Christmas is a magical time, so it makes sense that we would want to drag it out as long as possible.
The festivities don’t have to begin on the 25th – more of us are taking up a new tradition and starting the holiday a touch earlier; Christmas Eve.
And one way to help your family reach peak festive excitement is to present them with a gorgeous Christmas Eve box filled with goodies.
If you’ve never heard of a Christmas Eve box, allow us to explain (not that it’s particularly complicated).
What is a Christmas Eve box?
A Christmas Eve box is essentially an early Christmas stocking – designed for kids who just can’t wait until Christmas Day. Although you can easily whip up a box for any excitable adults in your life too.
It’s said to come from the German tradition of opening presents on Christmas Eve.
Online parenting forums have been buzzing with chat about this new tradition since 2016 – when it first started to boom in the UK.
They’re a great way of getting your loved ones together, exchanging gifts and treating your favourite people to some extra goodies. And if you’re worried about the creeping expense of this time of year – Christmas Eve boxes can be rustic and homemade – it’s more about being thoughtful than splashing the cash.
How to make a Christmas Eve box
Start off with a box. A shoe box, or anything with a neat, fitted lid will work perfectly.
Wrap the box using festive paper, or plain paper that you can then design yourself – depending on how much time you have on your hands. (Think glitter, stencils, tinsel and ribbons).
Then, simply fill your box with your chosen goodies and set the scene to present them to your family.
Maybe stick on your favourite Christmas movie or line-up a particularly festive playlist, get the hot chocolate and mulled wine on the hob – and hand out the boxes just before bedtime for maximum excitement.
What to put in a Christmas Eve box
If you’re lacking on the creativity front, do not fret, we asked Sophie Morris, one of the founders of Box of Hugs London, for her top tips on what to put in your Christmas Eve box.
Include an activity
Children – rightly so – get very excited on Christmas Eve. While this is lovely, it can also mean there’s a lot of energy for parents to contend with!
An activity inside your Christmas Eve box, such as an activity book or a game, is ideal for keeping excited minds focused with some festive fun.
Include a novelty item
Christmas Eve boxes are made for festive novelty items. There are plenty of entertaining ideas around this year, however one of our favourites are the Magical 3D Christmas Glasses.
Children put the glasses on and the lights on the Christmas tree turn into snowmen or dancing Santa.
Include a sweet treat
Yes, we know children will consume way too many sweet treats over Christmas. However, a small character chocolate or tasty lollipop will certainly put a smile on their faces.
It might come in handy to use as a negotiation to eat vegetables at dinner time too. After all, children always sleep better after a good meal.
Include reindeer food
Putting out a drink and mince pie for Santa makes Christmas Eve extremely magical.
Pop some food for Rudolph and the reindeer in your Christmas Eve box and you’ll create even more magic at bedtime.
You can easily make your own reindeer food with porridge oats and edible glitter. However, if you plan to place Rudolph’s food outside, just make sure ingredients are bird-friendly.
Include a Christmas story
Stories at bedtime – especially on Christmas Eve – are a must.
Include a new Christmassy-themed book in your Christmas Eve box and make bedtime even more special.
Children will get so excited about reading their new story they’ll be even more motivated to say ‘yes’ to bedtime too.
Finally, make it personal
Children love seeing things with their name on. So, make their Christmas Eve by including a personalised card, or their name on the box.
You could go one step further and pop inside a message from Santa. Now, that really would get them excited about the celebrations ahead.
MORE: What is on the McDonald’s Christmas menu and is it now available?
MORE: New York hotel opens an Elf-themed suite for Christmas
