Christmas eve hampers.

I am sure that most of you out there already know what these are, but for any one that has not come across this before I will explain.

It is basically a hamper that you make for your children as a gift on Christmas eve to make the day even more special. How you do this is completely up to you and your family. Over the years my hampers have changed quite a lot. When I first started making a hamper I would give it to the children after dinner on Christmas eve and it contained new pyjamas, bath products, a book to read before bed and some cookies or other small edible treat. Back then my main purpose of the hamper was to use it as a tool to help get the children to bed on the most exciting night of the year for small children!

Over the years I have made quite a few changes and I now give the hamper to them in the morning of Christmas eve and the hamper contains everything that we need to guide us through the day. You can use a cardboard box and wrap it in Christmas paper like I do or you could buy a special container that is only ever used for this purpose. It is entirely up to you how you do your Christmas eve hamper but for inspiration I thought that I would list the items that will be in mine this year.

My 2013 Christmas eve hamper.

Last years Christmas eve hamper.

• A box of pop tarts.
• A new Christmas movie.
• A bag of popcorn and some cans of pop.
• A family board game.
• Some paper plates, napkins etc.
• Christmas crackers.
• New Pyjama's for all three girls.
• Lush bath products.
• Tooth brushes
• Christmas book.
• Santa key.
• Another more grown up game.

 

 

How I am planning on spending Christmas eve 2013.

When we get up on Christmas eve morning we give the children their hamper. This year they will get to have pop tarts for breakfast (a breakfast treat that I only allow at the very most once a year!)

 

After breakfast, once everyone is ready for the day we will play a board game. This year I have brought them 'Santa's rooftop scramble'.

 

Then I will cook us something simple for a hot dinner at lunch time, after which we will recline in the living room for the movie with the popcorn and cans of pop.

 

Late afternoon we will go for a walk to our local park and let Faith run around and hopefully burn up some of that hyper energy that she will no doubt have.

 

Once we get home we have some tea and I make it like a little tea party with the plates and napkins and the Christmas crackers.

 

After tea it is time to set up for Santa so we will put out the stockings, mince pie, milk, carrot, pictures for Santa and then put the Santa key outside.

 

Then I will take Faith up for a nice bath with the lush bath bombs and then Faith will put on her new pyjama's and I read her the new Christmas themed book and then it is lights out.

 

Once Faith is tucked up we play a more grown up game with Lauren and Chloe, this year I have got them one of those Russian roulette games with the chocolates which should be good fun.

 

Then the girls go up and get themselves ready for bed.

 

Hopefully this will be no later then 9pm so that I can have a bath and then come down stairs for a romantic film with Darren before filling the stockings, quick tidy up and prep for tomorrow and then the wrapping up of the living room door and off we go to bed!