The classic contents
- New pyjamas. The heart of most boxes, worn straight after it is opened. If your child is between sizes, go up one: they will be worn all winter.
- A book for that night. The bedtime story on Christmas Eve. A book they have never seen makes the evening feel different from every other.
- A warm drink kit. A mug, a hot chocolate sachet and a few marshmallows. For a toddler, warm milk in a new cup is treat enough.
- A film to watch together. A DVD, or a hand-made ticket for a Christmas film you will stream, with a bag of popcorn.
- Something for Santa. A plate or a paper bag for the cookies, and a carrot for the reindeer.
- Reindeer food. Oats mixed with a little birdseed, to scatter on the lawn or a windowsill. Leave out glitter: wildlife charities ask people not to use it, because birds and animals eat it.
- Socks or slippers. Warm feet for Christmas morning, when everyone is up before the heating.
Ideas by age
- Babies and toddlers (0 to 2). Keep it soft and simple: pyjamas, a picture book you read to them, a soft toy. Check age labels, because toys with small parts are not for children under three, and skip the sweets.
- Three to five. They understand the countdown now. Add a torch for looking out for Santa’s sleigh from the window, a reindeer colouring sheet, or a sticker book for the morning.
- Six and seven. A puzzle or a short chapter book, a letter “from Santa” that mentions real things they did this year, or a small craft kit to open first thing on Christmas Day.
The book: one that is about them
Almost every Christmas Eve box has a book in it, because the night ends with a story in bed. A personalized picture book, where your child is the hero of their own Christmas Eve, is the part of the box they may keep long after the pyjamas stop fitting.
Budget and timing
- Most of it is in the cupboard already. Pyjamas and the book are the main costs; the drink, the snack and the reindeer food are from the kitchen.
- The box itself. A shoebox wrapped in paper with their name on the lid works as well as a bought one, and it can come out again next year.
- When to open it. Many families give it after dinner, so the bath, the pyjamas and the story run straight into bedtime.
- Order early. Anything made to order or printed for you needs more time in December, when printers and the post are busiest.
A quick checklist
- Pyjamas: one size up if in doubt
- A book: for the story that night
- A warm drink: and a new mug
- For Santa and the reindeer: a cookie plate, a carrot, glitter-free reindeer food
- Socks or slippers: for the morning
- One small surprise: a torch, a sticker book or a little craft