What do you put in 1st December boxes vs Christmas Eve boxes?

[ChristmasIsComing2023]

What do you put in 1st December boxes vs Christmas Eve boxes??

So many suckers for stupid marketing fads.

@Saz12 well this year December 1st is a Friday. School finishes at 3, we are home by 4 so will start getting some of the decorations out then. I might do some in the daytime if I am home or might wait until Saturday to start putting up the tree. It's not a ritual. It's taking things out of a box 😂

They're spoiled because I'm going to give them new nightwear and a book on Christmas Eve? 😂Oh give over. You're beginning to make yourself look silly.

If its the same festive things kept from previous years, and its not a ritual... then how is it different to what people have done for decades? IE get the Christmassy stuff down from the loft at a time /date that works for your family (which is what I do). See, I think some people do make MUCH more of a Thing of it than that.

For me, the tree goes up about 10 days before (at a weekend), as do decorations - I love doing that. Festive "stuff" box usually early December - mugs, leftover Christmas cards, baking stuff, books, that bloody table runner I started embroidering but will never finish... etc. Im not able for doing it on a set day as prefer to do it at weekend of an evening when theres no hobbies /overtime /illness /etc to get in the way.

@Saz12 that's the thing - people might say and call it "December 1st Box" or "Christmas Eve Box" but really people do whatever they do when it's more convenient for them. Most people I know are at work on Christmas Eve so it's hardly a relaxing fun "Christmasy" day.

If I was to do dec first boxes probably crafts to do each weekend or whet ever pjs a drinking cup Christmas theme and that would be all maybe a hot chocolate but I’m not doing them I am however doing a Xmas Eve box which will have the same in for mv2 year old

December 1st an advent calendar.
Xmas Eve hang up stockings.

We do Xmas activities throughout December though. Ice skating, looking at lights and hot chocolate, painting a Xmas bauble then collecting it after it is fired in kiln, collecting Xmas tree and decorating, making Xmas cookies and Xmas cupcakes and decorating, wrapping Xmas gifts for family, and going to visit Santa.

They're spoiled because they have presents on Xmas eve as well as Xmas day which is ridiculous

Your Christmas Eve boxes look like what we would give for Christmas Day

@CometCupidDonnerBlitzen

This

Because they are presents that are supposed to be given on Christmas Day not Xmas eve! I used to give my kids new pjs books etc in their stockings on Xmas morning... isn't that the point??

I really enjoyed this thread and the hilarious posts from both sides of the fence.

I have adhd so the thought of having to organise extra things on certain dates is making me break out in hives but I love the idea of using the box/boxes to easily organise items to be reused each Christmas. Simplifying storage rather than it being gifty.

I also love the idea of giving crafty bits for card making on the 1st December (imagining more of a handover rather than being in a box) and then I want to put those cards in the Xmas eve memory box which a PP suggested which is just the sweetest idea, they’ll go alongside the album of photos of christmases past which is truly lovely ♥️

Hot choccies and festive popcorn will arrive as and when I remember to buy them at some point in December. As someone who got an orange in my stocking growing up, I’d think even things like “hair clips” are excellent stocking fillers and genuine presents so wouldn’t want to give these on 1st December!

Don’t at all understand the concept of festive cutlery but don’t have kids yet so maybe this will make more sense once I do!

For this December we are TTC so I’m hoping that the thing in my Xmas eve box is a sperm fertilising an egg 😂

I can't see what the problem is with 'spoiling' (such an outdated term) your children if you have the means to do so.

A lot of parents work exceptionally hard to provide nice things for their children. My sons a miracle baby and I absolutely spoil him, thats my choice, I work hard to have the money to provide for my family.

The way I see it you can't win. Either you are spoiling your children or neglecting them by not giving enough. Maybe the government should have a quota of how many gifts are acceptable to give 🙄

@CallieQ Why on Christmas Day? Because you do it, because thats YOUR tradition and rules? I am pretty sure every family can spend Christmas how they choose to. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

It's actually a common German & other European Countries tradition to give gifts on Christmas Eve, the Royal Family also give gifts on Christmas Eve. I was always allowed to open one gift from under the tree on Christmas Eve after we came back from Church.

