Lorna is the queen of the Christmas eve box and this year I am following her lead and putting together a little box of goodies for the girls. You know, because excitement levels won’t be sky high enough!
If you don’t know the concept, a Christmas eve box is a little box of goodies bringing together everything your little ones need for the perfect festivities. Its also a way of settling down and enjoying some time as a family. We’ve worked with Marks and Spencer to show you everything you need to include for the perfect mix of gifts.
{Christmas Eve Box Ideas}
Christmas Pjs – Starting with the most important as no Christmas Eve is complete without new festive pyjamas to snuggle up in. Go all out with a fun elf outfit or Santa onesie, or choose a more subtle wintery scene print that can be worn long in to the new year.
A Christmas Story – A new book that can be read with the whole family can make you feel all warm and fuzzy. We have one book that we read every Christmas Eve and it’s such a lovely tradition. This year I think the girls will love finding the Paddington Bear story to share.
A Christmas Film – Pop in a classic Christmas film to give you some quiet time whilst they sit down on the sofa. You could cosy down too or use it as a chance to run around finishing some of those last minute tasks in peace.
Some Popcorn and Treats – To enjoy whilst you settle down with a movie.
Hot Chocolate – A yummy hot chocolate kit complete with marshmallows can be enjoyed whilst snuggled by the fire.
A Christmas Decoration – Give each child a new little decoration to hang on the tree before they head up to bed. Tell them to make a wish as they add it to the branches.
Christmas Crafts – Pop in some christmassy crayons, colouring books or a little craft set to keep them occupied.
A Christmas Cup – I’ve fallen in love with the Paddington range and they have this sweet glittery tumbler which is perfect for a little drink to accompany Santa’s mince pie. The beauty is that it can be used over and over again.
Mince Pies – I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you snuck one for yourself but add a mince pie for Santa to enjoy as he carries all those presents down the chimney.
Carrot – For rudolph of course.
Christmas Day Outfit – A new Christmas Day outfit was a tradition in our house. A new festive jumper, a knitted dress to keep cosy whilst the turkey cooks or I’ve picked up a beautiful frilly tutu that I’m secretly coveting for myself.
A Cuddly Toy – A bit like the generation game but there has to be a new cuddly toy to cuddle up with and share dreams of santa and elves. I have fallen for this sweet penguin as the perfect bedtime companion.
Are you preparing a Christmas Eve box and if so what are you going to be including?
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My sister and I do start of December boxes for our daughters, mostly to maximise use of the festive clothes throughout the whole of December instead of just on Christmas Day! This year Juliet’s box included a Christmas jumper plus some festive tops and a dress I bought in the sale last year from Boden. I also got her The Snowman book and Arthur Christmas on DVD, plus a new decoration for her own tree (to encourage her not to play with mine..), and some Lindt chocolate elves. Oh, and we got these amazing cardboard igloos from Hobbycraft for £6. They’re huge and you build them for kids to play in plus they can colour them in. Anyone looking for stocking presents should check them out – Juliet loves hers! We’ve done it two years in a row now so it’s officially a tradition!
I am so stealing this idea for next year. And hitting the sales!! Also is it wrong that I want an igloo for myself….. xx
I love this idea, might do this next year!
Love Christmas boxes but in our house we also do them at the start of advent to make more use out everything. This years box included the new Paddington book and decoration plus a Christmas top and lots of fun Christmas activities.
I love putting the box together for my daughter!
