Christmas Eve Box Ideas Kids of All Ages Will Love

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The magic of Christmas Eve is unlike any other night, and what better way to make it even more memorable than with a Christmas Eve box filled with surprises for kids?

We usually do the common tradition of letting the kids open one gift on Christmas Eve, but we’re switching it up and doing Christmas Eve boxes this year.

We’re hoping that a Christmas Eve box can bring a little more excitement and a cozy, magical vibe to our Christmas Eve traditions.

I’ve done a bunch of reading about Christmas Eve boxes, so you don’t have to. This post will explore Christmas Eve box ideas kids of all ages will love.

From classic items to unique touches, you will find inspiration for a Christmas Eve box that will spark joy and create lasting memories.

Let’s dive in and make this Christmas Eve extra special!

Cozy Pajamas for the Big Night

Every child deserves to be cozy on Christmas Eve, and what’s better than a fresh pair of holiday pajamas?

My oldest son will be excited about new jammies to wear, especially for Christmas.

He LOVES Christmas, so I’m going to find some festive pajamas for both the boys to wear. A set of personalized jammies would be fun if you can do that.

This one will also serve another purpose for us. We go to my in-laws’ house on Christmas Eve for dinner and some festive fun. We always get home late. If you have toddlers, you know when they’re all amped up, it can be challenging to get them ready for bed.

But if we open these boxes at their grandparents’ house and put the pajamas on there, that’s one less thing to do at home.

Cozy pajamas make a great start to your Christmas Eve box ideas kids will cherish as they get into the holiday spirit.

A Classic Christmas Book

Like a lot of kids, mine love reading a book before bed. We plan to include a Christmas-themed book for our Christmas Eve boxes for each kid.

Books are an excellent way for kids to wind down before bed. A holiday-themed book can help you feel even cozier together as they get ready to go to sleep.

Whether you opt for “The Night Before Christmas,” a holiday classic, or a popular kid’s storybook, reading together can become a staple of your Christmas Eve routine.

Hot Chocolate with Marshmallows

Nothing says “cozy Christmas Eve” like a warm cup of hot chocolate!

Hot chocolate is a simple yet magical addition to your Christmas Eve box ideas kids will absolutely adore.

Depending on what your children like, you can include things like candy canes for stirring, holiday-themed marshmallows, or even festive sprinkles!

And if you want to make it even more special, you can include a holiday mug just for them. They’ll love having their very own mug to use at any time.

Holiday-Themed Socks or Slippers

You can add warm, fuzzy socks or slippers to keep little feet toasty to go along with their new jammies.

These can be holiday-themed with designs like Santa hats or snowflakes or simply soft, comfy, and ready for a cozy evening at home.

My 4-year-old son has a pair of slippers he loves wearing on chilly winter mornings. But they’re getting a little small for him, so we’ll include some new slippers he can wear on Christmas morning.

A Festive Movie or Movie Voucher

If you’ll be home on Christmas Eve and have routine movie nights, a Christmas Eve box idea kids will love is a festive movie night!

If you have a DVD player, you can gift them a holiday movie you think they’d enjoy. If not, include a Christmas Eve family movie night voucher on your streaming service.

This way, you can all snuggle up and enjoy a Christmas classic, making the night even more magical.

It can also help kids stay a little more calm before bedtime, which will help your nighttime routine go more smoothly.

DIY Ornament Kit

Kids love crafting, and adding a DIY ornament kit is a fantastic way to let them get creative and make a keepsake for the Christmas tree.

This simple addition to your Christmas Eve box ideas kids can make allows them to create a personal memento for the holiday.

We don’t do a perfectly decorated Christmas tree. We have shatterproof ornaments that the kids can take off and redecorate the tree with whenever they’d like.

But we do have some sentimental ornaments at the top that the kids can’t reach. So far, it’s only been ornaments that are special to my husband or myself or ones we’ve received as a family.

I know that my oldest son would absolutely love to have a special ornament of his own up there.

A Small, Soft Toy or Plushie

A small plush toy or a stuffed animal is a cute, comforting item that kids can snuggle with when they’re going to sleep on Christmas Eve.

Holiday-themed plushies, such as reindeer or snowmen or their favorite character dressed for the holidays, are adorable options that add an extra bit of festive cheer.

A couple of years ago, I included a small Santa and a small snowman stuffie in my oldest son’s stocking—they were some of his most used toys!

I thought they’d be something he enjoyed briefly before being forgotten, but he carried those things around for months!

Personalized Christmas Ornament or Stocking

Why not add a little personalization? A Christmas stocking or tree ornament with your child’s name or initials can make their Christmas Eve box feel truly special.

Personalized items always add a sentimental touch that kids will remember for years to come.

Last year, I made Christmas stockings for the whole family with our names on them. My oldest son, Quinn, loves having stuff with his name or first initial.

It’s often difficult to find items with the letter Q on it, and I’m crafty, so I figured I’d give it a try. They turned out way better than I expected, and he was so excited about a stocking with his name on it!

