In this guide
A typical Christmas Eve box holds four kinds of things: new pajamas, a warm drink or snack, something to do before bed, like a book or a movie, and one small bit of Christmas magic, such as reindeer food. Pick one or two from each group and you have a full box. The idea is to make the evening before Christmas feel special and to get the kids into bed calmly.
Below are ideas for each group, then what to put in a Christmas Eve box for each age, a box on a small budget, one filled example and when to hand it over.
What is a Christmas Eve box?
A Christmas Eve box is a small box, basket or bag of treats that children open on the evening of December 24, the night before the big presents. It usually holds things for that evening only, like pajamas to sleep in and a story to read in bed. Some families give one box to share, others one per child.
Any container works. A shoebox wrapped in paper, a gift bag or a basket from the kitchen does the job as well as a wooden box bought for it.
1Something cozy
- Good forevery age
- New pajamas, often matching for the whole family, so they turn up in the photos the next morning.
- Warm socks or slippers, handy on a cold floor on Christmas morning.
- A small blanket for the sofa during the bedtime movie.
- A soft toy for younger kids, who will want to take it to bed.
Wash the pajamas first if they're for a baby or toddler, and check the size a week before, since kids grow over the autumn.
2A treat to eat or drink
- Good forevery age
One or two treats are enough this close to bedtime.
- Hot cocoa with a few marshmallows, or a single-serve packet per child.
- Popcorn for the family movie.
- A few cookies, which can double as the ones left out for Santa.
- A candy cane or one chocolate each.
For toddlers, skip hard candy and whole marshmallows, which are choking hazards at that age.
3Something to do before bed
- Good forages 2 and up
A quiet activity fills the time between dinner and bed.
- A Christmas storybook to read in bed. Some families add one new book every year.
- A family movie for the evening, written on a card if you're streaming it.
- A board game or card game the whole family can play in half an hour.
- Coloring pages and a small set of crayons for the kids who can't sit through a film.
Our bold and easy Christmas coloring pages are made for toddlers and preschoolers: 30 big pictures with thick lines, plus a color cover with a "This coloring book belongs to" line. Staple the pages behind the cover, and it fits flat in the bottom of the box. For a game the whole family can play, Christmas picture bingo has 50 different cards with labeled pictures, so kids who can't read yet can play alongside the grown-ups.
4A bit of Christmas magic
- Good forages 3 to 9, while the kids still believe in Santa
- Reindeer food in a small bag, to sprinkle on the lawn before bed. Mix rolled oats with a spoonful of birdseed and a pinch of colored sugar. Leave out the glitter, which can hurt birds and animals.
- A magic key for homes without a chimney, hung by the front door so Santa can let himself in.
- A Nice List certificate confirming that the child made the list this year.
- A note or letter from Santa saying he'll be there tonight.
- A new ornament to hang on the tree before bed.
Our Christmas Eve box kit covers this part: 4 reindeer food bag toppers and 4 magic key tags, each with a short poem, a Nice List certificate, a note for Santa and a 9-step checklist that walks kids from pajamas to bed. It also has lid labels for the box and 24 gift tags, so each item inside gets a name, like "Cozy Pajamas" or "Bedtime Story".
What to put in a Christmas Eve box for each age
The four groups work for everyone. What changes with age is what goes in them.
- Babies and 1-year-olds: pajamas, a soft book, a teething-safe toy, a first ornament with the year on it. The box is really for the parents and the photos, so keep it simple.
- Toddlers and 2-year-olds: pajamas, a board book, a soft toy, chunky crayons and one coloring page, a small snack they already know. Avoid anything small enough to swallow.
- Ages 3 to 7: pajamas, reindeer food, a magic key, a storybook, cocoa, a Nice List certificate. Most of the magic items suit this age best.
- Ages 8 to 12: pajamas or a hoodie, a chapter book or puzzle book, a card game, popcorn, a small craft. Put them in charge of reading the story to younger siblings.
- Teens: comfy socks or a hoodie, a face mask or lip balm, snacks they choose themselves, a new phone case or earbuds case, a card with a movie pick. Let them choose the snacks.
- Adults: new pajamas, a mug, good hot chocolate or tea, a candle, a book, a small bottle of something for later. A box for a partner can simply be the same box as the kids' with grown-up versions of each item.
Christmas Eve box ideas on a small budget
A Christmas Eve box doesn't have to cost much. Most of the contents are things you would buy for the evening anyway.
- Wrap a shoebox or reuse a gift bag instead of buying a box.
- Use pajamas you'd buy for winter anyway, and hold them back until December 24.
- Make the reindeer food from oats you already have.
- Borrow the Christmas storybook from the library in mid-December.
- Print the tags, labels, coloring pages and a bingo game at home.
For free pages to start with, try the free Christmas coloring pages and the free Christmas picture bingo. If you need help with paper and settings, see how to print printables.
An example Christmas Eve box
Here is one filled box for two kids, aged 4 and 9, sharing one box:
- Two pairs of new pajamas, each tied with a name tag
- Two packets of hot cocoa and a handful of marshmallows
- A bag of popcorn and a card with the movie for tonight
- One Christmas storybook for the 9-year-old to read aloud
- Coloring pages and crayons for the 4-year-old
- A bag of reindeer food with a topper
- A magic key on a ribbon
- A Nice List certificate with both names on it
Everything fits in a shoebox. The kids change into the pajamas, sprinkle the reindeer food outside, watch the movie with the popcorn and read the story in bed.
When to give a Christmas Eve box
The usual time is the evening of December 24, after dinner and before the bath or pajamas. That way the pajamas go straight on and the rest of the box fills the last hour or two before bed.
Some leave it on the kids' beds while they're out, or have it "delivered" to the doorstep with a knock on the door. Families with a Christmas elf sometimes have the elf bring the box on its last night; see our elf arrival ideas for the goodbye letter. With young children, give it early enough in the evening that there's time to use everything without a late bedtime.
Questions and answers
What do you put in a Christmas Eve box?
A typical box holds new pajamas, a warm drink or snack, a book or movie for the evening and one magic item such as reindeer food or a note from Santa. One or two things from each group is enough.
What do you put in a Christmas Eve box for a toddler?
Pajamas, a board book, a soft toy, chunky crayons with one or two coloring pages and a snack they already eat. Leave out hard candy, whole marshmallows and anything small enough to swallow.
What do you put in a Christmas Eve box for older kids and teens?
Swap the magic items for things they pick themselves: a hoodie or cozy socks, their favorite snacks, a puzzle book or card game and a movie for the night. Giving them a job, like reading the story to younger kids, helps too.
What do you put in a Christmas Eve box for adults?
New pajamas, a mug, good hot chocolate or tea, a candle and a book work for most adults. A box for a partner can match the kids' boxes, with grown-up versions of each item.
When do you open a Christmas Eve box?
Usually on the evening of December 24, after dinner and before bedtime. Some families open it in the afternoon so there's time for a movie and a game before the kids go to bed.