Year by year, the Christmas Eve box becomes more and more popular. In fact, we’d say it’s joined Elf on the Shelf and tacky Christmas jumpers as a solid modern Christmas tradition.
And, why not?
Maybe the children (and adults) in Dickens’ day were nestled all snug in their beds on Christmas Eve. But, modern Christmas fans are beside themselves with excitement while the sugar of mince pies and Quality Street has them practically buzzing.
This is the perfect time to bring out the Christmas Eve box. But, in case you’re not too familiar with this concept, we’re about to answer all of your questions.
In this post, we’ll answer:
- What is a Christmas Eve box?
- Do you open it in the morning or evening?
- Does the elf leave the Christmas Eve box?
- Is the box from Santa or parents?
- Do you wrap presents in a Christmas Eve box?
- What should be in a Christmas Eve box?
What is a Christmas Eve box?
A Christmas Eve box is a special box that is filled with little presents and treats and is given on Christmas Eve.
It’s designed to help kids and adults cope with the excitement of the night before Christmas. After all, looking at all those presents under the tree and being desperate to tuck into them can be too much to bear.
So, instead of lying in bed, awake, too hyped to sleep because of all the excitement, Christmas fans should feel a sense of satisfaction that they got to sneak a few cheeky presents.
The Christmas Eve box itself is usually made of wood and decorated to be festive. While this isn’t a strict rule or anything, the idea of having a decorated box makes the whole experience feel that much more special.
You could even go for a personalised Christmas Eve box, which has your family name on it. Or you could choose one where you write your family’s name on it, giving the personalised Christmas Eve box even more of a personal touch!
Do you open a Christmas Eve box in the morning or evening?
The Christmas Eve box is believed to come from the German tradition of opening presents the night before Christmas. So, the evening is a good time to open it.
By opening it in the evening, you can give things like pyjamas and plush toys that are great to use immediately and help persuade excited children to go to bed.
That being said, some parents prefer to fill the box with games, toys, or puzzles that the kids can play with throughout the day. So, they choose the morning to give the box.
Both of these choices make a lot of sense. So, when you give yours really depends on how you want to use it.
Does the elf leave the Christmas Eve box?
This is a question that gets asked a lot. It comes from that other emerging tradition we mentioned – the Elf on the Shelf.
If you haven’t heard of this one, it’s where parents have a toy elf seemingly move around the house and get up to mischief when everyone’s asleep. Kids love it, but parents can start to run out of ideas pretty quickly.
So, parents looking for a final idea for their elf will make it seem as if the elf is delivering the box.
If you’ve had to come up with 23 ideas through December, this is fine. But, don’t feel obliged to bring an Elf on the Shelf into your Christmas Eve box tradition. It’s perfectly fine to deliver it yourself.
Is a Christmas Eve box from Santa or parents?
Short answer: parents.
Legend has it that Santa delivers presents during the night of Christmas Eve when everyone’s asleep. So, he’s not about to do a preliminary run hours earlier and tire out his reindeer.
The Christmas Eve box should come from the parents and be filled with fun little presents that give their kids a taste of what’s to come. There’s no need to start getting fancy with your storytelling.
Do you wrap presents in a Christmas Eve box?
This is entirely up to you.
Given that the box is, well, a box, there’ll already be that surprise element where your kids wonder what’s inside.
But, if you want to give them the satisfaction of tearing wrapping paper before Christmas, then there’s no harm in wrapping the gifts.
Some people choose to wrap the whole box. So, there’s the fun of unwrapping that and then the fun of opening it up to see what’s inside. And then, of course, the fun of playing with it all.
If you’d like some festive wrapping paper, check out our Santa and Rudolph Gift Wrap Set!
What should be in a Christmas Eve box?
It depends whether you’re giving the box to kids, an adult, or the family as a whole. Here are some ideas for all of these.
Finger Puppets
These finger puppets are excellent little gifts to pop in the box. They’ll easily fit in there and provide loads of play time.
Food and Drink Quiz in a Tin by Talking Tables
This quiz comes in a very sensibly sized tin, making it a great idea for the box. And, the game itself is lots of fun for foodies.
Silver Stud Christmas Decorations
If you want to try something other than gifts, you could pop these wooden decorations in the box. Then have each member of the family hang one on the tree as a bit of bonding.
Festive Bowtie Dog Collar
At Christmas, everyone gets a gift. Even the dog. And this sparkly bowtie dog collar is a fantastic gift to make sure your four-legged friend is looking festive.
Festive Favour Ribbon Pin
These festive favours are a physical memento of a donation that’s been made to The Charity. They’re great to give to adults instead of stocking fillers or if you’re looking for gifts for someone who ‘has everything’.
Got your Christmas Eve box?
So, hopefully we’ve answered all your questions and you’re ready to put a Christmas Eve box under your tree this Christmas.
But, where will you find one?
Fortunately, you’ve already found one! We’ve got a great one right here that you can personalise with your family name.