A fairly new tradition in the UK (if there can be such a thing) is the rise of the Christmas Eve Box. Celebrating children across the nation – and world – are obviously impatient for the arrival of Father Christmas, and a box of smaller gifts can help sate some of that excitement while keeping their anticipation levels for the next morning high. It’s no surprise then that many out there wonder: what should I put in a Christmas Eve box?
What Is A Christmas Eve Box?
A Christmas Eve box is a box you can buy which has festive decoration, or a wooden box kept specially for the occasion, or any type of box really which contains your Christmas Eve treats and gifts.
It’s up to you how much you spend on your Christmas Eve box – both the actual box and the contents. You put either wrapped or unwrapped gifts into the Christmas Eve box for the family (just the children or children and adults if you wish!) to make the day even more special and whet the appetite for the main gift-giving event the next day. These smaller gifts and treats can help particularly younger children manage their excitement about Father Christmas visiting that night, giving them something to focus on and activities to enjoy.
How Did Christmas Eve Boxes Start?
Christmas Eve boxes are commonly thought to derive from the German tradition of giving gifts on Christmas Eve, but the emergence of Christmas Eve boxes in the UK only over the last decade puts paid to any thought of them being their own long-standing tradition.
Although it’s easy to think of Christmas Eve boxes as just another commercialisation of Christmas, the expense level is down to you. As mentioned previously, you don’t need a specially made box, and you don’t have to go wild on the contents either. A couple of stocking fillers, or an activity book and sachet of hot chocolate, or a bag of chocolate coins and new pyjamas for Christmas Eve – it’s exciting to open anything on Christmas Eve, no matter how much or how little you spend money-wise.
Ideas For Your Christmas Eve Boxes
The gifts and treats you put into your Christmas Eve box will depend on the age of your child/children. It can be difficult to know what to put into the box for them, especially when the main gift focus is what they’ll be opening on Christmas Day itself.
You can find some inspiration and suggested gift ideas below, categorised into different age ranges of children.
Babies
You might think babies are difficult to buy for at Christmas, but to be honest they’re so young that you only need to grab their attention with any type of baby toy or activity. The fussiness comes later! Here’s a few Christmas Eve box gift ideas for babies:
- Rattle
- Bath toy
- Fabric or sensory book
- Toy for the cot or pram
- Favourite plushy
Toddlers
- Board or noisy book, bedtime story book
- Age-appropriate craft activity
- Christmas plushy
- Toy from their fave TV show
- PJs
Up to 10yo
Personalised plushy or other toy- Book
- Play-doh or other crafting activity: activity/colouring/sticker books
- PJs or onesie
Pre-teen
- Hot chocolate set
- Spending money
- PJs or onesie
Teenagers
Computer game- Spending money or Amazon Gift Card
- PJs, onesie or lounge set
Older teens
- Computer game
- Spending money
- PJs, onesie or lounge set
I hope this advice feature has given you some helpful pointers about what you could put in a Christmas Eve box. There’s no pressure to even take part in the Christmas Eve box tradition if it’s not for you. Even if you do want to add this into your Christmas holidays on December 24th, there’s no need to overspend or get stressed about what should be just an additional fun element of the festivities.
Something handcrafted, homecooked or just cheaply bought from the shops and prettily wrapped is just as exciting for the recipient to open as a pile of expensive treasures – especially as the main event is yet to come, after Santa’s visit on Christmas night.
Merry Christmas to you all!
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