Fun Activity or Puzzle Book

If your holiday season has been busy and you are looking for something a little more low-key, an activity or puzzle book can provide kids with quiet entertainment on Christmas Eve.

Look for books that include coloring pages, mazes, word searches, or even Christmas trivia to keep the holiday spirit going.

This is a classic pick for Christmas Eve box ideas kids find engaging.

And it might just give you a few minutes of downtime before bedtime craziness on Christmas Eve begins.

Scented Holiday Candle or Night Light

A holiday-scented candle (for older kids) or a Christmas-themed night light is a cozy touch for your Christmas Eve box.

A gentle light or seasonal scent helps create a calming environment as they drift off to sleep, dreaming of Christmas morning.

Reindeer Food for Santa’s Helpers

If your kids believe in Santa, making reindeer food is an interactive and exciting addition to any Christmas Eve box ideas kids will love.

This is a cute and quick DIY activity to do before bed. In the box, include small bags of oats and glitter and have them mix the two together.

We also have a 1-year-old who still puts everything in his mouth, so we’ll use holiday sprinkles instead of glitter.

When we set out the milk and cookies for Santa, we’ll get them to sprinkle the reindeer oats outside as well.

A Holiday Music Playlist

We have a holiday music playlist that we listen to on Spotify starting when we decorate the tree. Luckily, I love Christmas music, so listening to this playlist on repeat every year is no problem.

If you’re not the kind of person who can listen to holiday music that much, you could make a holiday music playlist and include it on a USB drive or a voucher with the name of the playlist on your music streaming service.

Having a playlist will set the holiday mood while preparing for bed and Christmas day.

A Special Note from Santa

A letter from Santa himself is an adorable touch that brings the spirit of Christmas to life.

This can be as simple as a short note reminding them of their kindness and cheer throughout the year, adding a sprinkle of Santa’s magic to their night.

Include specific instances of how they helped someone or were a good brother or sister to make them feel extra good about themselves.

You can get kits to make letters from Santa on Amazon if you want it to look official.

Gingerbread Cookie Kit

If you have the time and want to make some cookies on Christmas Eve, consider getting a gingerbread cookie kit.

With cookie cutters and decorating supplies, you’ll have everything you need to decorate your holiday cookies.

If you want this activity to be less work for you, you can get some pre-made dough or have it made up ahead of time.

They’ll have so much fun making the cookies to set out for Santa!

Christmas Stickers

Kids love stickers, especially with fun holiday designs. Adding these to your Christmas Eve box ideas, kids will enjoy extra holiday excitement.

Quinn is super into stickers right now, so he’ll be very excited to get some Christmas stickers in his Christmas Eve box.

I might even include a sticker book to give clear guidelines about where the stickers go. I’m happy he likes stickers, but we don’t want Christmas stickers on the walls and furniture!

A Warm Blanket for Snuggles

A soft blanket might be a good option if you have a kid who likes all things snuggly.

This would pair well with a Christmas book, movie, and hot chocolate kit. It would make reading before bed or movie time even cozier—and they’ll be able to use it all winter!

You can get a holiday-themed blanket, but if you don’t want Christmas stuff lying around after the season ends, opt for a nice blanket that fits your décor or your child’s preferences.

Christmas Eve Snack Pack

If you’re doing a movie night on Christmas Eve or have some downtime before bed, you might consider including snacks.

Holiday-themed snacks like peppermint bark, candy canes, or small bags of popcorn are perfect for Christmas Eve.

Create a small snack pack with festive treats to make kids feel extra special as they enjoy the holiday season.

A Santa Key

We’ve moved from a house with a fireplace to one without a fireplace. We plan to have a fireplace or wood stove put in soon, but it won’t be before this Christmas.

Because of this, we’ve been trying to think of ways to explain to Quinn how Santa will get in to leave presents.

I came across the idea of a Santa key, and I think it’s a great idea!

We have some old keys, so we’ll use one of those and tie a big bow on it. Then we’ll have him leave it outside in the mailbox for Santa, and he’ll leave it next to the cookies and milk he’s eaten.

If this wasn’t a temporary situation for us, I think I’d buy a Santa Key on Amazon so we’d have a special key they’d look forward to seeing every year.

This is one of the Christmas Eve box ideas kids will go crazy for.

Family Game for Christmas Eve

If you’d rather not do screen time with a movie night for Christmas Eve but want to do something together as a family, a game night might be a good alternative.

You can choose to go with a holiday-themed game or something more suitable all year round. A board game will have everyone sitting down together, or if you’d also like your kids to get some movement to get some energy out, you can opt for a Christmas Scavenger hunt printable from my Etsy shop.

Playing a family game is a great way to entertain everyone before bedtime.

Bringing It All Together

Creating a Christmas Eve box with items kids will love is about adding a bit of holiday magic to their night.

With these Christmas Eve box ideas kids will love, you’ll create a cozy, festive, and memorable Christmas Eve they’ll look forward to year after year.

No matter which items you choose, the excitement of opening a Christmas Eve box will become a cherished part of your family’s holiday tradition.

And if you’d like help coming up with a calm Christmas morning routine, check out this post.