A Christmas Eve box for kids is a small gift box filled with treats, small gifts, or festive items given to kids on December 24th. It provides a fun way to spread holiday cheer and entertain the kids before Christmas morning.

Popular selections include new pajamas, storybooks, snacks, or crafts. Families use these boxes to create Christmas traditions and make kids feel magical.

For inspiration on what to stuff your own box, explore our Christmas Eve box ideas below: 

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. 

Key Takeaways

• Add the Christmas Eve box for kids tradition to your holidays!
• By adding Christmas-themed treats, a Christmas book, new pjs, and family games to your box, you are promoting quality time and helping the whole family connect.
• Customizing each box to your kiddo’s interests and including a note of love is what makes this gift special!
• Opening the box together on December 24th, whenever it works for your family, can become a tradition to treasure.
• Make the experience even more exciting by decorating the box with festive elements and including holiday-themed activities.
• KEEP IT FLEXIBLE AND FUN! You can customize the Christmas Eve box to your family’s values and time frame.

What are Christmas Eve boxes?

The Christmas Eve box tradition is an easy way to add more magic for kids during the holidays!

Typically, it is a small box that is stocked with small presents and treats. In my family, we recently switched to using a Christmas sack, since we are a larger family, but it is a Christmas-time tradition that the entire family looks forward to each year. 

You present it to your kiddos on Christmas Eve night. Inside, you could include Christmas pajamas, a Christmas story, a new ornament, or a sweet treat. Others add a holiday movie or a hot chocolate mix. It’s all about making the wait for Christmas morning more enjoyable and keeping your little ones occupied and jolly.

The concept of Christmas Eve boxes has its roots in older traditions in other lands. One key influence is the German tradition of families exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve as opposed to Christmas Day. Eventually, this concept took off and evolved. Even if they are from places that do not originally have this tradition, a lot of families are using these boxes as a new way to create their own traditions.

The best part is that with this fun Christmas tradition, there is no right or wrong way to create a Christmas Eve box for kids. You just do what suits your family’s taste and budget!

What’s inside Christmas Eve boxes?

Christmas Eve boxes have evolved into an easy means to add more magic to the Christmas fun the night before Christmas. Think of these boxes as a combination of treats, trinkets, and things to keep your kids busy while they wait for Santa’s arrival, designed to create that cozy, magical family time feeling. Whatever you pick, it will illustrate what’s important to your family, whether it’s telling a story, creating something, or simply pausing to appreciate each other.

Some popular items to include in Christmas Eve boxes are:

• Vouchers for special outings or activities
• Holiday pajamas
• Christmas-themed books
• Unique ornament
• Sweet treats, like small cakes or candy
• Simple games or puzzles
• Christmas crafts like a Gingerbread house
• Favorite Christmas movie
• Personalized notes or letters from Santa
• Hot Cocoa Mix

What to put in a Christmas Eve box?

You can’t go wrong when it comes to creating a Christmas Eve box. Whether you go with items from the dollar store or even go with a specific themed Christmas Eve box, the whole point is to encourage the entire family to spend time together on Christmas Eve. 

Each year, I like to add a new surprise for my kids. Last year, we added the Christmas Poop Log to our Christmas Eve Box, and this year we’re going to have Christmas-themed coloring books.  

Who is the Christmas Eve box from?

In my home, the elves deliver the Christmas Eve box on Christmas Eve. However, yours could be from a relative, the reindeer, or Santa himself. It’s entirely up to you. 

The box transcends a box of gifts and becomes a sign of being together. It has the potential to transform the night before Christmas into a more intimate, snuggly moment removed from the hustle of the season.

When to give the Christmas Eve box?

A Christmas Eve box is most frequently presented on the evening of 24th December, just before Christmas Day. This tradition provides a method to celebrate the beginning of Christmas with a little something special for your children. No timing is strict, and most families make up their own rules based on what works best for them.

What counts is that the box adds a bit of happiness and helps your kids experience that Christmas Eve magic. It’s your call, and you can vary it as your family expands or your plans evolve.

When to open the Christmas Eve box

There are no hard and fast rules about when you have to open the box. Most families open it on Christmas Eve, taking the opportunity to build excitement for the following day.

For us, we do it after dinner, that way we’re all able to shower and put on the new pajamas, and prepare for the remainder of the evening – family holiday photos, Gingerbread house making, baking cookies for Santa, and doing other activities from the box, and finally ending with hot chocolate and a Christmas movie. 

How to create a Christmas Eve box for kids

Usually, I do create a Christmas Eve box. However, last year I decided that we would switch over to bags as the bags can be reused year after year, and I’m not scrambling around for a box that will fit everything. 

