Whats in your stockings/christmas eve boxes?

[AlexisP90]

DS is 2.5. Very excited for Christmas this year so we are doing "everything"

He didn't really have a stocking the last few years but will this year.

My plan is for stocking to have chocolate, treats and a few little cars/cheap toys.
Christmas eve box will have new pjs, a Christmas colouring book, a Christmas puzzle, cup and hot chocolate, letter fom santa etc.

Quite similar really...?

Spoken to a few friends on what they do and it varies WILDLY which is fine obviously but just wondered what others do?

Don't go overboard on the Christmas Eve box otherwise it will take the shine off the stocking. We don't have Christmas Eve boxes at all. The dc get their Christmassy stuff like PJs and Christmas mug at the beginning of December along with their advent calendar so they can be used throughout December. We do, however, always give the dc a book on Christmas Eve that we all read together before bed.

Agree with PP. We do a 1st of December bag, instead of a Christmas eve box. Has Christmas PJs, bedding, plates, cups, books, etc so it all gets used throughout December. Always the same stuff, we don't buy new every year unless PJs are too small. And maybe an extra book or 2 to add in.

No box as such, but the Elf on the Shelf will bring Christmas jumpers/PJs/advent calendars on the 1st. DS is 5.

Stocking, the constants are: Socks, Lindt reindeer, bath bomb, satsuma, chocolate coins, hot chocolate spoons. This year I'll add individual Hotwheels, cinema tickets, bouncy balls, superhero Dobble, probably a few other small toys.

We do "tree up day" bags. So it eliminates the pressure of 1st Dec, which basically is a sack which appears the morning after the tree goes up with jumper PJ's, Christmas books and a small treat. Eve boxes with PJ's doesn't make sense to me

Teen has big cup with snack tray that sits on top of the cup, bath bomb, pyjamas, personalised little xmas tin, m and s sleigh with chocolates, xmas themed toilet roll, personalised card from the pet rats and milkshake straws, hot chocolate and cosy socks.

Don’t bother with Xmas Eve box, it’s only stuff they would have anyway just making more recycling with the packaging.
much better to buy less but better quality.

We do one or the other. We don't do a stocking and an X-Mas eve box as it's a little bit excessive.

This year he's getting a box. It'll have a lot of craft and art stuff in it as well as the usual PJs, smelly set, a few chocs etc.

We do a shared Christmas Eve box (2 kids) but nothing extravagant and includes the things that come out every year and others that are meant for use on Christmas Eve rather than extra gifts. It comes out in the afternoon to get ready for the evening.

Typically:
Plate for Santa cookie/reindeer carrot
Reindeer food
Bath bomb for Christmas Eve bath
New pyjamas (I aim for not overtly festive that they can wear all year)
Night before Christmas book
Hot chocolate spoon/ similar for Christmas Eve treat
Ginger bread man
Small craft activity pack, e.g decoration to make or a colouring book, depending on age.

It's a wooden box that's reused every year, so no extra packaging there.

We don't do Christmas Eve boxes.

Stocking so far is:
Haribo Goldbears
Fluffy sleep mask
Christmas bubble bath.
Mini tub Pringles
Mini jigsaw puzzle
Highlighter pens
Novelty post-it notes

Will probably add some Christmas socks and obligatory satsuma or sugar mouse.

Not being an arse but do people really only wear Christmas pj's in December?
My dh just bought me some and I plan to wear them whenever it's cold.

Best tip I was ever given as a new mother was that DC should have their own special stocking that wasn't too big so you couldn't put too much in it so their expectations were managed. (BTW you also want one that is just wide enough to get your hand to the bottom of the toe so its easy to fill......) There are usually some lovely ones on ebay/etsy that people make from recycled denim if you want something special. For little ones the point is to have lots of things in the stocking so some fun stuff like cars and chocolate but you can then add in nice versions of useful things like character socks/pants gloves, Matey bubble bath etc. Again, it sets expectations for future years - you don't want a teen expecting lots of expensive gaming stuff and designer clothes/toiletries in their stocking.....

Our Christmas Eve box is a fabric Santa storage basket (folds flat when not in use), it comes out mid December when the tree goes up and then on Christmas Eve I put in the following:

• PJs (winter rather then specific Christmas ones, makes sure they look presentable in Christmas morning photos for grandparents and then worn when it's cold until grown out of)
• hot chocolate stirrers
• Christmas themed biscuit
• cat toys because dd insists that the cats need to be included

We have a stocking each, they have:

• socks
• chocolates
• small gadgets such as book light/charging wire
• keyrings
• hair accessories (dd)
• deodorant
• shower gel
• Lego minifigure blind bag
• pens/pencils
• magazine
• puzzle book or novelty book

When dc were little stockings included some of the above but more like:

• Happyland blind bag
• colouring book
• small teddy
• Peppa/Fireman Sam etc dvd
• story book
• toothbrush

Christmas Eve box for my three kids (dd 7, ds 6, ds 3)

an annual each -
a lush bath bar
chocolate fountain
board game
A Christmas sorry book
slippers
pyjamas (not Christmas themed but matching)

stockings: a jellycat each of their favourite food

Christmas Eve box - a Christmas card that we add a new message to every year, a Christmas activity like snowman play doh, paint a tree etc, hot chocolate, Christmas book, some sweets or chocolate and reindeer food, key for Santa to get in

Stocking - varies every year based on age really but generally activity books, water colour paints, pens pencils, lip balms, hair bits, small dolls/figures, and always a cuddly toy sticking out of the top. I never do anything Christmas themed in the stocking because they are things to last beyond the Christmas period.

