Xmas eve boxes....wtf?

[merryone]

This year on face book I have noticed quite a few people display pictures of their xmas eve boxes, I wasn't really quite sure what they were so I googled it and apparently it's a new tradition that aims to break up the anticipation of xmas for kids by giving them a box of goodies they can open early..suggestions for contents...pair of pyjamas, books, sweets, xmas dvd. How flaming ridiculous? What's wrong with putting on an old pair of jamas and watching a xmas movie on xmas eve and maybe eating a bowl of popcorn or sharing round a bag of sweets? They don't have to be new fgs, or put in a box with the kids name on ...just another way of trying to put pressure on people to spend more money at the already crazily expensive time of the year...Same with "Tree presents" - what the hell's that all about? Members of hubby's family do this, they have their dinner then open their tree presents...I think the host foots the bill for these and they're not cheap things...bottles of perfume, aftershave, small toys for the kids..like they haven't had enough already...I think it's lunacy!

I think activities on xmas eve are a nice idea for the kids, but how about getting santa's mince pie etc ready, or inventing a game...like a treasure hunt, just so long as it doesn't go anywhere near the present stash, there's loads of things you could do without resorting to just giving extra presents!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Sooooo agree! I have been reading about this over the past few months and like yourself thought WTF.

are these the sort of things that OTT Xmas stockings contain? Does this now mean you need another lot for stockings...and trees... and Uncle Tom Colby and all?

A family tradition is nice but does it have to involve yet more presents? The thing about traditions, good or bad, is once started are impossible to stop. Woe betide anyone who wants to do something else one year and not be there for it.

As someone who has always hosted Christmas (week long guests) the cost is mind blowing without adding more to it.

 

[pyjama princess]

I'm a paper crafter and belong to several groups on FB. Loads of crafters have been making boxes for these Christmas Eve Boxes. As much as I love the boxes they've made I don't favour the idea of pre Christmas gifts. I know in some countries they exchange their gifts on Christmas Eve but that's instead of Christmas Day not as well as. It's bringing kids up to think Christmas is about nothing other than receiving presents.

 

[merryone]

When I was a kid it was all about the anticipation and excitement of xmas day, and despite begging and pleading to be able to open a present or two early - The answer would always be a firm "No", and when I was very young I'd be told that santa hasn't come yet anyway!!! Like you say, absolutely nothing wrong with individual family traditions for what they do on xmas eve...but it doesn't, and imo shouldn't involve spending more money, or giving extra gifts....why try and dilute the one magical day the kids have...they'll be grown up and possibly not bothered with it before you know! Since I started this thread about 3 more people have posted pics of their xmas eve boxes, and when I was googling it before I noticed that they were trying to suggest that xmas eve boxes are not just for the kids either. Back to tree presents, back in the day a friend of mine's family used to have tree presents which were generic gifts wrapped in colour coded paper, so if an unexpected guest arrived they'd have a little something to give them...remember once in my teens I'd run out of ciggies on the evening of xmas day, had no money, nor a shop to buy them in if I had, I phoned my mate to say hi, and to break the boredom and moan about my lag of cigs!..she suggested I popped round....Her mum handed me a "tree pressie", I opened what turned out to be a drum of 50 JPS ciggies! How did she know? lol!....I was thrilled to bits! Most people these days a tree present is another extra to open at the dinner table, yeah sometimes I've heard them called "table presents"...what's wrong with the contents of a good old christmas cracker I ask?!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

When we were kids we received a really good birthday and Christmas present because my parents scrimped for the months coming up to Christmas plus we had an unmarried uncle and maternal grandmother who contributed.

If I was getting a doll’s pram from Santa then my parents present was the pram cover etc, my gran the doll and my uncle the dolls clothes. Or a bike would have them buying the extras as their gift, same with a dolls house. Now one present has to encompass every possible accessory possible and that is just the start.

Our stockings had the obligatory orange, chocolate pennies and perhaps colouring book and pencils! Full stop.

And we were considered very lucky as the main Santa present was a good quality item, not a big quantity but good, lasted for years and years.

One woman I know ( not desperately well off and another young child herself) has a new granddaughter less than 6 months old and the toys she is buying is unbelievable . Bad way to start.

 

[stratobuddy]

This year for the first time I've opened up crackers to put lots of extra small items in them, e.g. a key ring torch and various wrapped chocolates.

The upside for me was that I was able to choose my own cracker prizes that were already there, for example, I bagged the nail clippers.

 

[merryone]

When we were kids we received a really good birthday and Christmas present because my parents scrimped for the months coming up to Christmas plus we had an unmarried uncle and maternal grandmother who contributed.

If I was getting a doll’s pram from Santa then my parents present was the pram cover etc, my gran the doll and my uncle the dolls clothes. Or a bike would have them buying the extras as their gift, same with a dolls house. Now one present has to encompass every possible accessory possible and that is just the start.

Our stockings had the obligatory orange, chocolate pennies and perhaps colouring book and pencils! Full stop.

