How have these new fads come about ?

They come from the Ad-men, who are desperately trying to part you from your money.
Cynical moi?

Elf on the shelf is designed for thick people. Ditto Christmas Eve boxes.
signed,

Bitter and twisted of Salford.

Never heard of Christmas Eve boxes, and what is an Elf on a shelf?

batty
I agree,
Signed miserable of Essex.

"Elf on a shelf" is a little toy elf who is found in a different place each day in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Allegedly he is Santa Claus's spy!!!

Christmas Eve boxes, with our GC they contain - New Christmas pyjamas, a Christmas themed book to be read alongside "The night before Christmas" poem, reindeer food, and the mince pie and drink for the jolly man himself.

I don't believe in jolly men.

Never liked the idea of 'Elf on the Shelf', having your every move watched and assessed is horrible, is it preparing us for a Big Brother state?
Christmas Eve boxes are surely just another attempt to get us to spend even more at Christmas? We now have to give presents from the beginning of Advent, an Advent calendar used to be a pretty picture with glitter on and a hunt to find the right number on the doors to reveal a picture of part of the Christmas story behind them when opened. Then it progressed to a chocolate a day, now you can buy them costing hundreds of pounds! How about this one! www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/drinks-by-the-dram/very-old-and-rare-whisky-advent-calendar-macassar-ebony/?utm_source=digidip&utm_medium=affiliate&adnetwork=af&affc=4e55ef08-b396-43f8-860a-8ac125149f9e

MissAdventure you must have met my husband - he could never be described as "Jolly" ???

I'm sure he's a delight (in his own way!)

Thank you GrannyGravy.

What is wrong with Advent calenders and leaving mince pies for Father Christmas

I suppose the marketing people have realised a lot of people have rituals for Christmas eve and have capitalised on it.
Now theres a surprise!
My daughter was allowed to choose a very small present to open on Christmas eve, after she had stuffed the turkey, that is.
Well, me and my mum didn't like doing it!

MissA - definitely in his own way!!!

My dislike of Christmas is made all the greater by all the ploys to part people from their dosh! I see Christmas duvet cover sets now to go with the Elf on a Shelf and the Christmas Eve box, andFacebook will be full of pictures of the above ( just to let everybody see what a great Mummy/ Daddy/ Granny they are!)

Jings, I really am a grumpy old woman!

Agree about 'elf on a shelf'(actually first heard about that on this forum!).
But elves in general, along with gnomes come and go in popularity, and unicorns have always been a 'thing' (I loved the song, imagining the unicorns having fun and not paying proper attention, rather like myself as a child!)

That song used to make me cry.. "Oh, those silly unicorns!"

What is this new fad I hear you all talking about?
Christmas cards and bringing a tree into one's parlour?
The world has gone quite mad, I say quite mad!'

Miss B Humbug
Disgusted of
Tunbridge wells

We had them when I was a child they just didnt have a name.

We got our new pjs for the year on christmas eve, had hot chocolate and treats and could open one present. Night before christmas was usually read. Did the santa/reindeer snacks. Had a bath in smellies and snuggled up in always freshly laundered sheets to wait for santa

I didnt have a dedicated box for christmas eve for my kids but we had a similar ritual: new pjs, one gift, treats. Night before Christmas & watched the snowman. Left out snacks for santa & bath with smellies then bed

We didnt call it Christmas Eve Box but we followed the ritual as did most families I knew.

Its not a new fad at all
And in a lot of regions and countries christmas eve has ALWAYS been a bigger deal than christmas day. When my father was a child Christmas eve was the most special part and his parents had family traditions on Christmas eve

The families I know who use an actual box pack away the christmas dvds and books in it to be re-used next year. The new bits are PJs and Hot Chocolate etc. Its not a big expense, just stuff you would usually buy around Christmas anyway.

I dont understand Christmad Duvets but maybe that's just because I dont have enough storage to keep a whole bed linen set that is redundant 11 months of the year

Ah, but now they'll become a 'thing', with ever increasing gifts, if we're not careful!

From what I can gather places where Christmas Eve is a big celebration the focus is Church, home, family and special food.

It does not involve mindlessly overspending on landfill.

I hadn't heard of the boxes or elf either Annie I think most families with children have their Christmas Eve rituals, leaving food for Santa & Rudolph and new PJs etc.
I remember my grandson being over the moon one Christmas when I bought toilet paper with penguins on it. Really made his Christmas he had to show everyone who came to the house.

From what I can gather places where Christmas Eve is a big celebration the focus is Church, home, family and special food.

Which is exactly the point of Christmas eve boxes, a cosy family night at home: pjs, Christmas books or movies to share, hot chocolates or other food. Thats it usually for most Christmas eve boxes

Sodapop I have Christmas lavatory paper !!

I have a Danish DIL and GD so when they are here we have Danish Christmas on Christmas Eve and English Christmas on 25th ????

It does not involve mindlessly overspending on landfill.

What is it that you think the average Christmas eve box contains?

They are mostly made of wood and brought back out each year. Kids need new PJs anyway as they grow. Christmas books and DVDs can be packed away for next year and snacks and treats get eaten, what extra is going to landfill that wouldnt be bought around Christmas anyway