.Christmas eve boxes? Really ?

We do it ! New Xmas PJs, fluffy socks, mug, hot choc sachet and small marshmallows ! New board game to play and we hang up stockings ! And then one or two pressies under the tree

Kali2

Doesn't anyone have hot chocolate in their cupboard to make hot chocolate? As for Christmas PJs- you obviously do not have teenage grandchildren.

Well actually in our house the youngest person is 19 years old and the oldest is 66 and there are 6 of us, we all have Christmas PJ’s and fluffy socks on Christmas Eve and ALL wear the year round, we send our one and only much loved GS of 7 a Christmas Eve box, box is a recycled affair, this year there were PJs, fluffy socks, chocolate reindeer, Christmas named mug and hot choc stuff. We won’t see him now til 8th Jan when we have our second Xmas day with his family and our son and girlfriend who live 5 hours away We LOVE Christmas, don’t bankrupt ourselves and compared to many spend modestly and our greatest gift is spending time with each other and planning an annual break for four nights all 11 of us together somewhere in this country in 2022 it’s a big country house in Norfolk in Ictober half term ! Those of you, & I understand why, who don’t like Christmas for many reasons, don’t “bah humbug” those of us who do and honestly it’s no one business what other families choose to do, don’t judge !

You could spread what you would have given over the Christmas Day to include Christmas Eve as often a bit much having all presents at once.

I used to belong to a Facebook group that used to highlight ways to save money and post up where bargains can be found - and got banned from it because I queried why the "admins" only recommended "bargains " from certain shops and not others and how much they got to do so !
The Christmas Eve box is another idea that has snuck in over the past few years and some of the boxes are the size of a small suitcase!
Members of the aforementioned group were almost having a competition displaying what they had purchased by posting photos,not only for the usual Christmas presents but also the contents of the Christmas Eve boxes! The group was supposed to have been aimed at those on a budget!
The tat that was in some had to be seen to be believed! I would have been surprised if most of it remained to be played with by Boxing Day !

In many countries presents are traditionally opened on Christmas Eve but with no presents on Christmas Day. Here we are being conned into the marketing's world in that a "little" box opened on 24th is becoming essential. Why even do people need matching pjs for the occasion? Christmas is already a huge expense for many without extending it another day.

We do it! It’s part of the ritual of putting a drink, mince pie for FC and a carrot for Rudolph by the fireplace. Wooden box with GC name on it - inside pjs, book or game and a couple of chocolate coins. Brings a lot of pleasure to all concerned and costs very little. What’s not to love? ?‍♀️ Don’t usually do mug and hot chocolate but might do this year ? not a lot of room in the box.

Load of nonsense. Get to bed and wait for Christmas Morning. Bah.

I only got a slap on my legs on Christmas Eve because I wouldn't stay in my bed any longer than 10 minutes waiting on Santa. Our PJs, chocolate, etc were presents that he left and hot chocolate was always in the cupboard to have every Sunday night.

In Denmark too the tradition is that Christmas Eve is the BIG DAY with both Christmas dinner and presents.

Most families with young children either eat the meal at about four in the afternoon instead of at their normal dinner time of six p.m. or thereabouts, or reverse the order of things and light the Christmas tree and have the present giving first.

My mother insisted when we were small that we went to bed for an hour or two in the afternoon - that way she had time for a rest herself, and could get dinner started. We, on the other hand, were allowed to stay up until the grown-ups went to bed around eleven.

Christmas Day is traditionally quiet, if the family are church goers with church in the morning and perhaps visitors for lunch in any case, or if there are elderly relations living alone or in care homes, you visit them for a while in the afternoon of Christmas Day.

But here too, present giving has escalated to ridiculous heights - it st arted years ago with Advent calendars containing small gifts - try finding 24 presents for three or four children and not spending a fortune on that!

Now those who can afford it are giving either many presents or very expensive ones.

The other side of the coin is people applying for "Christmas aid" (Julehjælp" to church-run charities etc. to cope with providing the traditional meal and perhaps a present or two.

Parents on small incomes or social security are forced either to ask for charity, or at least do all their present shopping in charity shops.

But no-one gives presents on the other days of Christmas, if they have already exchanged them on Christmas Eve. Santa Claus doesn't come with filled stockings either.

