Christmas Eve box ideas

A Christmas Eve box is one box, opened after tea on the 24th, holding the things that make the evening feel like an event: something to wear, something to watch, something to eat, something to do.

Four items is the sweet spot. More than that and it competes with Christmas morning, which is the mistake most people make in year one.

Below are ideas by age, plus fillers under £5 and the things not worth buying.

The four-item formula

• Something to wear: pyjamas, a Christmas jumper or novelty socks.
• Something to watch: a film, or a note saying which one and what time.
• Something to eat: hot chocolate, marshmallows, a chocolate coin or two.
• Something to do: a book, a jigsaw, a quiz, a colouring set or a card to write for Santa.
• Optional fifth: something small and keepsake, like a pin badge or a decoration with the year on it.

Christmas Eve box ideas for toddlers

• Pyjamas one size up so they get worn again in January.
• A board book about Christmas.
• A reindeer food kit - oats and edible glitter in a bag.
• A plate and note for Santa's mince pie.
• Bath crayons for the pre-bed bath.
• One bath bomb or a small bubble bath.
• A soft toy, if the box is doing the job of an extra present.

Christmas Eve box ideas for children

• New pyjamas and slipper socks.
• A Christmas film on DVD or a printed 'ticket' for a streaming film.
• Hot chocolate sachet, marshmallows and a candy cane.
• A Christmas activity book, word search or the quiz from our Christmas quiz page.
• A torch for reading after lights out.
• A pin badge or keyring - small, keepsake, survives the year.
• A jigsaw for the family to start that evening.
• A letter from Santa confirming they're on the list.

Christmas Eve box ideas for teenagers

• Decent socks or a hoodie - the practical present they'd never say thank you for on the day.
• Snacks they actually like, not novelty ones.
• A gift card for the film or game they've mentioned.
• Skincare, lip balm or a face mask.
• A card with a genuinely nice message inside, which lands better than you'd think.
• Headphones or a phone accessory if the box replaces a bigger gift.

Christmas Eve box ideas for adults and couples

• A candle to light while the tree lights are on. Shop this card
• A bottle of something and two glasses.
• Posh hot chocolate and a bar of good chocolate.
• A film, a takeaway menu and no cooking on the 24th.
• A card each, to open after the children are in bed.
• A coaster set or print for the house - useful long after the box.

Budget fillers under £5

• Candy canes and chocolate coins.
• A pack of Christmas gift tags for wrapping the last presents together.
• Reindeer food made from porridge oats.
• A printed Christmas quiz.
• A pin badge.
• Table confetti scattered in the bottom of the box instead of tissue paper.
• A homemade voucher: 'one lie-in on Boxing Day'.

What to skip

• Anything noisy after 7pm on Christmas Eve. You will regret it.
• Big toys - they overshadow the morning and blur the whole point.
• Tat that breaks by Boxing Day; one keepsake beats six plastic bits.
• A second full advent's worth of chocolate. They've had twenty-four doors already.

Shop Christmas cards

Banners, toppers and confetti

Party bits designed in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Buy the box itself once, in a plain wooden or fabric style, and reuse it every year.
• Write the year on one keepsake item - a badge, tag or decoration - and it becomes the thing they keep.
• Wrap the pyjamas separately inside the box so they're opened first.

Where to shop next

• Elf on the Shelf ideas
• Christmas Eve box ideas
• Advent calendar ideas
• Christmas quiz questions
• Christmas traditions in the UK
• World Book Day ideas
• Eid card messages
• Diwali card messages
• Chinese New Year card messages
• Christmas cards
• Secret Santa gift ideas
• Pin badges
• Buy party supplies
• Cake toppers
• Table confetti
• Celebration ideas
• Work Christmas party ideas
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

What goes in a Christmas Eve box?

Something to wear, something to watch, something to eat and something to do. Four items is enough - the box is meant to set up the evening, not compete with Christmas morning.

How much should a Christmas Eve box cost?

Most UK families spend £10 to £20 a box. Pyjamas are usually the biggest line; everything else can be under £5.

When do you open a Christmas Eve box?

After tea on the 24th, so the pyjamas go straight on and the film starts. Some families open it at breakfast instead to stretch the day out.

Do adults have Christmas Eve boxes?

Plenty do - usually a candle, something to drink, a film and a card, opened once the children are asleep.