Does nearly everyone do Christmas Eve boxes now?

134 replies

Inyournewdress · 13/12/2023 15:04

Just wondering about this, because dd is two and will be three in spring so she is becoming more aware about Christmas. She doesn’t know about Christmas Eve boxes yet.

I feel that really she’ll have enough and it could be too much, too overwhelming or even lessen the impact of the presents on Christmas Day morning. But I also would be happy to put one together so I am thinking, is it inevitable that she’ll end up having one anyway once she’s at school because everyone else does? Or is it still a minority thing?

OP posts:

MrsDilligaf · 14/12/2023 06:18

I wear Christmas Pj's all year round, and take a couple of pairs camping because they are very warm.

I was not the only person wandering around the campsite in Christmas Pyjamas.

MsChatterbox · 14/12/2023 06:34

I don't do it on christmas eve specifically. But I do make sure they have some Christmas themed pyjamas, books, puzzles etc for December. The books/puzzles/activities/dvds stay under the tree throughout December. I don't see the point on giving these things on Christmas eve as then they don't get much use before it's all over. It's usually just whatever I see in charity shops!

Wendyspotatopeeler · 14/12/2023 07:15

Ours has morphed into this over the years and the same stuff goes into it and we use a bag rather than box.
It contains new pj's (not Xmas themed), hot chocolate, some popcorn or snacks for our Xmas movie, Santa's plate for mince pie, night before Xmas book, Elf DVD and snowman DVD.
It appears at sunset ready for Xmas eve wind-down.

Pipistrellus · 14/12/2023 07:24

I don't know anyone who does. I buy new pyjamas around the start of November, once we've had the old ones out and have worked out what is needed, midwinter is much too late. Winter jumpers sorted out at the same time. I might get a new winter themed picture book or two from the start of December, again midwinter is too late. Anything we might want specifically for Christmastide is just as easily given on Christmas day as Christmas eve.

Londonnight · 14/12/2023 07:54

mine are all adults now, but I never did Christmas Eve box. or elf [ these things just weren't around when mine were young luckily ] We never did Christmas pj's either. Snack was put out for Santa, but that was it. Presents were only ever Christmas day.

TrinityTinselBalls · 14/12/2023 08:50

Broodywuz · 13/12/2023 17:53

We don't do an actual box but do set out a few things on the kitchen table for them coming down Christmas eve morning, mainly things to keep them occupied on Christmas eve so I can get on with food prep. Gingerbread house to decorate, baking ingredients so we can bake cookies for santa, their stockings, santa plate. Night before Christmas book etc

I think that's a great idea

tealfluff · 14/12/2023 09:31

Needmorelego · 13/12/2023 18:59

Why do people seem to think that a pair of pyjamas won't get worn after December 25th because they happen to have a Christmas pattern printed on them?
Surely they are worn until outgrown/falling apart/or when it's summer and you don't need such a thick pair?
They're pyjamas. I mean under Mumsnet Law© venturing outside in pyjamas where other people might see them is an absolute sin so who cares if you are tucked up in bed in February with jammies that have a reindeer pattern on them?

Exactly. Very odd that some people wouldn’t wear them again because of the print.

We don’t do Christmas Eve boxes, but the DC have had a Christmas pair of pyjamas on Christmas Eve since they were babies. They wear them until it gets too warm, and then again the following winter as I size up. So they get plenty of wear out of them. I also get a nice bath bomb for their baths.

We do various Christmas activities during December (most things get reused every year, like jigsaws), then on Christmas Eve it’s making mince pies, and watching a Christmas film with hot chocolate.

Taytocrisps · 14/12/2023 10:21

I never did it myself but I always bought DD new pyjamas for Christmas Eve. When we were kids in the '70s, we always had new pyjamas for Christmas even though we weren't very well off. We always had new pyjamas for Christmas Eve and new clothes for Christmas Day. So I just carried on with that. But as she got older, DD picked the pyjamas out herself. They weren't a surprise and weren't usually Christmas themed.

I'm a live and let live person so I don't have any strong feelings one way or the other. The only thing I would say is that if you start something (any Christmas tradition, not just CE boxes), you have to keep going. What might be fun to try one year might become a bit of a chore when you have to do it year after year after year. And if you go on to have more kids, you will need more boxes and more things to put into the boxes. So it means more expense and another thing to sort. Some posters say that they re-use the things every year (or most of them - maybe just new pyjamas) which makes them fairly inexpensive. But you still have to store the boxes and the contents and dig them out each year.

I don't have small kids so I don't know if everyone does them these days. If MN is anything to go by, some people love them and some people hate them.

I'm sooo glad Elf on the Shelf wasn't a thing when DD was small. The thoughts of setting up a scene night after night would just kill me off altogether. I did well to remember the tooth fairy money on the odd occasion it was needed I may have forgot one year.

mylittleprince · 14/12/2023 10:50

We still do this and ours are teens. It's a new pair of pjs (not Xmas themed) plus fluffy socks, a drink and chocolate, they basically have showers, put pjs on and we all watch a Christmas film and drink/eat the snacks.

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