How have these new fads come about ?

I’d never heard of Christmas Eve boxes, neither had my DD until last Christmas Eve when the shops had closed and her 5 year old twins asked where they were. I guess children at school had been talking about them.

* did not dod

I, like BlueBelle and a few others, dod not and do not 'do' CE boxes. It must be a foreign fad.
Net stocking edged in red crepe paper (Woolworths) was hung on the bed-post and a mince pie and milk was left by the fire with a note and a carrot for Rudolph. Presents were opened on Christmas day after breakfast but our stockings were gleefully emptied at first light.
Nowadays, stocking fillers each cost much more than the whole of our gifts when I was a child.
When my AC were little I used to put sooty prints around the fireplace and leave crumbs on the plate.
It was hard not to make a noise when taking their stockings upstairs. Larger presents were around the tree.
All this nonsense about CE boxes is a ploy to encourage more spending.
Who on earth makes a point of buying new pjs to wear on Christmas
Eve or a bath with 'smellies' and new ir freshly laundered bedlinen? My children bathed every night and bedlinen changed weekly, regardless and they each had several pairs of pjs or nighties which were renewed as and when.
It's a con and you are falling for it.

Never heard of Christmas Eve boxes. Shudder to think what will the "essentials" for those once the marketing folk get going. Sounds as if the boxes will take on the importance of Christmas Stockings and will be filled with about the value of stuff some children receive as Christmas presents.

In my son's house there is a box in the top corner of the room which has a flashing red light. (May be connected to the house alarm) He convinced grandson, 7, that it was a 'Santa cam' to check for bad behaviour! Worked sometimes!
As for unicorns and llamas...??

Disgusted of Tonbridge (near Tunbridge Wells! )

The elf of the shelf now has his own sleeping bag for when he gets tired!

To answer the OP. Everything was a new fad once upon a time. Go with it or ignore it. Everyone has the choice.

I don't think these things have reached deepest Devon yet.
Shelf elves??? Christmas eve boxes????
But I do like llamas.

mcem there is definitely a way between "grinch" and rabid consumerism. Depending on the day and my list of chores I can be anywhere on that scale ?????

I understand that "The Elf on the Shelf" is an idea which started in the USA. (That's where I first saw it, years before it was here.) It was "triggered" by a children's book published in 2005. Doubtless it was then taken up by marketing persons - simply to sell more "stuff"! Thankfully my USA family ignore it - as do I.

Sorry I can stop being mean but I fear grumpy may be permanent.

I was introduced to Christmas Eve boxes by my DIL. It is a lovely idea and is part of my GC family tradition.

Wouldn't you agree that there is a happy medium between rampant consumerism and grinchiness? I believe that many of us feel much of Christmas is overcommercialsed but the alternative doesn't have to be mean and grumpy!
Quite a few of us seem to have achieved a reasonable, happy balance.

Basically I am the grinch, so ignore.

Pecs it's the same for my GC, I bought the boxes, sustainable wood, with their names engraved. They can have them for the rest of their lives to keep their treasures in.

The only "new things" which get put in the box are the PJs, hot chocolate sachet, carrots (reindeers) mince pie (home made). Glass for Santas sherry, mug, book, cd are the original ones that came with the box.

oldbatty In the case of my DDs & their kids it is not all new stuff! The Christmas Eve box contains the stuff you only use at Christmas. Special mugs, stories, CDs & DVDsetc. They live in the box from Christmas to Christmas. Plus a new pair of PJs and maybe the clothes for Christmas day., some hot chocolate & nibbles for FC & reindeer! It is more about setting a tradition of a cosy Christmas Eve with family than rampant consumerism! Though there will always be those that do go OTT.

I had a whats app message from GD last night, it was a photo of her Christmas list ...." Clothes, there is a list online, for colours and size please consult Mummy"

Iam, it is not grumbling for the sake of it. This planet has a finite amount of rescources and we should think carefully before adding to landfill.

The Christmas spend a thon is out of control .

We did not have a Christmas box when I was small but rituals yes! My parents put me to bed on 23 Dec and in the morning, as if by magic, the home was decorated and there was a tree..always a couple of baubles for me to add. Christmas Eve was church and a special rice dish for supper, a new nightie and hanging up a stocking..or a pram pillowcase! Excitement and magic!

Sadly, I can't remember the last time I was over excited

Mmmmm are you sure ? What about those items of clothing you told us about!!!!!

Mum always " found " our new pyjamas in the cupboard----we never did know by whom or how.
As with Iam64 it was the carrot,mince-pie and sherry on the back door step.
Story was always from " A Christmas Carol " with mum reading and wiping her eyes on her pinny.
Magical times up until I was 11 !!

Iam The way that the pyjamas mysteriously arrive is a part of the fun for the wee ones, isn't it? Discovering those new pj's usually prompts the rush to bath time and bedtime.
Certainly not a new fad in our family!

Some just love to grumble, some just love to smile. Our children always discovered Father Christmas or a helper had magically dropped off the pj’s sometime between 5 and 7 pm on Christmas Eve, just in time to be put on after their bath. A carrot for Rudolph, glass of sherry and mince pie for Father Christmas, story (night before a Christmas) and bed. The pj tradition was so,popular it continues with their own children . Fun not extravagance

Children get so many presents these days that it would seem sensible to allow them to open some on Christmas Eve and even to save some for Boxing Day.I should imagine that it would lead to greater appreciation than opening them all in one go. Personally I am saddened that children often see Christmas more about receiving than giving. I have never heard of the elf.

My daughter happened to mention that her and her son have a little something planned for Christmas Eve. It involves new pjs, a Christmas book, the carrots left out for the reindeer etc. I thought it was a lovely idea. (Our DDs always had new pjs for Christmas. Were we on a bandwagon?)