Starting new traditions: The Night Before Christmas Box

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The night before Christmas or Christmas eve, whatever you prefer to call it has always been a special one in our family. Growing up my Mom did a movie night, we’d watch Little Woman while wearing our new Christmas PJ’s and eating junk food and chatting about the reason we celebrated Christmas.

Over the years this tradition has changed. We no longer live under her roof, have our own families and rather do a Christmas Eve dinner with our extended family. The evening is always filled with amazing food, lots of laughter and listening to Hugo tell the kids the Christmas story and also lots of pictures. It’s a special night for all, followed by the kiddies opening a few gifts. Karen just completely blows us away every year.

This year though we’re mixing things up in the Thomas house.

Seeing how well the Christmas box worked in the Alfino home this year with the decorating of the tree (3 Kids, 2 Dogs and 1 Old House) I thought I’d surprise the family with a surprise Christmas box of our own, the “Night before Christmas box”.

I am delighted that Christmas eve is actually on a Saturday this year, gives me a bit of a rest before the festivities begin as I work up till the 23^rd December. This also means we have a WHOLE day of fun stuff.

If you have done this, or currently do this in your home and have suggestions on what I can add to the box PLEASE let me know. For now I have included the following items:

• A specially wrapped Christmas box
• Something fun for the kids – our Christmas activity will be baking cookies for Father Christmas and decorating them. This year we’ll be using a recipe I recently saw on Twitter by the very colourful and uber talented Cupcakemummy
• Christmas music
• Christmas PJ’s for the kiddies
• Christmas T-shirts for the Parents
• A fun Christmas movie which will keep both boys entertained
• Snacks, because lets face it. What’s a movie without snacks. Thinking I should do individual goodies for the kids, which I will put in their Christmas stockings. My go to will have to be Woolworths for this (currently have a stocking filler deal: Buy 5 for 4, I may end up buying 10 though)

• Personalized Christmas decorations (this is more for those who don’t have the Christmas balls, Christmas stockings – we’re all sorted with this). Even though I can technically do the Christmas baubles, I do like supporting local businesses. This year I placed another order with Forget Me Not Crafts for Christmas balls for the office, R15 per personalized ball with a wide variety of colours (glitter, shiny, matte) to choose from. I ordered the Wednesday and Monday they arrived. That’s damn good service.
• Our Christmas socks – best thing McDonalds could have done 2 years ago
• Our personalized Christmas tray from Nectar and Ink – I saw this on Instagram on Thursday and immediately placed an order. The boys are going to be so chuffed when putting out the milk and cookies.

Pricing:

5mm Bamboo – R120

4mm Pine – R100

* Price excludes delivery

This is an absolute bargain and something very special, I’m all about making memories together with small personal touches.

• A book, at some point during the day I want to read the Christmas story to both boys. Perhaps while the cookies are baking or cooling down. We talk about Christmas, and religion and the reason we celebrate but sometimes its nice to get lost in a story.

• Lastly a special letter from Father Christmas to Danny and Josh, this weekend both boys will be posting off their special letters to the North Pole.

Here’s to making new memories with my family and starting our own very special tradition!