The best Christmas Eve box fillers and pre-filled gift sets for 2019
With Christmas around the corner, the young ones of the household will be finding it hard not to rip open all their perfectly wrapped presents. While you've probably become a pro at stopping them, a new tradition has taken the UK by storm that may just rid you of this problem entirely: The Christmas Eve box.
Like many of the festive traditions we have adopted today, the giving of Christmas Eve boxes is said to have come from a German custom of opening presents on Christmas Eve. Rather than opening all the gifts a day early, the boxes in Britain include snacks, toys, memorabilia and lounge wear; things to get the recipient in the Christmas spirit. You can buy them pre-made or you can create one yourself.
If you've decided to go down the route of making one and are struggling with filler ideas, we've rounded up a list of the best Christmas Eve box fillers below. But, we also understand that, while many people enjoy making their own, sometimes there just isn't enough time do to that with all the other Christmas-related tasks that are on the agenda. That's why we've added in the best pre-made Christmas Eve boxes for both adults and children to make the search a little easier for you.
Christmas Eve Box Fillers
1. Jojo Maman Bébé Christmas Eve Treat Tray Set
Is it really Christmas Eve if you don't leave behind a little something for you know who? This wooden tray shows you where to leave your treats for Santa (and his reindeer). It also comes with a wooden mince pie, cup and carrot, and can be personalised to include a message from your little 'un to Father Christmas.
2. Honeywell Biscuit Co Rudolph Biscuits and Tumbler
A cup of hot chocolate and some cookies are the ultimate Christmas Eve combination. This gift set includes antler shaped biscuits and a plastic tumbler to make things feel extra festive.
3. Lands' End Plaid Pyjamas
You'll all spend Christmas day lounging around so why not make sure the recipient of the Christmas Eve box is prepared with some extra comfortable pyjamas.
4. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a traditional story book. A Christmas Carol (the story of the mean and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge) is one of Charles Dickens most popular tales and a real Crimbo staple.
5. Hotel Chocolat Pick-Me-Up Chocolate Gift Pack
There should always be snacks available during the Christmas period. This gift pack by Hotel Chocolat is full of a range of uplifting goodies.
6. Soap and Honey Handmade Magic Reindeer Food
Get them some magic reindeer food, ready to sprinkle outside before they go to sleep. Just don't get them any with real glitter in it or you'll run the risk of harming other animals. This handmade one has porridge oats and edible crystal sugar. Fun and safe.
7. Frugi Cosy Up Socks
These socks have super fluffy lining so they are extra soft on the inside. This will keep them warm throughout the winter and cosy on Christmas day.
8. Selfie Clothing Sprouts Colour In Stocking
Get your kids making their own Christmas decorations on Christmas eve. This colour-in Christmas stocking by Selfie Clothing will keep them busy and get them looking forward to the things they'll find inside it the next day.
9. YuYu Bottle Warm Worms
Move away from the more traditional styles of hot water bottles to Yuyu Bottle's signature long thin ones. They also come as these cute worm-like creatures.
10. George Red Christmas Pudding Super Soft Throw
You can' t just use your ordinary blanket during the Christmas period, you have to get a festive one specifically to use during this time of year. Who needs cashmere when you can have this reasonably priced one from Asda?
11. Christmas Monopoly
Why would you play the world's favourite family game when you can play the Christmas version of the world's favourite family game? Serious question.
12. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
A Christmas movie is compulsory at this time of year, especially a Disney film. The Nightmare Before Christmas is a must-watch.
13. Dr. Seuss 15901 Soft Toy
Let this jealous little Grinch steal all your toys and presents. How can he look so evil and cute all the same time? We want one too.
14. Elf Drinking Bottle
Filling your Christmas Eve box with practical gifts, like this drinking bottle, is a very smart thing to do. With all that chocolate it's important to stay hydrated.
15. Meri Meri Festive Icons Mini Cookie Cutters
Making festive cookies is great fun the night before Christmas especially if you turn them into ornaments for the tree.
Pre-filled Christmas Eve boxes
1. TwinkBoxCo Christmas Eve Box With Contents
TwinkBoxCo's stylish Christmas Eve box opens up to include a scene of the North Pole and a letter from Santa Claus himself written on parchment paper. They'll have a couple of nibbles too, such as a solid chocolate star and hot chocolate spoon with marshmallows. Yum.
2. Festive Studio Deluxe Christmas Eve Treat Pack Experience
This Christmas Eve box has arrived straight from the North Pole (magically of course) with a very important task for your little one: to feed Santa and his reindeer. You can even get their name engraved on the wooden box and it even has an 'official' North Pole gold stamp for authenticity. Gifts include gold coins, hot chocolate, candy cane, stickers, reindeer food and more.
3. Harrods The Christmas Box - for adults
Give a box with all their seasonal favourites in it. This perfect classic is packed with after-dinner treats for Christmas Eve (or even Christmas day): Christmas pudding, salted caramel and a festive spiced black tea.
4. Virginia Hayward Christmas Eve Box
This Christmas Eve box has everything a teenager would need the night before Christmas: sweets. They'll be very happy to find a box full of Christmas-themed fudge, biscuits, hot chocolate and more. Paired with a good film (and possibly a cosy blanket), this makes for a lovely evening.
5. Personalised Wooden Night Before Christmas Pre-Filled box
You can add any name to this Christmas Eve box to give it a more personal touch. Not only is the box personalised, but the pillowcase is too. This is filled with all the classics: a film, reindeer food, hot chocolate, marshmallows, etc.
6. First 4 Hampers The Christmas Eve Gift Box
The perfect sophisticated Christmas Eve box for a family. Wine for the grown ups, cookies and cakes for the kids. It doesn't get better than this.
7. Personalised Elf-Themed Christmas Eve Box
Christmas is already a pricey time of year and you may have already exhausted your holiday season budget. That's totally fine as a pre-filled Christmas Eve box doesn't have to be expensive. This one manages to be well-priced while still including all the important bits: a personalised note from Elf, Elf approved tag with gold seal stamped, a foam DIY Elf tree decoration, a bag of magical reindeer food, Santa's magic key and a candy cane.
8. Modo Creative Personalised Baby's First Christmas Box
How exciting, your baby (or someone else's) is celebrating their first Christmas. Get them a Christmas Eve Box that accommodates all their baby needs to welcome them into the festive season. They'll find a bib, music box, teddy and wooden tree.
9. Pipers Farm Christmas Eve Feast Box
Take the Christmas Eve box to a whole different level with a 'feast'. If the recipient of this gift loves ham and cheese and a nice glass of wine, they'll be happy to skip on the reindeer food this year.
10. Elf On The Shelf Christmas Eve Treats Gift Box
If your child is lucky enough to own an Elf on the Shelf toy they will absolutely love to have this related Christmas Eve Box. They'll find all the usual things in there: reindeer food, hot chocolate, candy canes... but, it'll have their new favourite character on it too.
For more Christmas features and gift guides, including our round-ups of the best Christmas gifts for kids and stocking filler ideas, see www.telegraph.co.uk/christmas
All the products mentioned in this article are selected and reviewed independently by our journalists. The Telegraph makes money by adding affiliate links to some of the products.