Step 1: Get a box or bag

The first step is to secure a box or bag that can hold all of the items that you plan to put inside the Christmas Eve box or bag. 

Amazon has some cute reusable bags available, and if you do a lot of online shopping, you could just hold on to one of the boxes that your items come in.

Step 2: Get comfortable Christmas PJs

One of the main highlights of the Christmas Eve box is the Christmas PJs. We typically do matching ones so we can do Christmas Eve photos, but don’t feel obligated to go for matching PJs if your budget does not allow it. 

I typically get our matching Christmas PJs during the summer months, as that’s when I find the best deals. If you wait until after Halloween to purchase matching PJ,s you’re going to run into 2 potential problems:

1. It will be hard to find cute, comfortable ones that will ship on time and/or are available in everyone’s sizes.
2. The price will be insane. $20 and up per person just isn’t ideal for those of us with large families, even if the PJs can be worn outside of Christmas. 

Where to purchase matching Christmas PJs

If you’re looking to score the best deals on matching Christmas PJs, I’d personally recommend Amazon or Children’s Place. However, with Amazon, you do have to make sure to read through the reviews and try to go with sellers that have customers who have left photo reviews, so you know exactly what to expect. 

You can take it one step further by adding Santa hats and/or matching Christmas outfits to your Christmas Eve box, too. 

Read Also: Top 15 Stores With the Best Matching Christmas Pajama Sets

Step 3: Add a Christmas-themed activity

The Christmas-themed activity that you go with could be a puzzle, game, or book. We’ve done all sorts of Christmas-themed activities over the years. 

From putting together a Christmas-themed puzzle to playing Christmas-themed board games, AND even doing Christmas-themed coloring books. 

The goal is just to have fun spending time together unplugged doing something fun. 

Step 4 (optional): Add in hot chocolate, popcorn, and a Christmas movie

After the Christmas-themed activity is wrapped up we like to wind down and wait for bedtime by watching a Christmas movie with popcorn and hot chocolate. 

This year I did come across some edible chocolate spoons, so they’re going inside the Christmas Eve bag as a nice sweet surprise. 

Best family Christmas movies

Not sure what family Christmas movie to watch this year? Here are some of our favorites: 

• The Year Without a Santa Claus
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• Nestor The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey
• Frosty’s Winter Wonderland
• Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July
• Rudolph’s Shiny New Year
• Twas The Night Before Christmas
• Jack Frost
• Jingle Jangle
• Home Alone
• The Polar Express
• A Christmas Carol

Step 5: Deliver the Christmas Eve box or Christmas Eve bag on Christmas Eve

Once you’ve got everything packed inside the Christmas Eve box or Christmas Eve bag, all that’s left to do is deliver it on Christmas Eve. 

You can have it mysteriously appear under the tree, on the counter, or wherever else you’re sure the kids are sure to notice it. 

Final thoughts

A Christmas Eve box is a fun tradition that allows you to spend time together as a family on xmas eve. You personalize it by stuffing it with tiny presents, treats, or activities that fit your family vibe. Your kids get to open it on Christmas Eve, and it makes that night feel special and effortless. A cozy pair of socks, a special candy, or a new book makes them smile and keeps it easy! Don’t worry about big plans or big gifts. You can customize the box to accommodate your budget and your family’s style. For an extra dose of joy and serenity to your holiday, gift a Christmas Eve box this year, and make it a part of your family’s Christmas Eve traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of a Christmas Eve box for kids?

A Christmas Eve box is just plain cool, plus it’s a great way to start new holiday traditions. It presents your child with mini Christmas gifts and activities to enjoy leading up to the big day. This magic tradition creates wonderful family memories for kids of all ages.

What age is best for a Christmas Eve box?

This is a great tradition at any age!

Can I personalize the Christmas Eve box?

Yes, you can customize the box with your child’s name or favorite theme. Personal touches make the gift extra special and memorable for your child.

What are popular items to include in a Christmas Eve box?

Some of the favorites are holiday PJs, books, snacks, small toys, coloring books, and a hot chocolate mug. Pick things that are safe and age-appropriate for your kid.

Is a Christmas Eve box a replacement for other gifts?

No, a Christmas Eve box is its own tradition. It doesn’t substitute for primary holiday presents. Instead, it injects a tiny happy moment before the big event.

Do Christmas Eve boxes need to be expensive?

No, Christmas Eve boxes can be easy and inexpensive. Concentrate on the significant, little things your kid will love. It’s about the experience, not the price.