eve boxes - especially those from diverse cultural traditions, those who are financially disadvantaged and people like me who are time poor and can’t be arsed with yet another thing on the list at the busiest time of the year.

Actually we go to the christingle service at church on Christmas Eve and my older children tell me that when they were little, that was one of the most magical things about Christmas Eve. The candle light, carols, community and excitement. There are nicer things than just ‘more stuff’.