Christmas eve hampers

[attheendoftheday]

Inspired by the christmas traditions thread, I want to do a christmas eve hamper for the dds this year. They're still little (2.7 and 10 months at christmas), what can I put in? I definitely want a dvd to put on - any recommendations? Also things to tempt dd1 into her bath, is she too little for a bath bomb do you think? I don't think she'll find new pyjamas very exciting.

Any advice gratefully received.

And yes, I know it's July, before anyone points it out!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Mine are 11 and 13.6 and we do the C,E,H . There's loads of "Why make an extra day of presents/they don't need more presents/ what next- Boxing Day Hampers" killjoy type comments regarding CEH, but mine love them.

You need a box. I but a lovely Christmas box from Homesense/ TKMax because my DD keeps them to reuse.
But this year I might get a banana box (each) from Costco and cover with Christmas paper, wrapped in Cellophane.

PJs (Primark Fleecy ones), They do some lovely festive ones.
Slippers
Dressing Gown
(Things that I'd buy at some points in the year)

I do a Kilner Jar of sweets (buy some each time I go shopping) my DS isn't a chocolate fan.

An annual (lots of BOGOF)

Bath bomb - Lush , Your DD might like them. They do a bottle of bathfoam (Snow Fairy or something). I bought a wand with the bathbomb star at the top, to run under the taps.

New festive mug. Sachet of hot chocolate. Small packet of biscuits.

You could add a new fancy toothbrush?
Reindeer Food (sugar mixed with food colour, oats and edible glitter). Sprinkle on the lawn.

DVDs- can't think of many off the top of my head for a 3yo.
Mine watched Tweenies and Barney Christmas at 3yo

The Snowman will be on anyway.

Your CEH needs to be "left" for them (you could ask a neighbour to ring the doorbell and the CEH will be delivered to the porch)

I put mine in front of the fireplace before we go for a Christmas Eve walk. I "check the back door is locked" while I put them out.
Of course mine know exactly what's going on now

[buzzgirly]

This is now my favourite part of Christmas!

My dcs will be 5 and almost 2 at Christmas. Last year I put in new pjs, bubble bath (for some reason dd is terrified of bath bombs!!), chocolate Santa, new toothbrush and a new Christmas book. This year I might put in a hot chocolate sachet and marshmallows for dd as she's a bit older. I put all of this into Disney cardboard boxes I got from the pound shop last year.

I made one for dh too last year. I put in boxers, socks, bubble bath, massage bar, sweets and a bottle of posh beer - he loved it!

I usually give the Christmas DVDs on the 1st December so we can watch them through the month. They arrive with the advent calendars and christmas elf. Your dcs might enjoy the Mickey Mouse Once or Twice Upon a Christmas, we all watched them yesterday! Have a look on eBay there are loads if offers on Christmassy DVDs just now.

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

Did this last year for the first time and it was awesome! We went with two DC to my parents and my DB was also there so I did a hamper for the whole family - festive pjs, a DVD (we have a tradition of buying a new Studio Ghibli each year anyway, recommend "My Neighbour Totoro" for your young DC), white hot chocolate and mini marshmallows for Snowman's Soup, mulled wine for grown ups bath bombs and a new book each for DC to read alongside "The Night Before Christmas"

[attheendoftheday]

Brilliant, thank you. I was planning on the hamper 'appearing' after our afternoon dog walk.

Special toothbrush is a great idea, that'll definitely go on my list.

Do you do one hamper for everyone or a separate one for everyone?

[fuzzpig]

We do new jammies every year - they weren't that excited by them the first time either, but the fact it's happened every year means they now look forward to it. My 2 get character jammies now as they aren't allowed them during the year last year DH and I got new jammies too!

Usually I try and find a tree decoration for each of them too. Last year I couldn't find any nice ones so we got a cuddly toy for each of them instead.

Sometimes they have had a christmassy book.

In our house BTW the stuff is delivered by the Elves, not us :o

[TerraNotSoFirma]

Those expanding facecloths might amuse them, or new bath toys?

I make a big thing out of the Christmas Eve bath (cos I'm a saddo obsessive)
Battery operated fairy lights wound round the shower pole, window, as many as poss. :)
Christmas tunes played on the iPad.
Glittery bath bombs.

[TheSurgeonsMate]

I think fuzzpig is right, you're telling her that new pjs are exiting by building this tradition.

[ballinacup]

Lush do a bath bomb for younger kids called ickle baby bot, it's blue and shaped like a robot and has, I think, lavender in so it's supposed to aid sleep as well. When I asked they also recommended their butter ball bath bombs for littlies as well.

