What To Put In A Christmas Eve Box

Christmas is so extra these days, but let’s be honest, we all love it! One of the traditions that we have started with our children is Christmas Eve boxes. I was a bit reluctant at first as I felt that maybe it was just another stress and expense to add to an already busy time, but I must be honest it is one of the things I now really look forward to and I know my children do too. Personally, I find that opening our Christmas Eve box in the morning sets us up for the day, helps give us a plan, and also makes for a more relaxed evening.

If you are planning on making some boxes this year but are sat there wondering what to put in a Christmas Eve box then let me help you. Below are some of the things that I usually put in our Christmas Eve boxes for the children as well as a few ideas for things to include for the adults as there is no reason why you can’t make yourself a box too.

What to put in a Christmas eve box for children

Firstly pick your box or bag, that way you know how much room you have to play with. You can get everything from small wooden personalised boxes to these really beautiful, and very roomy, Christmas eve bags from Bloomsbury Mill. If you are just making up a small individual box then pick something smaller otherwise you will feel pressured to fill it but if you have more than one child then the bags are perfect.

Craft activity

I always try and include a craft activity in our box so that I know we have something nice to do on the day. This can be anything from decorating a stocking to making Christmas decorations. These are usually cheap craft items that I have picked up in places like the Poundshop, B & M, or home bargain. Cheap, cheerful and festive, what more could you want?

Christmas Game

Christmas eve is the perfect time to sit and spend quality family time together. Lots of family opt for films but you might prefer a game instead, or if you’re using your Christmas eve box over the course of the day, as well as a film. I recommend the elf lotto by Orchard Toys. This game is lovely and festive, it is suitable for children over 3 and can be played with 2-4 players. The idea is simple but effective, be the first to fill your board and win.

Gingerbread decorating set

Food related activities also work really well. You don’t want to add more stress to your day so make sure you opt for something that is easy, doesn’t require additional ingredients, and wont make too much mess. I recommend these Gingerbread decorating sets from Lottie Shaws. The set costs £5.99 and contains six beautiful biscuits; three gingerbread people and three gingerbread trees, baked to the traditional, family recipe, with all the taste and flavour you would expect from Lottie Shaw’s. It also comes with two decorating pens and a sachet of mini-Smarties for you to get creative.

Christmas Book

A Christmas book is a lovely addition to a Christmas eve book, it can be the final one from your book advent, if you have done one or a story you can read together. Even if you have older children you can still include a lovely book for them to enjoy over the festive period like A Christmas Carol – The foldable version. This beautiful book is not only a classic tale to enjoy but it can also be folded to create a Christmas tree sculpture too.

Festive Pajamas

One of the first things I get for our Christmas Eve box is a new pair of festive pajamas each. I think there is something really lovely about going to bed on Christmas Eve in a new pair of PJ’s. Plus it means they wake up Xmas day in festive pajamas which always look much better on your photos than mismatched superhero ones! I also try and get everyone matching PJ’s too, although with three children of varying ages this does get harder each year. You can get festive Pajamas in lots of places now; I normally opt for Primark as they are reasonably priced and often have the widest selection of sizes too.

Now we have done our activities and changed into our new festive pajamas it is time to settle down and hopefully calm down for an hour or two before bed. If this sounds like your kind of Christmas Eve, then I suggest you add the following to your Christmas Eve box too.

Christmas movie

This could be a physical DVD if you still use them, a netflix special or a voucher for a festive film from Sky. However, it can also be a prechosen movie that you know you have access to and the whole family will enjoy. Simply create a voucher to pop in the box stating what film it will be and the start time. Remember these boxes do not have to be expensive, it’s all about the magic.

Hot Chocolate

To go with the movie add some hot chocolate. You can buy single sachets in different flavours so everyone can have their favourite, or for a real festive treat then why not order some a Trilogy of hot chocolate from Spice Kitchen. It contains one tin of the Yummiest hot chocolate, one tin of gingerbread hot chocolate and a tin of Chai Hot chocolate, so there’s something for everyone. These hot chocolates have won a great taste award too so they definitely going to make a great addition to your Christmas eve box.

If you want to make your hot chocolate a thing of beauty then don’t forget to buy some cream and marshmallows too.

Snacks

Every good movie night needs some delicious snacks but a Christmas Eve movie night needs festive ones. And these personalised Christmas brownies from Bakerdays are the perfect addition. For £19.99 you get 9 delicious, melt in your mouth, chocolate fudge brownies, each one decorated with festive icing. They are the perfect size to enjoy with a hot chocolate and movie.

Festive chocolates also make for a great snack addition to a Christmas eve box and as always Cadbury have you covered. They have a whole host of festive treats that would work including

Snow ball bars
Snow ball pieces
and chocolate coins

If you are looking for some vegan friendly and free from snacks then I can highly recommend the Nomo range, in particular their boxes of filled choc drops with either caramel or cookie dough, perfect for sharing. If you are focusing more on individual boxes then I suggest you opt for their individually wrapped reindeer bars in either orange, chocolate fudge or cookie dough.

If you prefer sweets to chocolate or want to include a bit of both then how about adding in some of these festive Minion chew bars from Swizzels. They come in two flavours, Strawberry & Blueberry and Blackcurrant & Raspberry, and they are not only delicious but also vegan friendly.

Popcorn

If you want something a little lighter and a tad healthier but that still feels like an indulgent snack then how about popcorn. Popcorn Kitchen have some incredible flavours available and you can buy individual bags so each person has their own. If you haven’t tried Popcorn Kitchen before then I’d recommend ordering their Christmas Selection box that contains 6 different flavours.

Reindeer Food

The last thing I always add to our Christas Eve box is some reindeer food so that we can pop out into the garden on our way to bed and sprinkle it on the lawn to help Rudolph find our house. You can make this yourself, but I usually pick ours up from one of the Christmas fayres at the children’s schools.

What to put in a Christmas Eve box for adults

There is absolutely no reason why the adults should have to miss out on the Christmas Eve box magic. You can either add in a few extras for the parents or even make yourself a separate box just for you. In addition to the matching pajamas here are a few things you could include.

Luxury Mince Pies

Mince pies are the most festive treat I think you can get and these Luxury Mince Pies from Lottie Shaws are some of the nicest ones I have ever tasted, they would be perfect to have whilst watching the Christmas movie.

Your tipple of choice

The kids have got hot chocolate so make sure you have a drink too. This could also be a hot chocolate or if you prefer alcohol then why not have a little treat like one of these Bobby’s Schiedam dry gins in a tin. They have the very tasty gin and tonic as well as a more festive gin and pink lemonade to pick from, both are 9% so not too strong but certainly strong enough to enjoy.

If gin isn’t your thing then how about putting a bottle or two of beer in your adult only Christmas eve box. If you haven’t already tried Mahou then we highly recommend it. It’s a Spanish beer, best served ice cold and tastes delicious.

Mulling Spice Kit

If you want to make sure everything you buy fits in the Christmas eve box then instead of opting for a bottle of mulled wine that might not fit why not order one of these really cute mulling spice kits from The Spice Kitchen. They come in small little bags that contain all the dried ingredients you need mull your own wine. It will taste amazing, make the house smell incredible and also make for a lovely activity too.