I am starting a new tradition this year. I am a minimalist when it comes to Christmas gifts for my immediate family. We spend a lot of time during the month of December doing service for others, as well as attending events, and doing typical Christmassy stuff, but I have to hold myself back from spoiling my kid and hubbs rotten. I love giving, but don’t want to focus on the wrong things. I am hoping that this new tradition is a fun way to welcome Christmas day and spend Christmas Eve together, as a warm and cozy family.

Years ago my husband and I started a tradition on Christmas Eve of reading the story of Christ’s birth from the Bible. This year we plan to do this while having dinner, and then after that there is a special surprise in store.

A Christmas Eve Box will arrive at our house after dinner, and about an hour before bedtime. The box will contain new, matching pajamas for the family, as well as treats to eat while watching the included Christmas movie. I plan on including popcorn and homemade chex mix (try this butterscotch version). The box will also include hot chocolate pops, which I make by melting down candy melts into small plastic cups, inserting a popsicle stick when partially set, and then when completely set removing and wrapping in plastic. Every year I make chocolate dipped orange gummy segments, and those will also be included. Our essential Santa Key (we don’t have a chimney, so he needs a way to get in), and a jar of Magic Reindeer Food (oats mixed with edible glitter) to sprinkle on the front lawn finish up the box.

Other ideas for this box that might fit your family better are tea, or a more adult type of drink, different snacks or a baking mix to make Santa cookies with cookie cutters, a Christmas Book instead of a movie, or even a board game. Sub out the pajamas for fuzzy socks. Include a special dated ornament to hang on the tree. You could even throw in some specialty chocolates, even a small gingerbread house kit to decorate as a family or some peppermint bubble bath… I am sure by the time Christmas Eve comes around I wouldn’t mind my own box of chocolate covered cherries, sparkling cider, and peppermint body scrub and bubble bath (are you reading this Santa?).

This box can be recycled yearly or wrapped differently each season, and could even include the same book or movie each year. I will recycle the box, the Reindeer Food jar (a baby food jar with a spray painted lid), the Santa Key, and maybe even the movie. We have a certain movie about a snowman that is set to soft instrumental music that I will include, because I feel the stillness is great for calming down excited minds.

A few things I love about this gift are that the family can share it, it brings a little magic to Christmas and it is completely customizable. If you want to go homemade, you can do that, if you want to purchase the fillers that can be done too. If you are a family that celebrates without the Santa tradition, the Santa parts can be easily omitted.

I hope this holiday season is magical for you and everyone special to you, Sharon.

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