Christmas Eve boxes

[Yoyo2021]

Son had just come home from school and told me that some of his class had Xmas breakfasts this morning as it’s the 1st December and asked why we did not have one… I just did not know this was a thing but it clearly is as today on my Facebook plenty of others doing it. It made me think about Xmas Eve boxes too I just never do those either…. The extra cost etc on top of everything has just always been too much!

Anyway, do any of you do Xmas Eve boxes and if so what do you put in them?

Me kids are young so this is the first year I've got them, I got pjs with their name on and it came with "reindeer food" some colouring in activities, a teddy and little cone of sweets.

Looks quite nice but to be honest, next year I'll buy a box and throw some little stocking fillers in to keep them entertained on Christmas Eve but I wouldn't order one again in hindsight.

Can make them a lot cheaper than you can order them for, but I think it's a nice little thing to do on Christmas Eve

My*

No I don’t do them. Christmas seems to be getting more and more over the top and earlier and earlier. I honestly haven’t got the energy or money to keep up with stuff you see on social media.

We just do an advent calendar then Christmas morning a Santa stocking (mostly arty bits/teddy/food). From us we stick to “want, wear, read and need”.

I do them cheaply. Probably a bit shit but kids think it’s great. New toothbrush and toothpaste. Hot chocolate. Chocolate coins or something similar. Bath Bomb or similar. £1 craft activity or colouring. If I can afford it then they get new pjs too. This year they have new ones and they did last year but not year before.

I don’t do some of the extras - it gets a bit overwhelming to be honest but try and do what I can :) xx

I bought a wooden Christmas box from home bargain few years ago cost about £8 but worth it as I use it every year then just put some pj's, pack off sweets, reindeer food, Santa's key, colouring activity and Christmas book in it probably costs about £10 all together dc is always happy with it.

New pjs
New slippers
Craft set
Hot choc
A santa lolly or similar
A tube of sweets or coins

Personalised mug.. Used each year
Xmas book.. Used each year we have aboit 10
Reindeer food. Make ourself

Used to be a dvd but now use Netflix or Disney

I do

PJs
New bauble each
Snack (like gingerbread men or something)
Oats for reindeer food
Believe bell, key and Santa plate - same ones every year.

So cost per year is the PJs, bauble and biscuit.

I asked this question the other week and was told it’s common 😂

I do an Advent Box for DD. This year it contained
Advent Calendar (£1.50)
Christmas Pyjamas (£6.99)
Christmas Jumper (free)
Hot Chocolate Bombe (£1.49)
Various Christmas books (free)
Christmas mug (5 years old)
Christmas plate (5 years old)
Craft Kits (£8.00)

I do it on December 1st just so she gets to wear her pyjamas in the run up, and the other bits in there keep her occupied on weekends. Jumpers are generally hand me downs, the books we collected over the years, again mostly hand me downs or charity shop finds, but what I really love is that she's so excited about the recurring bits that appear every year.

If I'm lucky, this years pyjamas and Jumper will still fit next year, and I'll pick up Craft Kits in the sales in January!

I do Christmas Eve boxes. They have some pj’s, socks, sweets, a bath bomb and some kind of novelty / activity. I don’t spend a fortune but it keeps them entertained for a good while on Christmas Eve afternoon.

I do December 1st too. Pjs (maybe from last year), socks (ditto), book, craft kit (the works or pound shop), tree decoration. All is reused where possible, including results of xmas craft kit (suncatcher etc). Plus advent calendar. I don't do an Xmas eve box, there's enough excitement on Xmas eve as it is!

Don't do Christmas breakfast on 1st December and don't do Christmas eve box either. Get enough on Christmas day

Don't do Christmas breakfast on 1st December and don't do Christmas eve box either. Get enough on Christmas Day

I was going to say the same.

Surely the excitement of Christmas itself is special and imo more than sufficient!

the type of things that are listed are things that go in a Xmas box is the type of thing which gets put in the stocking with a few extra. My child has an advent calendar and that’s it! I don’t even do elf on the shelf! Rubbish mum here 😕

We don’t do Christmas 1st breakfast, but elf’s arrive and leave advents and a small gift like baking equipment. Do Christmas Eve boxes but it’s just things like pjs, slippers, bath bomb, hot chocolate, Christmas book and a snack. All the things to help get them get bathed, Christmas pjs on and snacks for a Christmas movie.

And then bed.

We don't do the boxes or the elf. They have an advent calendar and I picked up a new Christmas book which I thought we'd read on Christmas Eve bedtime to encourage them to go to bed when they're excited. Other than that, they can wait until Christmas Day.

No just no...
Christmas is not about 'stuff' ..
It's already stressful enough.

If
You have money to spare
Then you do you...
If you don't then do not spend a
Minute of angst on this unbridled
Commercialism.

Spend
Christmas Eve playing a board game with your kids. They will just love them being fully engaged with them.

I am 64... my childhood memories of Christmas are my parents having TIME for us... nothing else and DEFINITELY NOT something that 'costs' something beyond value. Your undivided attention. No phone no iPad , just YOU and them enjoying each other's company.
(And no... you don't need to post on Instagram ! )

@Yoyo2021 you are not a rubbish mum one bit. You are someone who does not fall for every attempt to get you to spend money on things of little value.

An opportunity to instil in your children sensible spending and perhaps to make them realise that the majority of children in the world have a lot less or even not enough to live on.

I don't do Xmas eve boxes or elf on shelf or Xmas breakfast...who comes up with this crap...?!

I can afford to, but I don't because Xmas day is enough imo and is made more special by the wait for it. We try to spend time in the run up doing things for other people (mission Xmas, a charity Xmas run, etc)

We just do an advent calendar then Christmas morning a Santa stocking (mostly arty bits/teddy/food). From us we stick to “want, wear, read and need”

This.

This is quite a nice idea. And reusing stuff from previous years.

We don't do elf on the shelf or 1st December breakfast we do Xmas eve boxes but mainly activities

• Xmas Pjs
• Xmas socks
• night before Xmas book (used every year)
• santa plate & glass (used every year)
• Xmas plastic cups
• hot chocolate melt
• popcorn or sweets (to watch Xmas film on sky/Netflix with)
• stuff to make reindeer food (bird food/porridge oats etc so it's safe for wildlife)
• some kids of Xmas book/ activity book.

Costs around £15 including pjs doesn't have to be expensive

Thank you so much your reply has put me at ease about Christmas.

I see all the lovely tables made and decorated today for Christmas breakfasts and some are so nice they look like the way I decorate our Christmas dinner table… some even more glamorous.

Its just me and my son here and I work full time. I’ve just bought a house and with the price rise of things and some of the work I need to get done. I just haven’t got the time it extra money to do it.

I might need to come off of social media because of how I feel.

I do a 'Christmas Eve box' but it arrives on 1st of December along with their advent calendars. I have 3 kids and therefore don't want to spend loads on it - I got to home bargains and get hot choc sachet, choc coins, bath bomb and Xmas socks. Costs under £5 each and they absolutely are delighted with them. Yes it's an extra thing to do but for me it's worthwhile. I think if it's something that causes more stress/expense than it does happiness then just don't do it. We NEVER go to see Father Christmas. For some, that's a big deal - for us it's not. You do you