We do pjs (and maybe some fluffy socks), a small activity (mini ‘Lego’, Paw Patrol activity pack, make an air dry clay snow man ect.), a bauble for the tree, a snack and a drink. I also put my little boys Santa letter and a LUSH bath bomb in his then he gets a bath with Dada whilst I bring all of the presents down and set them up in the living room 🤗

Stockings are a collection of however many small things I can fit in them 😂😂
For my 3 year olds I have bought a big chocolate coin, cat sunglasses, chocolate lollipops, colour changing bath ducks, dinosaur stickers, Ferrero Rochers, Hot Wheels Slime pack, 2 Hot Wheels Cars, a snowman stacking pencil with his name on it, jelly bean tube, magic bubbles, mini ‘Lego’ train that Dada will build with him, mystery bouncy space ball, 2 Paw Patrol Kinder Eggs, a Paw Patrol foam plane and lollipop pack, 3 Paw Patrol figure, lollipop and sticker packs, a smarties tube and snowman shaped chocolates - I didn’t think I was done with his stocking but looking at that list now I probably have to be as nothing else is going to fit in 🙈😂
For my partners stocking I have bought After Eight Winter Fondants, Cappuccino Candy, penguin ‘Lego’, Christmas Squashies, coffee candy, Ferrero Rocher Golden Moments, Ferrero Rochers, a gaming coin flip, gaming socks, jelly bean tube, mint chocolate flutes, a badge, a razor shaped peeler, snowman shaped chocolates and some soft socks. I feel like it’s a lot harder to find small, non-edible stocking fillers for men but I’ll ideally find at least one more I think 🤔

My DC's CE boxes:

Pj's
Christmas tree ornament
Bath bomb
Chocolate

When they were younger also had:
Christmas book and DVD
Christmas cup/mug

Stocking

Always:
Candy cane
Christmas socks
Jelly tots tube
Chocolate coins
Satsuma
(Cuddly toy when younger)

Plus a few small toys/snacks/toiletries etc

Enjoy the magic! 🎄

Stocking for DS4:
Water bottle, pants, socks, character toothbrush & paste, chocolate coins, superhero bubble bath, hot wheels, temp tattoos

Xmas Eve box;
Book, nice list medal, Santa plate - all reused annually
New pjs, chocolate, festive baking kit, reindeer food

Other fun and relatively inexpensive things for a toddler stocking might be a pot of bubbles, new bath toy, chocolate coins, bath bubbles, new face flannel, Christmas socks, playdoh pot and Christmas shape cutters, Christmas book (paperback rolled up to fit in stocking), plastic farm animal or dinosaur or other favourite figure (eg Bing or Octonaut) jingle bell shaker or another thing for a current play set eg extra Brio (or similar) train or small Duplo set.

We've always written a letter to Father Christmas and then he has brought a couple of items for the stocking as well as some surprises. Stockings always at £80-£100 but the present from us the same. (So a low budget parent according to the other thread ).
Never seen the point in a stocking that doesn't have something from the letter. Never done Elves or boxes as my parenting started before they were a thing.

Both Christmas Eve boxes and stockings serve a purpose at our house.

The Christmas Eve Box has everything needed for a peaceful and cosy night in ready for bed, so hot chocolate, bath bomb, new PJs, new teddy, and a lovely Christmassy book to read together.

The stocking keeps children occupied for a while in the early morning so you don't have to wake up at silly o'clock, so activity books, enough snacks so they aren't begging for breakfast at 5am, small toys which they can play with independently.

Bear in mind that this year you are setting the tone for future years.

We don’t do a Christmas Eve box, but we do put out boots on the 5th Dec for St Nicholas as per German tradition, and stocking on 24th for Father Christmas, as per British tradition.

The shoe is very traditional, just sweets, nuts, chocolates and an apple. But occasionally I have added a Christmas jumper in the other boot if they are having a Christmas jumper day or Christmas party at school or whatever.

Stockings have more chocolates, hot chocolate, favourite sweets, bath/shower stuff, a book, a little toy or game, cuddly toy, pens, useful trinkets (mine are teens now, so appreciate things like charging leads), maybe something like gloves, hat, slipper socks. Mix of useful things and things to enjoy first thing in the morning.

If I am giving pyjamas, I usually have them wrapped under the tree but present them on Christmas Eve.

my kids are 17 and 20 and i still do a christmas eve box and a stocking for them! they get pjs , chocolate/snacks in the xmas eve box. When they were little they got reindeer food, a book and a xmas dvd in the box, but now they just stick the pjs on and we stream a movie instead. The stocking is just lots of little bits and bobs i know they will use/enjoy. They would be so sad if i stopped and it's just a lovely tradition that they have been enjoying for decades at this point.

i think just ignore people saying don't do both if you don't mind the cost and you think your DS will enjoy it. If it makes you both happy, it can only be a good thing!