Christmas Eve Surprise Box...

[AuntJamelle]

Seeing some really cute ideas for these! Has anyone ever done this for their kids? What seemed to work best or was the most fun?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190769734194735269/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190769734194735377/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/190769734194735395/

I love the idea of making the box look like it's come from the North Pole! Not sure how to have it "show up"...

What do you guys think?

 

[Minta]

We do something for the kids but just not in a big box. On Dec 1 the kids each has a "Magical Elf" that comes to visit for most of the month. On the night of Dec 23rd after the kids go to bed the Elves return to the North Pole but not without leaving a couple early gifts. Each kid has their Christmas tree in their bedroom so when they wake up Christmas Eve they will find a couple wrapped gifts .. New Christmas PJs and a new ornament. Under the main tree they may find a new movie or game. We have been doing this for several years and the kids look forward to it .. Even our teenager!

 

[teachermomof2]

The elves deliver new pajamas sometime during our Christmas Eve dinner/gathering with my family. They are left at the door and the kids check at some point during the evening...or several times...lol. I don't know if it will continue this year due to believing in Santa, but we will probably just all get new jammies to open.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

For the last many years we have done a Christmas Eve basket. In the early days the kids got new tooth brush and paste, hot chocolate, new pjs, a colouring book and a new cuddly toy.

Now we do things like,
a movie that we all watch ( last year was inside out), potato chips or lollies to share, a small bottle of soft drink, pop corn etc.

This year we will be doing a movie and I think we will do icecream snacks. Waffle cones, ice cream, sprinkles and choc fudge topping.
If I find new pj shorts or Christmas tee shirts the kids may get those too.

 

[FrostyShimmer]

I love these ideas, but the thing that always confused me about new PJs for Christmas Eve was that they wear them once or twice, and then the holidays are over.

I do "Christmas Kickoff" just after Remembrance Day. That's when we put up and decorate the tree. Each kid gets their new Christmas PJs, a Christmas book, and maybe a dorky Christmas hat or a Christmas craft or something along with a bit of Christmas candy. I usually put everything in a little Christmas giftbag, but now I'm considering making them each a box or a reusable bag. I'd love to start putting an ornament in there for them each year as well, so they can start to build their own collection.

Of course, DD3 wore her Santa pjs every night they were clean since Christmas. I have had to hide them now as they are heavy polarfleece, and when it hits 30C (86F) she is lying there drenched in sweat, swearing they aren't too hot to wear. Lol. I think it's because they have build it Santa Clause slippers.

 

[Minta]

I love these ideas, but the thing that always confused me about new PJs for Christmas Eve was that they wear them once or twice, and then the holidays are over.

Our kids always got new PJs on Christmas Eve that way they would be wearing nice PJs for the Christmas morning pictures LOL

 

[tanya]

We do a box but we don't do it Christmas Eve- we have our box the night of the day that the tree goes up. That way we have the pj's to wear in December through to Christmas. Ours usually include a new ornament each- something personal to us- last year Luke got a surf board ornament, I go a champagne bottle ornament, DVD- usually a Christmas movie or if not something we both want to see, Christmas pj's for me- easy to find. Have not been able to find them for Luke the last few years- he too big for the little kids sizes and too small for mens. Here they seem to think that teen boys dont wear Christmas pj's as they are impossible to get. I can't order them from overseas as they are winter and we are in the middle of summer. Last year Luke got a pair of Santa shorts. There will also be Christmas wrapped chocolate to have with the movie....

 

[AuntJamelle]

Good point on the PJs! I'm thinking that maybe I'll do a set that isn't specific to Christmas only - maybe more winter themed or just red as the dominant color.

I always put him in Christmas PJs earlier in the month for pictures in front of the tree once it is up

 

[FrostyShimmer]

Minta - You have a point there - at least you know they'll look nice for the pics. Mine are still really little, so all of their pjs are still polarfleece, which makes them pretty hard to stain or ruin in a month. Though if any kid could find a way, DD3 would. The other day I found her wearing her Easter dress for this year, and she'd poked holes all through the tulle layer on top.

 

[housewife2]

i bought my grandson 3 pairs of pjs that way he had different ones for the whole month of dec . he loved it . hes only 3 so got great deals at kohls on them

 

[Doodlebug]

Frosty Shimmer I had to laugh when I read your post. My youngest granddaughter has such a difficult time staying clean. This past Easter she had on a beautiful white dress. I looked out the window and there she was in the pig pen!!