MNHQ HERE: What do you pack into a ‘Christmas Eve Box’?

[LilyMumsnet]

Hi all,

MNHQ here with another seasonal request! Don't get too sick of us - still got the Christmas name change competition, yet.

Our wonderful video team are at it again and this time, they're making a very merry video on what to put into a Christmas Eve box.

We have a vague idea of what goes into these festive boxes but we'd really like to hear YOUR thoughts! These are children's boxes, so let's keep it child-friendly...

Anyway, you snow the drill. Drop your favourite items down below and watch this space - a video will soon follow.

P.S If you don't know what we're going on about, a Christmas Eve Box is a box given to children on Christmas Eve. It's usually filled with all the ingredients to make a perfectly jolly evening. So get posting!

Not a thing here either, never has been.

Christmas Eve is stockings and candles, reading the Christmas story and lighting the last candle on our advent wreath which we've done together since before we had children (at Christmas this year they'll be 16, 17 and 19).

We used to hang up stockings and send Santa letters up the chimney, put out mince pie and milk, and a carrot! Now the kids (and mil who is usually with us) join us in our adult Christmas Eve tradition - food! Smoked salmon on pumpernickel, venison or steak, Grannie's pavlova! and now the dc sleep in on Christmas morning, a few nice glasses of Red!!

Before they go to bed, the dc still insist on dh reading "Kipper's Christmas Eve" by Mick Inkpen. Dd1 was given it as a baby. In it, Kipper the Dog has to decide what he likes best - presents, or expecting presents? He chooses expectation. That's what we try to do with our kids.

What is this bloody nonsense? Never done one and not starting now

Why the fuss over this new fad.

Now I'm not having a go at Eastern Europeans, it's always been their way.

I just don't get the new fuss over Brits suddenly deciding it's a "thing" now! It's not a thing, it's tradition if and only IF you're married to/in a relationship with someone originally from Eastern europe (or similar) where Christmas Eve was the main celebration.

Now I'm not saying you can't enjoy a festivity from another culture, but all this, about pushing it on all families..... Kid1, I got this for Christmas Eve
Kid2, we don't do that, we do Christmas day. Why do you do Christmas Eve.

Or
Kid2, aw mum why don't we do Christmas Eve, it's not fair... They got this n that n I got a satsuma!

Or
Kid2, mum did you know kid1 does Christmas Eve in their family because....

Is far better that we see n respect than to just copy cos don't want our kid feeling left out, instead of explaining... Kid1's family comes from ????? country, and traditionally they celebrate eve sue to, but you don't.miss out, cos we do the day instead.

Why we got to copy others traditions n make it tacky n pointless, cos I ain't having my kid miss out!

They don't miss out, they do it differently.

Nothing. They get more than enough the next day without a fucking Christmas Eve Box or Elf on the fucking Shelf.

@LilyMumsnet

Suggestion for the thread title

MNHQ here: If you pack a Christmas Eve box, what goes in it?

Far less controversial and doesn't make the assumption that everyone does this.

Imagine if you worded a thread like this...

MNHQ here: Tell us where you spend your annual fortnight abroad.

I can understand why you're getting a mixed response. I may have missed it but why do you want to know? Is it linked to a commercial sponsor?

But kitchen, surely the title would only apply to people who do put things into a CE box? Do we really need mollycoddling to the point that the word 'if' needs to be included rather than being determined by the reader?

Nothing as we have 4 kids and the house is full if shite as it is.
Also there main presents are oneies and chocolate from FC so can't afford to do more.

It's not mollycoddling.

It's about acknowledging there is diversity among different families, cultures and countries in the way we choose to celebrate Christmas. The way the question is posed and the subsequent post doesn't seem to consider that. So hopefully this MN video of what to put in a Christmas Eve box will also include some shoulder-shrugging and eye-rolling to reflect this thread. I'll be disappointed if it is an instructional video of another thing you ought to do, if you don't already.

You'd get the same type of response if the question was 'what sweets do you give to trick or treaters?'

On MN you'd get: lists of sweets, lists of sweet alternatives, a debate about stranger danger, the origins of Halloween and how people love/hate it. What you wouldn't get is people thinking 'well I won't comment' - it's not the Mumsnet way!

Hi,

Thanks for your ideas! The video is now attached to this thread.

App users, you can see it here.

We appreciate that some people don't want extra hassle/expense at Christmas, which is understandable. So we've tried to keep many of the items cheap, as well as being useful year round.

There's also lots of Christmas content on our YouTube channel at the minute if you're feeling festive!

Nothing. What a pile of shit