Everything You Need to Make a Christmas Eve Box

It's that time of year again! Christmas Eve Boxes seem to be popping up everywhere, but what if you don't know where to get started?

We put together a quick list of all the Christmas Eve Box essentials (and where you can find them at the best prices), so you can get everything ready and start a brand-new family Christmas tradition!

• Check out all our Christmas deals and ideas here

What is a Christmas Eve Box?

Basically, you put together a special box packed with goodies for your kid(s) to open on Christmas Eve. It can include everything you need to get ready for Santa's arrival or to just spend a fun night together as a family.

To start with, you'll need the box itself. If you want a personalized, keepsake box that you can use year after year, your best bet is to check them out on Etsy Canada! A few of them are already on sale, including this Personalized Large Wooden Christmas Eve Box for $46.65 from DUSTandTHINGS.

If you're looking for a more affordable or crafty option, you can always purchase an empty box and decorate it yourself! Even a simple IKEA box with a lid can do the trick – and it's $6.99! Home Depot also has wooden crates available from $7.97!

What goes in a Christmas Eve Box?

Once you have your box, you'll need to decide what to put inside! Here are a few things to consider:

Letter from Santa

One of the Christmas Eve Box staples (and something that can be a bit of a lifesaver) is a letter from Santa, Mrs. Clause or even your Elf on the Shelf. This is perfect if you have littler ones, because you can use the letter to remind them to go to bed early (and not make too much of a fuss!) so Santa, Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer can do their work!

Christmas Pajamas

Almost every Christmas Eve Box I've seen includes PJs, but the kids can always put them on before you start the night's festivities, too! Earlier this year, we put together a master list of Where to Buy Family Christmas Pajamas in Canada, so give that a peek for a few deals!

• Best Deal: Up to 40% off Family Sleepwear @ The Bay

It also can't hurt to get yourself some new jammies, too, and I personally plan to spoil myself with these Fuzzy Xmas PJ Pants for BOGO $5 from Ardene!

Christmas Books and Stories

If bedtime stories are a must in your house, why not include a special new Christmas book you can all read together? Select Holiday Classics are already on sale at Chapters, too!

Check out these deals:

• Little Blue Truck's Christmas $13.45 (was $20.99)
• The Night Before Christmas $14.83 (was $19.99)
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Anniversary Edition $16.49 (was $21.99)
• Home Alone: The Classic Illustrated Storybook $16.79 (was $19.95)

Alternately, if you have older kids, you could pop in a movie and curl up on the couch instead!

Holiday Candy & Bedtime Snacks

True, nothing beats homemade Christmas cookies, but you just might want to pick up some chocolates, candy canes and other goodies to add to the box! After all, you'll need something to munch on later while "Santa" gets the presents under the tree!

Take a peek at these yummy options:

• Hershey Kisses Holiday Caramel $5.68 (was $9.48)
• Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffles – 400g $9.59 (was $14.99)
• Gourmet du Village Santa Hot Chocolate Mason Jar $12
• Saxon Chocolates Peppermint Bark Polar Bear Paws $19.53 (was $22.98)

You can also use the night to decorate a gingerbread house or do a little more baking together!

Treats for Santa and the Reindeer

Don't skip this step! If the kiddos are eagerly awaiting Santa's arrival, make sure you include a few things for him, too! This can include stationery and funky pencils to write letters to Santa at the end of the night, milk and cookies, carrots for Rudolph and anything else you might think of!

Need some special plates to leave these goodies on? Check these out:

• Mud Pie Santa Sweets & Reindeer Treats Set $17.29 (was $34.58)
• Pearhead Santa's Cookie Set $21 (was $29.96)

And if you don't have a fireplace, make sure you include a house key for Santa, too!

One last thing: you just might want to pick up this Mud Pie Santa Evidence Kit to give the kids an extra surprise when they wake up on Christmas morning!