It seems that the start of December is the way forward 🙂 The Paddington book is so cute xx
We love Christmas Eve boxes, and basically include most on your list. We also add a lush bath bomb, so we have baths and get in our new pyjamas ready for the evening. And we also add reindeer food kit for the kids to make to sprinkle out on the garden! We put our hot chocolate in recycled jars for Christmas Eve boxes, with hot chocolate, mini marshmallows and chocolate drops. And a candy cane we put on the outside with ribbon and a ‘magic sleeping potion’ poem attached to it – the kiddies love it and think this hot chocolate is magic and from Santa that helps us all sleep 🙂
Love the idea of the hot chocolate jars. That is genius. I am definitely stealing your idea 🙂 xx
I’m going to sound like Scrooge, but the pressure on parents grows exponentially year on year to give more presents earlier and earlier. To me everything in the list is a worthy Christmas present to receive on Christmas Day, and I assume if these are given on Christmas Eve then extra presents are given on Christmas Day in their place? I get the comment above about giving a Christmas outfit early in December as I’ve had to buy one for my daughter to cope with the parties and special days at nursery, but I haven’t made it into a ‘’thing” because I don’t want her to expect it every year. That said I want to create family traditions but not those that wholly rely on expense and more presents. See, Scrooge!
Not scrooge like at all. I often think the same and have probably created a rod for my own back with little treats from the elves as well as the advent calendars. This year I changed the advent calendar to more experiences and things to do. Todays is baking Christmas cupcakes for the school fayre competition tomorrow. They did get some christmas cake cases and sweets to decorate them with alongside it but I figured I would have bought those anyway. I am trying really hard not to overload the girls this year and when I wrapped their presents last night (getting organised!!) I was quite pleased with how restrained I’ve been. Now I just have to stop myself going shopping for more things! xxx
I agree, although I hate the fact it makes me feel like Scrooge too! It does all feel a but more, more, MORE! My sister-in-law does it for her kids and I’m dreading the day I get asked why we don’t do it too! We do have our Christmas traditions – a trip to the cinema or an early evening meal out on Christmas Eve – but I don’t think I can justify Christmas Eve boxes as well as Christmas Day presents too!
I think having your own traditions is lovely. I’ve never done the Christmas Eve box before and not sure I’ll end up with all of the above in the end as normally just leave a pair of new PJs from the elves. We used to be allowed to open a present from under the tree on Christmas Eve to help calm four overexcited children so this was my other option for the girls and let them open some colouring or something to keep them occupied. Also, I must plan in a festive cinema trip as the girls love going xx
I think snuggling on the sofa to watch a film and maybe with a hot chocolate is a lovely Christmas Eve tradition for the family and no need for boxes or presents.
I’m all for the festive movie nights on the sofa xx
I agree and don’t do Christmas Eve boxes. My two are very lucky but I don’t want them to expect loads of presents before Christmas.
Every Christmas Eve we go out with my best friend and her husband and family for a walk in the woods followed by lunch in Frankie and Benny’s (a favourite with our kids!). They don’t need more presents on top of this.
I am seriously behind planning my Christmas Eve this year, but have found some gorgeous inspiration from this lovely selection. Many of the things I’ve bought over the years come out again, so the initial outlay doesn’t always have to be huge, you can just build it up as you go xxx
That is such a good plan to keep building up the collection rather than buying new each year. You are the the Christmas Eve box pro so you need to get on it!! xx
I always do a Christmas Eve box, but like Lorna, I recycle some of the bits I put in it so it doesn’t cost an absolute fortune! As children, we were also allowed to open a present from under the tree on Christmas Eve, so I see it as a version of that. Ours always has new pjs, a bath bomb, a pair if Christmas socks and some snacks. I add DVD from our already large festive collection and a story book. For our teen, I put in festive earrings too. Whilst I admit this tradition does add to the Christmas excess, I love it and have to admit to buying them all personalised wooden boxes to hold their stuff! x
I understand the points above about Christmas excess, but I really love the other commenters ideas of a Christmas Eve box being something that adds to the magic and ‘helping them get to sleep’. I love the idea of a bath bomb, pjs, hot chocolate and Santa’s treats. All things we would have been doing anyway so I guess it’s just a matter of putting them in a box that could be reused each year? Definitely, think this would be a winner in our house.
I had no idea a Christmas Eve box even existed..!
