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Original poster

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

439 replies

ChristmasIsComing2023 · 03/10/2023 21:35

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

OP posts:
Wheresmypal · 04/10/2023 08:04

I had no idea this was a thing! None at all!

And When did Xmas Eve boxes become a thing? And why? Is Xmas not expensive enough already?! Who thought, ‘Xmas is a lot of work and a lot of money. Let’s increase that! Add in the Elf! Add in the box! No! Make that two!’

topnoddy · 04/10/2023 08:05

And WTF is a December 1st box I ask ?

Is it mote consumer crap dreamed up by some marketing gits to get yet more money out of people who can't really afford it ?

topnoddy · 04/10/2023 08:07

PS in answer to the OP question absolutely bugger all not even the boxes

Wheresmypal · 04/10/2023 08:08

VeridicalVagabond · 04/10/2023 07:36

Sick of what social media, influencers and competitive overspending has done to Christmas. It's so depressing.

Must say I am inclined to agree with this.

just relaxing and hanging out with the people you love is nice. There doesn’t always need to be a ‘thing’ to go with that. It’s usually enough by its self.

Dnendns · 04/10/2023 08:17

Oioicaptain · 04/10/2023 07:57

You put nothing in either! The world doesn't need more stuff and you don't need a spoiled child that then won't enjoy Xmas as much.

Why wouldn’t they enjoy Xmas as much because they receive a dec 1st box 😂😂
My kids love Xmas

Dnendns · 04/10/2023 08:18

Wheresmypal · 04/10/2023 08:04

I had no idea this was a thing! None at all!

And When did Xmas Eve boxes become a thing? And why? Is Xmas not expensive enough already?! Who thought, ‘Xmas is a lot of work and a lot of money. Let’s increase that! Add in the Elf! Add in the box! No! Make that two!’

Xmas eve boxes have been a thing for years. They are not new. Iv been doing them for my kids for over 10 years and I used to get one as a child also!

Dnendns · 04/10/2023 08:22

waterlego · 04/10/2023 07:50

What happens to the old ones? 😕

Show quote history

PJs I give to my friend who has kids younger then me.

Mugs just go in the cup cupboard for December although we don’t actually have many as they end up getting smashed a lot. We have a ridiculous accident probe family as kids have disabilities.

Blankets just end up in the airing cupboard and I eventually give them to the dogs home near me when I don’t want them anymore or when they become to tatty.

Velvetbee · 04/10/2023 08:35

December 1st. Christmas books we’ve had for years, Christmas music, craft stuff, biscuit cutters, reusable advent calendar…

Not remotely consumerist, jeez!

WhatALightbulbMoment · 04/10/2023 08:39

Greenshake · 04/10/2023 01:02

This is a blatant waste of money that will pile even more pressure onto already stretched parents. Where does this end? It’s bad enough that Halloween is now some massive extravaganza.

This needs repeating! Well said!

Angrymum22 · 04/10/2023 08:42

Social media influencers have a lot to answer. But commerce does rely heavily on the fact that the majority are sheep happily trotting after the well disguised wolves.
Save your money and spend it on better quality Xmas gifts or even better donate it to one of the Christmas charities.

TarantinoIsAMisogynist · 04/10/2023 08:44

This thread is quite an eye opener! I can't believe that some posters are buying new PJs, stockings, bedding, mugs, eteffort the 1st December every year. It's proper late stage capitalism stuff.

Even aside from the impact on the environment, it's a shocking waste of money - how do you justify spending on something that gets used for one year, then gets binned?

The idea of a box full of memories and old books/films that you bring out year after year as a tradition is lovely. That's what holidays should be about, not the orgy of waste that some people have bought into.

MoggyP · 04/10/2023 08:44

Riverlee · 03/10/2023 21:50

Never heard of December 1st boxes. Never did Christmas Eve boxes, and thankfully missed the Elf trend due to dc being too old when it became A Thing.

what happened to a simple sticking, and presents in Christmas day?

It's rising affluence, and despite many people claiming to deplore it, to think it's shabby to flaunt wealth especially in lean times, that the planet needs us to cut consumerism, these things arrive and apparently become popular.

As you can tell, we did neither!

But I did know a religious family who celebrated St Nicholas' Day (6th December) with chocolate fishes (sweeties, not a weird recipe), so perhaps an Early Advent box could adopt that? The start of Advent (ie Advent Sunday itself) is a moveable feast, but there's bound to be a saint whose day is on 1 December (if you prefer a fixed date) who you can find a way to commemorate.

