Christmas Eve Box Ideas for the Whole Family

Personalised Christmas Eve boxes are a fun new trend that can be enjoyed by the whole family on the night before Christmas!

Some of our favourite Christmas Eve box filler ideas include: 

• Sweet treats and Christmassy snacks
• Cosy pyjamas
• Festive games, books or favourite activities
• Alcoholic goodies
• Specially chosen decorations

In a slight twist on the tradition of opening presents during Christmas Day, more and more households are discovering the joy of family Christmas Eve boxes. These wonderful packages allow your loved ones to exchange a few little presents on Christmas Eve.

This helps to build excitement for the big day itself - plus, if you have children, it works really well to distract them or help to calm them down while you prep for tomorrow! 

So what do you put in a Christmas Eve box? In this article, the team at B&M will share Christmas Eve box ideas for adults and kids alike. 

Things to put in a Christmas Eve box

The key to creating a perfect Christmas Eve box is to give a little taster of what’s to come without peaking too soon!

The idea is to prepare your loved ones for Christmas Day, so some of your gifts should help to keep them nice and cosy as they wait for Santa. Books are ideal for this; you can tuck your little ones in and read to them, making sure they’re sound asleep before Santa comes! 

Other prezzies might be perfect for keeping little ones calm or to distract them - or for helping them expend a little excited energy! Family interaction is important at Christmas, so games, crafts and group activities are great. 

The rest of your gifts can be sweet, thoughtful tokens - like a few miniatures of a favourite drink for grownups, or a pretty Christmas decoration with your child’s name on it. Try to make these gifts memorable and heartfelt. 

Read on for some more tips on how to achieve the ideal Christmas Eve box in a way that is exciting and affordable.

Sweet treats and Christmassy snacks 

There’s nothing cosier than curling up on the sofa with your loved ones and sharing some lovely treats on 24th December! 

From fun and festive sweeties to popcorn enjoyed in front of your favourite Christmas movie, the best snacks are ones that can be enjoyed together. And of course, who can forget that most iconic of seasonal sweeties - the candy cane?

Brew up some decadent hot chocolate, and you’ll have a warm, fuzzy feeling like nothing else!

Any leftovers can be kept and enjoyed tomorrow to complement your Christmas dinner, or to keep you going between times! 

Cosy pyjamas 

For families who love to wait for Santa in style! There’s nothing more snuggly than brand new pyjamas, and who can resist taking some adorable festive snaps showing the whole family in matching Yuletide sleepwear?

Festive games, books or favourite activities

 The perfect Christmas Eve box ideas for kids should include a few items to distract them or help them expend some energy so they can get a little sleep! 

If your little ones are creative, why not get them to make some colourful slime or draw pictures of Santa and his elves using a brand new art kit? Older family members might want to try their hand at painting with elegant acrylics.

B&M Top Tip: You could even have a go at a group project by baking cookies or building a gingerbread house together! The great thing about this is that you can eat your work afterwards… or tomorrow as part of Christmas dinner.

Books are among the most timeless of Christmas Eve gift ideas. Once things start winding down for the night, you can read to your little ones to make sure they fall asleep in time for Santa!

Interactive themed reading is great too, as you can really involve your little ones in the Christmas spirit!

Alcoholic goodies 

If you’re seeking out Xmas Eve box ideas for adults only, you can always rely on a cheeky splash of festive booze! Why not grab your loved one a selection of refreshing gins, complete with matching botanicals?

Even better, you can help them set the mood in which to enjoy their tipple too! Seasonal scented candles and bath fizzers always go down a treat.

Specially chosen decorations

Give each family member a way to remember this Christmas as one that was extra special. Why not give each person their own special snow globe, or include a personalised bauble for each of your kids to hang on the tree?

Handmade gifts are a particularly thoughtful option here - so why not look into a few “paint your own” options?

Last but not least - the box! 

To make your gifts extra-magical, they need to come in a super-Christmassy box! The best options are large, strong and sturdy. That way, they can be used for toy or book storage - and you’ll be able to bring them out again next Christmas Eve! 

For a little inspiration, you’ll find a few options here.

We think that the best time to open your Christmas Eve box is a couple of hours before bedtime. That gives you plenty of time to take family photos in your new PJs, play your games and try out your crafts.

Make sure you haven’t already brushed your teeth if you want to enjoy some lovely sweeties, though! 

So, for the perfect Christmas Eve box, why not choose some delicious snacks, snuggly PJs, a few of your family members’ favourite games or activities, seasonal books, some festive booze (just for the grownups) or beautiful decorations to make the day memorable?

To get a little present inspiration - either for Christmas Eve or the big day itself, check out our superb Christmas gift section for high quality, affordable options for all the family.

Have you had awesome ideas for a Christmas Eve box? Share them with the B&M Community on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram?