Christmas Eve Box Ideas for Toddlers and Kids (Plus Free Printables)

A Christmas Eve box is a small box of cozy treats opened on the night before Christmas. It slows the evening down, gets everyone into pajamas, and turns the longest wait of the year into a little celebration of its own. It doesn't need to be fancy. A shoebox, some tissue paper and a few thoughtful things are plenty.

What goes in a Christmas Eve box?

Most families build theirs around four simple ideas: something to wear, something to read, something to sip and something to do. Here is what works best for little ones.

1. New Christmas pajamas

The classic. Matching family pajamas make for sweet photos on Christmas morning, too.

Shop kids Christmas pajamas

2. A Christmas book to read together

A new picture book to read under the blanket before bed. For toddlers, look for board books with sturdy pages.

Shop Christmas picture books for kids

3. Hot cocoa for two

A packet of cocoa, a few mini marshmallows and a special mug. Grown-ups can share the cocoa while the kids open everything else.

Shop kids Christmas mugs

4. Something to color

Coloring is the perfect Christmas Eve wind-down: calm, quiet and screen-free. Print a few free Birdie pages and tuck in a small box of crayons.

• Free Meet Birdie coloring page
• Free Birdie's Christmas Tree coloring page

Not sure which crayons to choose? Our guide to the best crayons and markers for toddlers breaks it down by age.

Looking for activities? See our easy Christmas crafts for toddlers.

5. A letter from Santa

The showstopper. A personalized letter from Santa, delivered by Birdie the cardinal, with your child's name and the kind thing they did this year. It comes with a color-me-in copy and two name ornaments to color and hang on the tree before bed.

Read more about the Santa letter

6. Treats for Santa and the reindeer

A small plate and a napkin for Santa's cookies, and a little bag of oats for the reindeer to sprinkle on the lawn.

7. Cozy socks or slippers

Warm toes for the big morning.

Christmas Eve box ideas by age

Toddlers (1 to 3): board book, pajamas, a few chunky crayons, one simple coloring page, a soft stuffed animal.

Preschoolers (3 to 5): picture book, pajamas, the Santa letter, crayons or washable markers, cookies-for-Santa plate.

Big kids (6 to 8): chapter book or activity book, pajamas, the Santa letter with ornaments, a full coloring book, cocoa kit.

How to put the box together

1. Pick any sturdy box. A shoebox wrapped in kraft paper looks lovely.
2. Line it with tissue paper.
3. Put the pajamas on the bottom and the small things on top so the letter is the first thing they see.
4. Add a tag with their name, or "From the North Pole".
5. Set it under the tree or by their bedroom door after dinner.

A full December of coloring

If your kids fall in love with Birdie, Birdie's Christmas Coloring Book has 52 bold and easy pages of her Christmas adventures, made for toddlers and kids ages 2 to 8. It slips right into a Christmas Eve box.

For a few more small things to tuck in beside it, our non-toy stocking stuffers for toddlers roundup covers coloring books, jumbo crayons and printables that fit a stocking.

Christmas Eve box FAQ

When do you open a Christmas Eve box? Most families open it after dinner on December 24, right before bath and bedtime.

What age is a Christmas Eve box for? Any age. For toddlers keep it simple; for older kids add a book or activity they can do on their own.

How much should I spend? Most of the magic is free. Printables, cocoa and a favorite book from home make a lovely box.

Free pages every month

Join Birdie's Nest, our free club for grown-ups, and get a new free Birdie coloring page every month.

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