Everyone has a tradition of there own

@CallieQ Oh dear best not ask me what I've bought them for Christmas day then! We do the elf too, and expensive advent calendars. Arghhh ... the horror! 😂

@MummytoTristan I agree wholeheartedly with you. We work hard all year long to provide for them. Our eldest has a serious medical condition. She is such a lovely kid and has honestly been dealt a tough hand in life. We've had a really hard year dealing with it all and the complete lack of help that exists on the NHS for her. Her younger sister, only 8 is an absolute rock. She knows just when her big sister needs a hug or someone to talk to. She's wise beyond her years. So quite frankly if I want to give them some fuzzy socks and a book each on Christmas Eve, I will.

We don't do social media, and the kids know not to talk too much about what they get (basic good manners). I'm not sure why people feel the need to get their knickers in a twist about it all but it's the same here every year on the Christmas board. Hopefully the OP was able to get the answer they needed around all of the faux outrage.

If you think some pyjamas and a book on Dec 24th are what lead to being spoiled, then I worry about your reductive thinking. It's simply a different way of doing things. In your world, giving exactly the same gifts over two days rather than one is somehow a terrible thing and from that act, you can infer children's entire state of being.

Happily, there's no rl correlation. I suppose we could start psychoanalysing a person who wilfully misunderstands, criticises and repeatedly maligns people who aren't like them on an anonymous online forum. But that would be reductive, right? And inaccurate?

How about live and let live? And we'll meet back here when they've started forcing other people to celebrate their way at gunpoint?

It wasn't just pjs and a book it was lots of presents the day before Xmas day. I haven't wilfully misunderstood or maligned anyone I have a different opinion that's all. I never knew spoiling was an outdated term , obviously everyone on here does it now

isuppose we could start psychoanalysing a person who wilfully misunderstands, criticises and repeatedly maligns people who aren't like them on an anonymous online forum. But that would be reductive, right? And inaccurate?

What a joke most posters on MN do this

I can't work out if you're on the windup or not... calling two little kids you don't know spoilt is absolutely maligning them. You have no idea what they're like. For what it's worth they are lovely kind souls and they have much better manners than you appear to.

Can you explain exactly why some people giving gifts on the 24th would make a child spoilt compared to giving only gifts on the 25th. I could be really reductive as apparently that's in vogue and say in the comparison the child who gets PJ's, snacks and a cuddly toy on the 24th only gets a stocking of small things on the 25th. The other child gets countless electronics, jewellery, tickets to Disney, top end makeup and fashion on the 25th. In this ludicrous comparison, where do we put the label "spoiled". Or, is the label utterly useless in this discussion and adds nothing but misguided and unfounded misery?

And other people doing it makes it acceptable. Is that your point?

You do like the word 'reductive' don't you?!

Look I haven't 'maligned' anyone, I just expressed an opinion that obviously isn't allowed on here and you have decided to hound me for it. I have better things to do than argue with anonymous posters on an online forum , maybe you don't

Can you explain exactly why some people giving gifts on the 24th would make a child spoilt compared to giving only gifts on the 25th.

No

Kids don't get spoiled by modelling generosity!

Our of that list many people would get lots of it just at some point over winter:
PJ's
Dressing gown (I assume the hoodie is to be used for this)
Slippers/slipper socks
Books
Toiletries
Snacks

Just because the poster presents it nicely in a box and gives it to them on Christmas Eve to keep them occupied while she is busy doesn't make it wrong!

I'm sure her DC will have toys etc on Christmas day like most children.

So if she gives the PJ's etc on Christmas Eve they're spoiled. If she were to give them on Christmas day, that's fine. That makes no sense!

My DC are autistic and can get overwhelmed so I spread their presents over Christmas Eve/Day and Boxing day. They are not spoiled!

I take it you don't celebrate Christmas then?