Christmas Eve Boxes

Never heard of them myself.

Only knew about them last year when my friends daughter got them for her children. She filled them with new pyjamas, dressing gown, slippers, some games for Xmas Eve and sweets and chocolate. Seems to defeat the whole concept of Christmas Day. I saw the boxes in one of our local card shops just before lockdown and they seemed to be selling well.

More pressure on parents to spend money. And don’t forget about Elf on a Shelf. If I’d had to think every night of mischief for him to get up to I don’t know how I would have coped.

Many years ago my children were allowed to open one small present that was under the tree on Christmas Eve. When I say small, I mean small and they were perfectly happy with it This was timed so that they could enjoy it for a while before going to bed. I don’t think my parents approved, but it worked for us. However the Christmas Eve boxes take this to a whole new level. I think the idea is just another commercial ploy to get parents to spend even more money on presents, putting even more pressure in them at this precarious time.

My girl was allowed a small present to open, but only on condition that she stuffed the turkey.
No such thing as a free lunch.

I won't be buying Christmas eve boxes..

No Christmas Eve boxes here! I’m also totally anti baby showers, Halloween trick or treating, reveal parties and OTT party bags.
Oh and Christmas decorations do not have to go up on December the 1st.
I feel better now that’s off my chest?

I felt quite sad when I first heard of these Christmas Eve Boxes two/ three years ago. Love your list Missfoodlove totally agree.

It’s nuts. I know of young mothers in my family who buy Christmas themed bedding to go on at the beginning of December. A new set every year, mind. Then there is a hot chocolate station set up to make drinks with whipped cream and marshmallows. All through the month. And advent calendars with small toys in. £40 a pop. And then the Christmas Eve boxes with reindeer poo and a festive pair of pyjamas along with crayons, snacks, more chocolate and sweet stuff.
And they say how expensive children are...I think it started with Facebook.

Oh dear - this is all very depressing <sigh>

Oh dear indeed

It is depressing.

It’s made me quite depressed- I think it’s called transference. ?

No. Just no. I saw some boxes in a shop and even they were expensive, at about £25. I won’t even buy chocolate-filled advent calendars so a Christmas Eve box is never happening in this house. :gavel:

I bought my boys a lovely advent calendar, filled with Reece peanut butter things.
Feeling greedy, I decided to brave it, and asked the youngest if we could possibly eat some..
"Yeah, sure" he said, "I've eaten up till the 8th of December already, but we could share the rest".

Another gimmick. Has this come from America?

Don't forget the Elf on the Shelf leaves a present on his way out on Christnas Eve too. We were in trouble last year as my granddaughter had broken her snow globe and had whispered to the elf to bring her one (with an elf inside!!!). We had to say he didn't have any left then spent January looking for one so he could bring it on 1st December this year to show he hasn't forgotten. Not an easy thing to find either.

As a child my parents always gave my brother and I a new set of jammies for Christmas Eve, which is a tradition I kept up with my own DC. These boxes seem to be an way to commercially extend traditions like this and cost parents even more money!

The fact that it was Christmas Eve alone was enough of a thrill for us as kids ?.

I saw an article about these boxes about 3 years ago.

Oh, such gullible people out there, keeping up with the Jones’ all the time.

Nothing wrong with children learning the art of waiting for something special.

Like most families we had Christmas Eve traditions. My youngest daughter is Christmas obsessed, No childeren yet but she bought us Christmas boxes last year!
If they were full of expensive tat I think it's just extra expense and pressure.
I think if my childeren were younger and I decided to do it I would use it for activities I might do on Christmas Eve anyway such as a special book,craft activities, vouchers where recipient had to make up a story or find out about Chrismas past or in other countries. I'm not sure need even more sweets!

We never had Christmas Eve boxes as children. However we did have new pyjamas and a game on Christmas Eve and I carried this on with my children.
Now my DDs do it for their children along with a Christmas story book.
No different I suppose, just not in a box.

Yes new pyjamas for christmas eve has been going on for ever. I dont mind how people choose to spend their money.

We have always done it. New pyjamas, hot chocolate and biscuits and everyone watches a christmas movie snuggled under blankets.

Its a lovely tradition and Christmas morning pictures look better in new jammies.

Everyone can choose their own traditions and we love it.

I hadn’t heard of them at all until a few years ago, but will confess to buying them for little Gdcs when they were coming here for Christmas a couple of years ago - very cheap flat pack cardboard jobs from The Works, and I just put in them some Christmas plates and mugs (to come out again every year) and a couple of books to read on Christmas Eve - The Night Before Christmas, and a simple Nativity one, again to come out again every year.

There were a few other (non plastic) bits, IIRC some new pyjamas I knew they could do with, but not particularly Christmassy ones.

I’ve recently bought them a really lovely Christmas book - The Empty Stocking* - is anyone else familiar? but it’s too good to save until Christmas Eve - they’ll have it as soon after 1st Dec (or Advent Sunday) as I can get it to them.
*perfect for their ages IMO - 4 and 5.
No. 3 is still too young for such things, but I’m sure she’ll enjoy it later.