Ideas & guides / Christmas Eve box for toddlers
Christmas Eve Box for Toddlers: What to Put In (UK)
A Christmas Eve box for a toddler doesn't need to be big or expensive. At one to three years old, the box itself is half the fun. Here's what to put in a Christmas Eve box for toddlers, what to leave out for safety, and a calm Christmas Eve routine that helps little ones actually sleep.
What to put in a toddler's Christmas Eve box
- Christmas pyjamas (or a sleepsuit) in the next size up, so they last into January.
- A board book with a Christmas or bedtime story. Thick pages survive little hands.
- A soft toy, like a reindeer or a snowman, to cuddle at bedtime.
- A small snack they already eat, like rice cakes or a fruit pouch.
- A bath toy or bubble bath for a special Christmas Eve bath.
- A sensory bag: a sealed zip bag with hair gel and a few big plastic snowflakes (taped shut, always supervised).
- Something for Santa: a carrot for the reindeer they can help put out.
What to leave out
- Small parts, balloons, button batteries and anything smaller than a loo roll tube: they're choking hazards for under-threes.
- Whole nuts, hard sweets and popcorn.
- Glitter and loose craft bits.
- Anything noisy or exciting at bedtime. Save the light-up toys for Christmas morning.
A calm Christmas Eve routine for toddlers
- Open the box after tea, not right before bed.
- Bath with the new bubble bath, then the new pyjamas.
- Put the carrot out for the reindeer together.
- Read the new book in bed, lights low.
- Same bedtime as usual. A tired toddler on Christmas morning helps nobody.
Budget tips
- A shoebox wrapped in Christmas paper is perfect, and toddlers love lids.
- Charity shops are full of board books in November.
- Reuse the same box every year and add their name and age.
Add their name to everything
Our Personalised Christmas Eve Box Kit puts your child's name on a box label, a Nice List certificate, reindeer food tags and a Santa stop-here sign. For up to 3 children, printable at home, £8.99.
