It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. About time too, I find each year more and more people shun you for getting excited about Christmas if it's even a week before the big day. I'm a sucker for the Christmas magic, I really am, especially now we've got the boys I think it's the perfect excuse to go that little bit over the top. We've done a Christmas Eve box for the past two years as it's a sure fire way to keep those restless souls busy for the day, it adds to excitement and it's just a super sweet idea.
Our box is aimed at the family, we don't have any main theme or really any idea what's going to go in it until we start curating the pieces over the month of December. I try to equal the items out between busy and cosy, I want the day to be fun and interesting because I know how raucous they can get if they're not occupied, but I also like the evening to be really slow and calm. I'd like to think it reflects in the box. Of course there is me and John here too and I don't forget us in all of the magic, so you'll notice a couple of grown up items in there too.
During the day, as I mentioned I really want to keep the boys busy, and when I say boys I'm really meaning Noah as Patrick is still a little too young to understand the excitement of Christmas. We're already heading out to watch Home Alone in our local independent cinema the day before, so I thought for Christmas eve some colouring and baking would be a great way to spend the day. In the morning I'm hoping we can build the gingerbread house and as it's our first year I've bought this ready to go kit, I've seen many fails of these over the years from others and I'm sure we'll have our own to add to the bunch, but it'll be fun nonetheless. The cookie mix is a tradition that John started, he loves to bake with Noah but if we're honest he isn't all that great, a mix is pretty fail safe I think.
As the evening rolls in, I'm hoping we'll all bundle up on the sofa and watch a Christmas movie. Patricks really into the Grinch and Polar Express so I'm sure it'll be one of those, to keep him interested. The boys have some sweet treats, a chocolate lolly pop each and they can share the kinder surprise, I'm sure I'll regret the decision when my new couch is full of sticky hand prints but I think I can cope with it just this once. Their light up toys will be a hit and probably what they're going to enjoy most, though at a mere £1.40 I'm hoping the batteries might run out before the end of the film (ha scrooge). Crackle baff is a new addition this year to our box, but I know they'll love it and it's something we've never tried before. Popcorn is a must during a movie, so me and John will be gnawing on this delicious salted caramel flavour.
After a long bath, they're going to slip into their brand new pyjamas and have a yummy hot coco each before bed. We'll read their stories (Noah has the Night before Christmas, which our elf on the shelf will deliver) and Patrick has his very own That's not my Santa. Me and John have our own tradition of buying each other their Christmas eve pjs and handing them over in the evening of the 24th so we'll be sporting new ones too along with the fluffy socks.
Before bed it'll be time to really lay on the magic thick. We'll be using their personalised Reindeer food sacks to sprinkle it on our lawn and not forgetting to pop Santas key under the doormat as we don't have our own chimney. When the boys are in bed me and John often finish off the last few bits of wrapping, lay out the stockings and have a nice drink on the sofa together. And that's Christmas eve done for us. I really hope this has helped to give some ideas of what to pop in your own box!
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