Talk to me about Christmas Eve boxes

[Tinseltotties]

As a kid I used to get new pjs, an early gift (usually a book or crafts to keep me occupied and give my parents a break I suspect), a hot chocolate and a vhs/dvd. This sounds fairly similar to modern day Christmas Eve boxes, which I don’t remember being a thing then.

am I right? Is it just a more formal way of doing it? what do you put in yours? And when do the dc open it?

Oh god this is up there with matching pyjamas for the Toy Show...

I might start this tradition (just for my birthday of course 🤣)

We do xmas eve boxes/stocking, but don't go OTT. They get new PJs, something to snack on such as sweets or crisps(we stay away from chocolate as they get too much) Last year I got the pringles set from B&M. It was a little house and you got all 4 flavours in a little tub. Very cute and the boys loved it. They get a drink and a takeaway menu as we always get a takeaway 😊

We didn't have them as children but were allowed to open 1 present under the tree after Christmas Eve dinner.

We were kept busy all afternoon either out shopping with DF or home peeling the mountain of potatoes/veg with DM (I was always team kitchen!).

When dd was small, she helped with some kitchen stuff in the afternoon after a walk in the fresh air. But it was a slowing down day.

Her Christmas Eve box was new pjs, new bath bomb (and same for me and DH also got pjs), hot chocolate for us all as well, and the old family copy of Twas the Night before Christmas, dd stocking, and her plastic Santa plate and glass from toddler years - ready for Santas's snack along with her stocking. So a mix of old being reused, and new things for us all to use in the season (dd used her bath bomb and hot chocolate that night, always).

My teen daughter absolutely loves her Christmas eve box 🎄it's something lovely to do the evening before the big day. Christmas eve is always my favourite day ❤️

Please don't. You are being kind to instil in your children the idea of an event being one day, may save them a lot of pressure and expense in adulthood to set a standard now.

Each year when I was growing up we all had new pyjamas on Christmas Eve and I carried on the tradition with DD(22).
They weren't Christmas pyjamas either. Christmas Eve was just the first night they were worn. I have continued doing this for me every year.

My dc are older so we don't do boxes. We go out for dinner Christmas eve, i always buy the dc new xmas pjs so they change into those when we get home, then we open a box of sweets and watch a christmas movie together.

Feel free to read the rest of the thread before virtue signalling

These sound like such lovely memories to have, and reminds me of my own Christmas eves as a child, and hopefully what we’ll do for dc too

We used to get to open a present after midnight mass so technically Christmas Day, but it was Christmas Eve to us.

We have Christmas pjs and bedding but the come out early December and they're not new if they still fit. They get enough in Christmas Day.

We always did a Christmas Eve box, starting back in 2012.
Just new Xmas pjs, hot chocolate, magic reindeer food (made by the kids in preschool), our Santa key cos we don't have a chimney, and baileys (amongst other stuff over the years).

It was just a box that I threw stuff into, I didn't realise these were "sold" (don't live in UK).
Don't do it now the kids are 13&10 but it was lovely through the years.

And easier than the elf.

I am early 40s and can remember one Xmas my parents gave me a chocolate skittle game that had colouring in it too... Not sure if it was done regularly...

Mine get PJs, book or dvd, small to or crafty bit, key, reindeer food and stocking

My kids still love a Christmas Eve box and they are now 15 and 17. I put in new pjs, some snacks, hot chocolate and I used to put a DVD in but the last couple of years I’ve done a game we can all play together in the evening.

I still pretend the elves bring it and as my DH is at work till late I will leg it out the back door and put it on the doorstep and ring the doorbell and run back into the house. Kids obviously know I am doing this but think it’s hilarious and I pretend I’m not. I did try to stop but they won’t let me 🤣

I didn’t have one as a kid but feel it’s a tradition my kids will pass in and it’s been a lovely memory (and given me time to get some of the food prepped for Christmas Day).

We never did Christmas eve boxes when our DC were small, but did watch a Christmas film with a hot chocolate and a few nice sweets so I suppose a bit like the same idea but without the box.

However, now that mine are late teens we have started exchanging a few gifts between the 4 of us on Christmas Eve. I wouldn't have wanted to do this when they were small because it takes away from the idea of santa delivering presents overnight etc. But now that they are older we love it. Christmas day itself is always a bit chaotic with other family members coming to us so we all really enjoy swapping gifts together when it's just us and nicely calm.

I always do new PJs - a new set of PJs is pretty much the only time they end up wearing a matching set now that they dress themselves. Also, a bath bomb, to encourage them to bed, and a game/activity to keep them busy while I do a bit of food prep. So, really, it's for me, not them!

During covid years a nearby cocktail bar did home delivery of freshly mixed cocktails, so I added a few of those for me and DH. That was a good year.

Because a small box containing pyjamas and a bath bomb is going to doom them to be entitled monsters for the rest of their lives. You are being ridiculous. Christmas isn't one day and never will be, unless you are equally outraged by Advent Calendars, visits to Santa's grotto, Pantos and Christmas movie nights ALL of which occur either before or shortly after the 25th but are firmly part of the "Christmas season."

But why would you only want it to last one day? Surely spreading the cheer across multiple days is better? I genuinely don't understand this point of view.

@Tinseltotties we always got pyjamas, treats and usually a colouring book when we were kids (early 80’s).

In our house the elves only bring treats - no nonsense here 😂. They are sat with a wicker hamper under the Christmas tree when everyone wakes up on Christmas Eve. The hamper contains pyjamas for anyone staying over on Christmas Eve, a copy of a favourite Christmas book (same one for 15 years), plate for Father Christmas’ mince pie, treats to have watching a film and a bath bomb or similar each.
All elves are sat inside the hamper with a thank you note before bed to hitch a lift back to the North Pole with Father Christmas.

Late 50's, our children always had new pyjamas for Christmas Eve, we had hot chocolate with marshmallows when they were old enough and left a plate for Santa and the reindeer, that was it. I was a SAHM with small part time cleaning jobs etc and husband did all of the overtime so that they could have nice things on Christmas Day. We only ever wrapped presents, which were kept in the loft until that night and once we had to wrap them by candlelight due to a power cut. It was always very magical.

I’m in my 30s and we’ve been going to the same place to eat at 6pm every year since I was about 4 every Christmas Eve and we still go now with grandkids and parents and partners

then we go home leave the Santa stuff out have hot choc, read the night before Christmas and go to bed

my mum sends the Xmas pjs in November so we wear them all of December

They are another "thing" to get so I've never done them, instead our tradition is to open one gift from the tree on Christmas Eve.

A stocking & Christmas presents are enough

The only thing I find odd about Christmas Eve boxes is all this hot chocolate.
To me it's just a regular everyday drink that lives in the cupboard next to the tea bags, coffee and squash.
Why are all these children getting hot chocolate only on Christmas Eve? Do they not drink it any other time of the year?
😂

You have a point! I try to zhuzh it up a bit of Christmas Eve, whipped cream, marshmallows, sprinkles, but yes she does have it at other times in the year

I buy new pj’s, a bath bomb and a hot chocolate sachet. Then I put in the night before Christmas book that we use every year and make a little paper movie ticket that we use to choose a Christmas film to watch. It’s inexpensive but magical.