A Christmas Eve box is a small box of treats opened on the evening of 24 December, usually just before bed. It has become a much-loved tradition in homes across Ireland and the UK, and it turns the most excitable night of the year into a calm, cosy one: new pyjamas on, something warm to drink, a film or a story, then lights out. Here are Christmas Eve box ideas for every age, including the dog, plus how to put one together without overspending.
What to put in a Christmas Eve box
There are no fixed rules, but most boxes follow the same idea: everything you need for a cosy night in. A good starting point is one item from each of these groups:
- Something to wear: new pyjamas, fluffy socks or slippers.
- Something to do: a book, a film, a jigsaw or a card game.
- Something to drink or nibble: hot chocolate, marshmallows, popcorn or a few biscuits.
- Something for the magic: a letter from Santa, reindeer food or a new decoration for the tree.
Four or five items are plenty. The box is the warm-up, not the main event, so keep the bigger presents for the morning.
Christmas Eve box ideas for young children
- Christmas pyjamas in the next size up, so they still fit in spring.
- A Christmas picture book to read together in bed.
- A small torch for looking out for Santa's sleigh from the bedroom window.
- Reindeer food to sprinkle in the garden. Plain porridge oats are enough; skip the glitter, which can harm birds and other wildlife.
- A plate and a glass for Santa, ready for the mince pie, the drink and the carrot for Rudolph.
- Their own mug for the hot chocolate, with a candy cane to stir it.
Ideas for older children and teenagers
Teenagers may roll their eyes at reindeer food, but few turn down a night in. Swap the magic for comfort:
- A hoodie or loungewear instead of character pyjamas.
- A film-night kit: their pick of film, popcorn and their favourite sweets.
- A puzzle book, a card game or a new paperback.
- Fluffy socks, a lip balm or a face mask.
Christmas Eve box ideas for adults and couples
Grown-ups enjoy Christmas Eve too, especially when someone else has done the thinking.
- Good pyjamas or a dressing gown, the kind you'd never buy for yourself.
- A hot chocolate kit or a bag of mulled wine spices.
- A board game or a 1,000-piece jigsaw for the quiet days between Christmas and New Year.
- A book to start that night. In Iceland, giving books on Christmas Eve and reading them in bed is a tradition known as Jólabókaflóð, the ‘Christmas book flood’.
- For anyone with a dog or cat: a self-cleaning pet hair remover, so the outfit for Christmas Day visits leaves the house without a layer of fur. It works on clothes, sofas, blankets and car seats, with no sticky sheets to replace.
A Christmas Eve box for the dog (or cat)
If your pet is in the family photos, they can have a box too. Keep it simple and safe:
- A new toy that suits their size, with no small parts that could be chewed off and swallowed.
- A few treats made for dogs or cats rather than leftovers from the table.
- A soft blanket for their bed, so they have a quiet spot when the house fills up with visitors.
Keep chocolate, mince pies, Christmas pudding and anything with raisins, sultanas or currants well away from pets: they are toxic to dogs. Boxes sitting under the tree are easy for a curious nose to open, so store the human boxes up high until it's time. Shopping for a dog lover as well? Have a look at our stocking fillers for dog lovers, or browse everything for pets and the home.
How to put one together without overspending
- Set a budget per box before you shop and stick to it. Much of what goes inside is food and pyjamas you'd buy for Christmas anyway.
- Use a box you can keep. A sturdy wooden or cardboard box with a name on it can come out every year; a shoebox covered in wrapping paper works just as well.
- Shop in November. By the week before Christmas, festive pyjamas in the right size are often sold out.
- Mix bought and homemade. A handwritten letter from Santa costs nothing and is often what children remember most.
When to open it
Many families hand the box over after tea on Christmas Eve, an hour or two before bed: bath, new pyjamas, hot chocolate, a film or a story, then sleep. If you're spending the 24th with relatives, pack the box and open it wherever you're staying. The routine matters more than the place, and that's what makes a Christmas Eve box worth repeating every year.