Christmas Eve Boxes

Good Lord, now Christmas Eve pressies! Ive just been to a school assembly about Scrooge and can identify with him pre-good!! bah humbug.....

I think its a load of rubbish, presents to prepare them for what, presents??? never done the elf thing either lol, have you seen how expensive they are!
On Christmas Eve we always went to the pub so the older kids could have a snowball, and the younger ones a coke, and then back home for an early bedtime so I could wrap everything, let alone have to pay out even more for extras! lol.

It's more a getting-excited-children-to-calm-down and go-to -sleep box. A DVD, new pjs and a drink isn't spoiling them is it?

Ginny42, the New Years Eve tradition here is similar to your one, small gifts including for adults.
I was quite surprised when SO turned up the first year we knew each other with a really nice cardigan/jacket for me.

We used to save a biggish present, for example a board game, for after lunch to provide a new focus for over excited children who needed to be distracted whie we were winding down for the Queen's speech.

We never gave them presents beforehand though. What would be the purpose of that?

We always had a pillowcase with small presents first thing but had to wait til after lunch for the main ones. The wait seemed interminable, so much so that our children always had their presents in the morning

The new B&M advert says "Our children didn't know what to get their friends for Christmas so we took them to B&M". It then shows the happy mummy and kids pushing a trolly full of toys. Get real. Children don't need to buy their friends presents. Another ploy to get us spending more.

I'm delighted to say I haven't come across that one yet. Sounds like just another commercial trick to get us to spend more money.

So when does Father Christmas arrive? Does he come twice?

For myself and my siblings as children, the JOY of Xmas eve was the waiting.
The anticipation was so exciting !!!!
It was probably the only time that our Parents ever had to ask us to go to bed.
We could not WAIT to get to bed because we all knew that the morning would bring that familiar rustle of presents at the bottom of our beds.
I would not have changed that for the world.

Never heard of these boxes or the elf but I do admire these parents who do so much for their small children. Or is it just another thing to put on Facebook?

I like the naughty elves My DGS have them (okay, I confess, I bought them last year - it was another GNer who mentioned them!) and they get up to all sorts of things - pinching the cereal, pulling down the tree tinsel, fishing in the wash basin. They were only a couple of quid each - I wouldn't be spending silly money on the "official" ones. The DC seem to enjoy them more than the boys!

And you don't have to think of things for them to do if you have the magic of Google...

My DDs do a 'box' but it is just new PJs, a DVD and popcorn for a snuggly Xmas Eve!

Also last year the DGDs had an Advent Fairy. She asked them to do helpful /kind deeds each week (not daily! ) such as "find 5 toys u don't play with to give to the food bank" etc.

My boys, now in their 30's always had new pjs on Christmas eve which were "hidden" in their bedrooms. e.g. under the mattress, bottom of the bed etc. and were excited to go to bed! That meant on Christmas morning they were photo ready when opening presents ! Our first grandson is having a Christmas eve box. New pj's, book, a first Christmas tree decoration etc. As long as it doesn't get out of control I think it's a lovely idea.

If you find the Elf on the Shelf too expensive, you can always apply for a National Elf. Unfortunately, due to recent cuts, the Elf supply has been severely reduced and you might not get one, thus finding yourself unElfy.

A glass of milk for Father Christmas?? I'd worry that he'd be so hacked off, he wouldn't leave any presents. He needs a good nip of somethjng to keep out the cold. It's a long night's work for someone who's getting on a bit.

We and dds had no elves or Christmas Eve boxes, but were always hyper-excited anyway. As a kid I was excited on the 23rd, because it was Christmas Eve Eve!

Having said that, I don't see any harm in new pyjamas, if they could do with them, and maybe a DVD.

GS2 (nearly 4) was next door with his auntie and she told him that his elf could see through the wall and would know if he was being good. His face was a picture!

Morning everyone
I don't agree with Xmas eve presents but when my girls where small we used to do what we called tree presents we used to wrap little presents up and put them on the Xmas tree and they would choose one a day up until New Year's Day to spread Xmas out for longer they used to love it and now they do it for there children

Personally, I think enough gifts change hands at this time of the year, without adding extras on Christmas Eve. Nothing like a bit of excitement and anticipation waiting for Santa's visit....
When I was young, the Christmas tree was decorated on Christmas Eve; oh, the excitement and the exquisite delight of waking early on Christmas morning to feel my Dad's army sock at the bottom of my bed filled with crackly gifts. I can feel that sensation now 60 years later. Presents, not that many, were opened after lunch before we played games.
One of my DDs is having 'Christmas' this weekend at her inlaws as they won't be seeing them on the Day. Tree, turkey, presents, crackers, the lot. They had a family do last weekend for her fil's birthday. Last Christmas Day I didn't see them but no one bothered with a pre Christmas for me and I have spent my last 2 birthdays alone; the penalty of living hundreds of miles from my family. Me grumpy? Yes and 2x yes . Upside this year is that I will be with all 3 DDs and their families. Even more upside is that there are 2 presents each for the gc's plus, of course, stockings from Santa, and one each for the adults. Small is beautiful

It's a racket, just an excuse, to rip off more gullible people, over the Xmas period. It's all nonsense anyway. Bah, humbug.

Nobody is forced to take on any of these things. If you enjoy it , do it . If you can't or don't want to, then don't.

A bit of nonsense can be fun. If you enjoy these sort of things , great . Nobody is forced to do anything so If not then just don't .

My grandchildren have always been given presents on Christmas Eve. Two of them have a Norwegian grandparent, and the other two are Danish, so it's a natural thing to do.
We have a Danish Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve. Then they open presents from their parents. On Christmas Day it's British tradition, with presents from Santa under the tree.
Aren't we supposed to be a multi cultural society these days?
What's wrong with adopting other traditions?