Damn ridiculous. Christmas has lost its spirit. It is all about spending and pigging out on way too much food now. Sending you all Peace x

When mine were young we always made a postbox out of a cardboard box, was down to them to decorate it.
They used to put in pictures they had drawn for each other and cards they had made.
I would put in a couple of small or silly presents, something that would calm them down.
We would open it just after tea and they would have an hour with their gift before bed, it always made them settle better, even though they are grown now we still have the box.
When I saw Christmas Eve boxes though I was stunned at the size and price of them. Think our postbox gave just as much happiness and cost next to nothing

I don’t get them either just another way of getting people to spend yet more money

Whoever thought this extra money making scam up ??
Don't parents have enough pressure for Christmas Day without this on top !! Ridiculous IMO

It’s just not her tradition that people have started - nothing wrong with moving with the times. My grandchildren have new pjs, a special drink and snack and a video to watch before they go to bed. Sounds harmless to me - I would have done all those things 40 years ago when mine were children - just without putting it all in a box!

My kids always had new pj's and sweeties and the Snowman video to watch on Christmas Eve - they just didnt have a box to put it all in

We always had new PJ's a takeaway and treats for a Christmas film on Christmas Eve. When kids first left home I gave them a Santa sack with PJs chocolates hot chocolate and a few christmasy bits in. Haven't bothered this year they've got their own families now and are making their own traditions.

Ps - at the risk of causing further upset ? we also do Elf on Shelf with our GC - he cost £3 and his antics cause a LOT of laughter in our house. We also put little choccy Christmas treats (Aldi £1) in wooden advent calendar (30years old) it’s a bit of effort but worth it to see so much happiness. Each to their own!

I just think it’s absolute nonsense. More consumerism. I’ve never done it and I don’t ever intend to start. Folk have enough to worry about in finding money for Christmas gifts on Christmas Day without this added expense.

Never did it. One year we did get a new dvd for ds to watch on Christmas eve but then the grandparents came round so we watched it weeks later!!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202112/medium-565832-d64bfe67-18ab-4791-83f8-31633b7282d2.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202112/medium-901026-34349e4b-00f5-453a-9be4-3c2245dc8f6d.jpeg

Mamma7

Ps - at the risk of causing further upset ? we also do Elf on Shelf with our GC - he cost £3 and his antics cause a LOT of laughter in our house. We also put little choccy Christmas treats (Aldi £1) in wooden advent calendar (30years old) it’s a bit of effort but worth it to see so much happiness. Each to their own!

Youngest GC have got elf on the shelf along with the GC who are currently staying with us.

It brings pleasure to those that do it and has no effect on anyone else.

I don’t understand why people are so negative about what others do. Should we not buy a house, car or go on holiday because some cannot afford to.

The commercial pressure for people to spend has always been there and anyone who comes up with a new 'occasion' for people to spend on will make money out of it.

I remember when my daughter was a baby in 1990 someone came up with the idea of 'grandparents day'! For our family it happened to be on my MiL's birthday and as DD was her first GC she seemed to think it had been invented especially for her! We only recognised it for a couple of years as it never caught on! At the time we also sent a card to my mum but my brother told her "You needn't expect anything from us!" I'm sure we'd have ignored it if it hadn't fallen on MiL's birthday the first time and she actually made a big thing about telling us!

These new unnecessary opportunities to spend only take off if people are willing to support them. I feel so sorry for people who are struggling to afford any sort of Christmas celebration this year. Seeing the indulgencies of those taking on yet more new 'traditions' must really add to their misery!

I'm sure those who worry about sustaining the economy will wholeheartedly approve, but those of us with concerns for the environment just sigh at the wastefulness and consumerism.

I too probably sound like the Grinch. Donning hard hat and taking shelter behind the sofa!

We used to have a bath on the evening of Christmas Eve and then downstairs sat in front of a roaring electric fire. We would have a milky coffee and watch TV before going to bed. Santa always knew hat my presents went on the end of the sofa and my sisters had an armchair each for their presents.
I think that everyone gets more than enough without getting Xmas Eve boxes. I would just put a DVD on and make hot chocolate, it doesn’t have to be a gift.

I think it's time we had pre christmas eve boxes, just to tide us over until the first of the present opening starts on christmas eve....
I'm sure we can find somewhere in the world that does similar, if we try hard enough.
I'm not a fan, although I do like the elf on the shelf thing.

My mother was German on Christmas eve German presents were opened and English presents on Christmas day, best of both worlds!