My daughter is one and a half so thankfully unaware of what you ‘should ‘ do at Christmas and I will enjoy this as long as it lasts! Although it’s a lovely idea I must agree with one of the previous posters that the majority of the items listed seem like presents you would give for the actual Christmas presents not as extras…I think there’s enough pressure on parents to create the perfect Christmas experience without adding to the list of things we have to buy…
Hmm..very tricky to decide when being thoughtful turns into spoiling…
I absolutely love all of these ideas. It is really easy to get carried away though. I gave my 3 year old some Christmas slippers at the start of the month (for maximum usage!) He has a Reindeer onesie which i’ll keep back for Christmas Eve (wintery scene rather than Christmas theme for maximum usage!) We always watch Santa Claus the Movie on Christmas Eve (classic) and i’ll whip up some hot chocolate for us all. Job done!
Santa Claus the movie is my all time fave. I have to watch it every Christmas Eve. xxx
I like the idea from the point of view that it spreads the presents out as I definitely wouldn’t give more on Christmas Day in lieu of the ones given on Christmas Eve. Anything that reduces the present opening time on the day is fine by me, last year it took all blooming day despite me trying to rein the Grandparents in and only buying 3 presents (a book, a jigsaw and a pair of dungarees) for our wee boy ourselves. I almost feel like I can’t buy for him anymore because he gets so much from everyone else! It doesn’t help that his birthday is the beginning of December too so he’s already got so much. Think I might start giving him presents in June to spread it out!! 🙂
Ha ha. We too have mammoth present opening time once the family arrives. Molly is the same with a birthday at the end of November and I’m at a loss as to what to tell people to buy her. x
I like the idea of an advent box actually! Loving the idea of putting a new Christmas decoration in the box. But to me the Christmas Eve box doesn’t have to be new things, I like the idea of a DVD (could be from the cupboard already, just something you select to watch on Christmas Eve?) and hot chocolate ingredients, or something like that, and a mince pie and carrot for Father Christmas and Rudolph is not going to break the bank. Plus as others have said, you can always just open one present from under the tree if you choose. What with advent calendars, stockings and presents the cost can be a little ridiculous if you choose to buy everything, but it certainly doesn’t have to be like that. Thanks for the ideas!!
Completely agree with this and I always raid the DVDs and the chocolate cupboard for a few treats. I also must remember to but a carrot as I’m not cooking this year so I’ll be lucky to find one mouldering at the bottom of the fridge!! x
Love the frilly tutu what sort of top are you putting with it?
Probably just a long sleeved t-shirt top I think. One of the pointelle more fitted ones I think. I’m trying to find a Navy top as Alice has a navy dress with gold stars on so they can be sort of co-ordinated! xx
This is something I pondered on alot as to whether to do it or not. I liked the idea but also worry about the idea of too much ‘stuff’. In the end I have decided to do it as I think it will provide a nice wind down on Christmas Eve. I have got a Christmas movie (trying to build a collection slowly), some new pjs (needed anyway) and some chocolate buttons. Everything else will be things that we already have, a santa plate, her stocking and the night before Christmas book, so really just gathering things all in one place. I purposely haven’t bought replacement presents for Christmas day as I would have bought both of these things for her for the day normally so didn’t want to get into the habit of buying extra to compensate. The pjs I got were from M&S and they are the cutest things I have ever bought her, they are red tarten and so traditional. I cannot wait to see her in them! Xxx
I definitely think the idea of using what you have already is a super way to build the box accompanied by a few nice new bits like the Pjs. I love traditional pjs so those sound gorgeous. xx
I love this idea of a Christmas Eve box – I hadn’t heard of it before! This will be our little one’s first Christmas and our first as a three, so we have been thinking a lot about what traditions could we start for our own family. I think it would be lovely to have a little box, not necessarily of something from a shop but thoughtful gifts such as homemade biscuits or a special story just for her. I am currently in the process of writing our little one and her cousin (who is six weeks younger) their own individual fairytale stories where they are the heroes/heroines, all ready to read with them on Christmas Eve/Day so this could be a yearly gift that goes in that box!
Thanks for sharing! X
Oh my gosh, this is just the cutest. Love that you are writing a story and I am going to steal your idea of the homemade biscuits. Your little one is very lucky xx