Or just give them an Advent Calendar

VikingVolva · 04/10/2023 08:47

topnoddy · 04/10/2023 08:05

And WTF is a December 1st box I ask ?

Is it mote consumer crap dreamed up by some marketing gits to get yet more money out of people who can't really afford it ?

Yes

(Though for a few, it's the annual tradition of getting the box of decorations etc out of storage)

TarantinoIsAMisogynist · 04/10/2023 08:48

Your kids won't thank you for doing this shit when they get old enough to realise what consumerism has done to the planet you're leaving behind for them, and for their kids...

Wolvesart · 04/10/2023 08:50

ChristmasIsComing2023 · 03/10/2023 21:35

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

What on earth?? I feel lucky that the DC is a sixth former and Christmas Eve boxes and the pointless, creepy Elf were not part of our universe. What’s the significance of 1st December?

whenwhenwhen · 04/10/2023 08:55

December 1st box isn't a thing in our house, we just do advent calendars.
December 24th is PJs.

lndnbrdge91 · 04/10/2023 09:06

Nothing

MrsBobo · 04/10/2023 10:12

We don't do December 1st Boxes - I've never heard of this!

We do however do Christmas Eve Boxes -
New Pyjamas (That get worn all year and then passed down)
Bath Bomb
Our special The Night Before Christmas book that comes out each Christmas Eve for us to read with hot chocolates
59p Christmas activity book from Home Bargains
And some chocolate coins.

We have Christmas bedding bought years ago that comes out in December too.

No Elf on the Shelf in this house, and just some simple chocolate advent calendars.

I don't add alot of tat to their stockings, they tend to just get some stationary, chocolates and any bath bits.

For us, Christmas is spread throughout December, with movies, light trails etc.

I can guarantee some of these people who are not answering the OPs original question and are banging on about consumerism probably buy aload of rubbish to bulk out stockings/presents on Christmas day, and throughout the year too. And before you get offended, I said SOME not ALL.

So do what you like, what you can afford and what makes you and your family happy. Because at the end of the day, its all about memories, and if your kids love, say elf on the shelf (bleurgh lol) then keep doing it, as they'll remember it growing up and when they are older. They won't be this little again.

Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday · 04/10/2023 10:24

1st Dec I do advent calendars, Christmas pjs and Christmas (ish) chapter books so they can wear/read them throughout December

Christmas Eve they get a basket which has some things which are reused every year (plate for Santa, reindeer food jar which I fill with oats, books) I add letter from Santa, hot chocolate, bath bomb & a bag of popcorn or similar

Needmorelego · 04/10/2023 10:34

There's some grumpy Scrooge's on here.
December 1st is the start of Advent - the countdown towards Christmas.
So a "December 1st Box" to me will be getting out the Christmas decorations and other bits and bobs like DVDs of Christmasy films, CDs of Christmas music etc.
Which live in...well...a box 😂
I like getting some craft kits to make new decorations. These obviously need to be made before the big day. I like to read Christmasy chick lit in the run up towards Christmas so I will buy a book before the actual day. So you could say this goes in "the box" (I bought one from a charity shop just the other day - currently it's sat on my bookcase but I won't read it until nearer Christmas).
I don't do a Christmas Eve box because all my stuff comes out throughout December - it's a bit late to be creating crafts and reading books literally the day before.

PinkRoses1245 · 04/10/2023 10:38

neither, presents on Christmas Day is plenty. Why not reduce consumption, and spend the money on a festive day out instead.

IDontCareMatthewImSpeakingToRachel · 04/10/2023 10:39

No one I know does this either. Seems OTT

Needmorelego · 04/10/2023 10:47

So all the people saying "I don't do this" - do you not have decorations and a tree? Where do you keep your decorations?
Is it in a.....box?
Surely you get them out before the actual day?

CallieQ · 04/10/2023 10:51

'Xmas eve boxes have been a thing for years. They are not new. Iv been doing them for my kids for over 10 years and I used to get one as a child also'

Absolutely not a thing for years where I come from... why give kids presents the night before they get more presents?

CallieQ · 04/10/2023 10:51

Needmorelego · 04/10/2023 10:47

So all the people saying "I don't do this" - do you not have decorations and a tree? Where do you keep your decorations?
Is it in a.....box?
Surely you get them out before the actual day?

PPs are talking about boxes with presents in