[hippoherostandinghere]

I'm doing a Christmas Eve hamper this year for the first time. It's all going to be stuff I would buy anyway but I'm spreading it out to Christmas Eve as last year Ds was totally overwhelmed and couldn't take it all in on Christmas Day.

I will put in Jammies, slippers, bubble bath, face clothes, a chocolate Santa, a DVD and a book.

I can also really recommend mickeys once/twice upon a Christmas. They are fab

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

fuzzpig I read your post a delivered by Elvis not Elves

We do a hamper each (for the DC ) but a Family C.E.H woul be nice.

DS asked me a couple of years back "Do we have new PJS For Christmas Eve"? so it's nice he appreciates the effort. But more the jar of sweets I reckon

[fuzzpig]

Haha 70 perhaps I should put in some blue suede shoes or something :o

[WorkingtoohardMama]

I did the Christmas Eve hamper for the first time last year, I did one between the dc, with a onesie each, a mug each, Arthur Christmas DVD, Christmas biscuits and some strawberry milk powder.

I gave it to them after they got out the bath and we all snuggled up to watch the DVD.

Love the idea of giving it in the afternoon and include a book and bubble bath.

[ButchCassidy]

This is a lovely idea.
Im going to make a family one this Christmas!

[attheendoftheday]

Ok, I can see the point about pjs being exciting once they've become a tradition.

Thanks for the info about bath bombs, ballina, they sound ideal.

Xmas decorations are a good idea too.

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

Forgot to add that we put in a Christmas tree decoration too for each of them (DS loved finding a place on the tree for it)

I'm afraid it's clear that I do the hamper - all the presents come from us too, only Santa gets the stocking

Loving the idea of an OTT Christmas eve bath!!

[WaitMonkey]

Please don't put the reindeer food outside (a mix of glitter and oats), animals and bird's think it's food for them and eat it. The glitter in it can be fatal. We put it in a little dish and leave it by the beer for Father Christmas.

[TerraNotSoFirma]

We use coloured sugar and oats for reindeer food, that doesn't harm birds does it?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

I used edible glitter (Lakeland Limited do it, tiny little edible stars) because I had some left over.
The food colouring would be optional though.

Mine didn't get eaten by anything- not birds. Not foxes. Not magical flying reindeer .
It sat like a lump of cold sick for days until I scooped it up in a bag.

[jojane]

I do a box for the family including new pjs, hot choc and some snowman marshmallows, a Christmas book, a Christmas DVD, some cadburys elves chocolates,

[siblingrevelry]

Slightly off topic, but along the same lines - I do a pre-Xmas hamper for my Mom, Sister & MIL which I give them at the start of December.

In it I put a yankee car jar air freshener in a Xmas scent, Xmas mug/Hot choc sachet, homemade Xmas songs CD for their car, Xmas chocs, Xmas bubble bath/hand cream or other smelly.

It's to get them in the festive mood and string the celebrations out as long as possible.

[fuzzpig]

We leave the reindeer food in a bowl too.

On a tangent though, last year we tried a new supermarket brand cereal which was white (vanilla flavoured) stars. None of us liked it so after it sat in the kitchen for a while DH sprinkled it on the lawn for the birds. It looked very Christmassy :o

[Ragwort]

Out of interest, do those of you who do Christmas Eve hampers also do stockings? My DS gets the sorts of presents you describe as part of his Christmas stocking on Christmas day morning? It would be a bit OTT to do both surely?

Love the idea of an early Christmas Hamper for grown ups might do one for myself .

[imnotmymum]

muppets christmas carol love that film. Polar express as well ohh I am excited for Christmas,
We do not do hampers but this year I will sounds great.

[fuzzpig]

Ragwort I do both and I think most people do from what I remember of previous threads :o

For us the hamper (although actually there is no box yet!) is jammies, tree dec, possibly a Christmassy book or DVD.
Stocking is underwear/socks, chocolate, mostly little toys (Disney figure type things) so nothing actually Christmassy if that makes sense :)

[attheendoftheday]

I am a bit concerned it'll be ott, am also trying to work out what sort of presents should go where. I definitely will do a stocking! I also do the sort of advent calendar where you get little presents.

I suppose I want the christmas eve hamper to serve two purposes - to give dd1 (and in later years both dds) something to do on christmas eve night (e.g. watch a dvd) and to make getting her into bed less of a chore (so exciting things for the bath or new pjs to put on, maybe a new bedtime book).

I do tiny toys in the advent calendar (last year I put a little plastic farm animal in each day, I got the lot from a charity shop for a couple of quid. My reasoning for doing this was that we weren't giving dd1 choc at that point, though this year she is allowed it.

Stockings will be more fun stuff - toys, books, choc etc.