And we were considered very lucky as the main Santa present was a good quality item, not a big quantity but good, lasted for years and years.

One woman I know ( not desperately well off and another young child herself) has a new granddaughter less than 6 months old and the toys she is buying is unbelievable . Bad way to start.

I'm so sorry but at a glance I thought it said penises!!! Shame on me...you don't want those in your stockings eh?

 

[maymorganlondon]

You don't have to wonder why they say everyone's suffering with more and more stress!!!
Teacher's gifts, tree presents, table presents, boxing day boxes, Santa presents, secret Santa, family presents, now blimmin' Christmas eve presents. The economy is precariously balanced on the shoulders of the consumer... Instead of businesses going bust, they want to drive everyone to bankruptcy, or a nervous breakdown!

All this desperation to squeeze every last penny out of Christmas, and with it, peace of mind. I don't blame people for feeling completely turned off by the greed and banality of it all.

My valued parts of Christmas include anticipation, camaraderie, laughter, catching up with old friends, playing charades, sharing a sit-down meal. Presents are a nice extra, but not central to what's important. The religious side of it has no relevance to me, beyond being kind to others and giving to charities to help others have a nice Christmas.

This year it has snuck up on me, so I've only managed a little bit of anticipation, but I'm in my Santa Christmas jumper, finally unwinding.

Bah, humbug to all the commercially-motivated new "traditions" they keep inventing. They are ruining everything nice about the festive season!!!!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

How the heck the economy isn’t booming given all this extra present buying and people working all the hours to pay for them beats me.

I think you get to an age when you just don’t want the extra hassle.

Personally I hate Christmas and all that goes along with it but it’s a fact of life that everyone expects you to do your bit and Lordy it is bliddy hard to play it down when the shops and our beloved Q is in overdrive from July.

Ba humbug!

 

[merryone]

I hate it too, but mainly cos it's now literally half the blinking year! Xmas starts rearing its head in September and by the end of October it's full blown! Wish it was like it was back in the day when christmas started on the 1st of december!

 

[loveallthingsitalian]

Apart from doing your letter to Santa I was never aware of anything happening until bedtime Christmas eve and hanging up your stocking. Ofcourse my mother could have been under pressure to which I was oblivious but I don’t really think so.

 

[iloveshopping]

This year for the first time I've opened up crackers to put lots of extra small items in them, e.g. a key ring torch and various wrapped chocolates.

The upside for me was that I was able to choose my own cracker prizes that were already there, for example, I bagged the nail clippers.

I’m still using some nail clippers I got in an Xmas cracker at least 5 years ago! That was a good year for crackers

 

[iloveshopping]

I remember tree presents that were chocolates. These Xmas eve boxes are ridiculous. I wonder if this came from the US. Some are starting minimalism. Now that trend would be good

 

[merryone]

I remember tree presents that were chocolates. These Xmas eve boxes are ridiculous. I wonder if this came from the US. Some are starting minimalism. Now that trend would be good

That would be good! I wouldn't mind xmas if it was like it was back when I was a kid/teen- but let's face it, it's never gonna happen, it'll more than likely get even more commercial, even earlier and even more over indulgent! I've got to be honest and I'll say I actually hate it now, whilst I appreciate it's a time when family who don't see enough of each other, if they're lucky get the time off to spend together, but for me now- it's just a circus! Working in food retail doesn't help either, xmas is in my face from the moment when the christmas stock starts dribbling in...october usually. People used to have to save up for christmas in order to make it special, not only that because it was only really got going in the middle of December it was more special anyway. Now everybody's got credit coming out of their ears and debt to match, for one day that's over in a flash! Christmas used to be about little treats, now it's about going totally over the top, it's just gluttony every which way you look at it. I'm not religious in any way shape or form, but as a kid we did attend carol concerts and the odd church service...Black Friday, Christmas Eve boxes...what's next I wonder? Got so much in the way of toiletries this year, I literally don't know what to do with them, I think i'll just shove 'em in a bag upstairs and plough my way through...reckon on having about 3 years worth...seriously! I may be talking an utter load of crap here, but back in the day...a set of luxurious toiletries was something to have..all year round it'd be the supermarket specials, or imperial leather, lux or what have you, then at xmas someone would buy you a set of Marks n' Sparks peach soaps, or something pretty from Avon or the Body shop and it would feel like a wonderful treat, and as for the amount of fragrances available I'm sure there was far less to choose from...Rich folk wore the Chanels , mum wore Rive Gauche, nan wore Tweed and the teens - Charlie and Smitty and impulse body spray of course...Now the teens are wearing Thierry Mugler, Marc Jacobs, no wonder everyone's in debt....It's crazy and set to get worse..Bah humbug..sorry folks!

 

[Evie]

My family come round for a few hours on Christmas Eve. We have a cold buffet and exchange presents to be opened on Christmas Day. We all have lunch on Christmas Day with my daughter and her family. My husband asked our 7 year old granddaughter what she likes best about Christmas and she told him it was spending time with her family. I am so proud of her!