Christmas

[Lovepeaceandcoffee]

Advice for a parent who is doing Xmas for the first time with 3 year olds. What do you usually do? Xmas eve boxes on Xmas eve, stocking on Xmas morn and then presents? Are all the presents from Father Christmas?!

We started the Christmas Eve box when our son was 3 and we put in Christmas Eve pyjamas some reindeer food (a bit of bird seed) and a book for us to read before bedtime on Christmas Eve. He's 5 now and loves it, but we don't overdo it. Your kids will be just be happy to spend time with you at Christmas and to be honest, they'll forget what was in the boxes. Our presents are all from Santa, he gets all the credit 😂 but it's honestly magical to see his face on Christmas morning and the fact he believes. Try not to worry too much and enjoy seeing them opening their presents. Merry Christmas 😊

DS is 3 this Christmas. We’re having a chilled out play/film day today. I’ve bought some hot chocolate bombs so might have those later depending on how the day goes! We’re leaving cookies and a drink for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph tonight. Then reading some Christmas books and new PJs for bed.

Tomorrow we’re doing stockings in bed. We’ll be moving his into his room after he’s asleep. Then we’ve put his 2 presents from Father Christmas in a sack (hot wheels so big boxes) and the rest of the presents are from us.

Personally, I’ve chosen not to do a Christmas Eve box as I don’t want the stress of essentially making up another stocking every year. It seems a bit much when he’ll get presents the next day.

Santa filled the stocking. I got so sick of DS telling the world Santa got me x, so Santa got stocking gifts only. In your face Santa 🎅🏼

Santa brings alllllll the presents!
We haven't done a Xmas eve box but my sister has done one for him. I wouldn't have bothered and done a stocking but she has chosen to do it for him. So we will do Xmas eve box tonight for the pjs ect then tomorrow it's stocking in his room as that's how he will know Santa has been. Then down to main presents. Well once he's old enough as he's only 6 months🤣🤣

We've always been a bit haphazard due to not really having a strong narrative, I think that's OK, it means there is no big disappointing reveal when they stop believing.

No Xmas eve box here. 3yo is absolutely nuts running around so might be exhausted by bedtime anyway. Probably will go for a walk when it gets dark to see neigbours' xmas lights. I've just got my 13yo to take him to run around the park for a bit!

The stocking is to buy parents a bit of time and peace in the morning! It's from Father Christmas but there isn't any labels or anything on it. I did use the Santa paper for the stocking and Santa gifts.

Father Christmas gives 1-2 presents, usually smaller things but off the list if poss, and mum/dad give 1-3 depending on size, then we have various relatives who send money so I end up buying about 4 more presents for each child except the oldest just gets the money more often than not.

Different people do different things. In our house we have new Christmas pjs and a book from the fairy on Christmas Eve and the stocking presents are from Santa.