Christmas Eve Box Ideas for Kids: What to Put Inside (By Age)

The 5-part Christmas Eve box formula

1. Something to wear: pajamas, warm socks or slippers.
2. Something to read: a holiday picture book or a chapter book for older kids.
3. Something to eat or drink: a cocoa packet, a mug, a small treat or popcorn for movie night.
4. Something to do: a puzzle, coloring pages, a card game or a simple craft.
5. Something magical: reindeer food, a key for Santa, a note to leave with the cookies or a “Nice List” ticket.

You do not need all five. Pajamas plus a book plus one bit of magic already feels special.

Christmas Eve box ideas by age

Toddlers (1–3)

1. Soft pajamas or a onesie
2. A board book about Christmas or bedtime
3. A soft toy or a chunky wooden puzzle
4. Bath crayons or a new bath toy for a special bath
5. A cozy blanket for the sofa

Preschool and early school age (3–7)

6. Christmas pajamas and fuzzy socks
7. A holiday picture book to read together before bed
8. A hot cocoa packet and a special mug (a grown-up makes the cocoa)
9. Coloring pages, a maze or a simple activity sheet with new crayons
10. Reindeer food in a small bag with a tag (recipe below)
11. A note for Santa to leave out with the cookies

Older kids (8–12)

12. Pajamas or a hoodie
13. A chapter book or comic
14. A family card game or a printable trivia game
15. Popcorn and a holiday movie pick
16. A journal page: “My favorite memory this year”

Add a little North Pole magic

These small touches turn a box of pajamas into a tradition:

• Santa’s magic key. For homes without a chimney, hang a paper “magic key” on the front door so Santa can get in. Kids love making it look official.
• Reindeer food. A small bag of oats and birdseed, sprinkled on the lawn before bed.
• A note for Santa. Kids circle the treats they left and draw a picture.
• Nice List ticket. A small “official” ticket tucked into the box.
• A thank-you card from Santa for the morning, which a grown-up keeps hidden until then.

Wildlife-safe reindeer food recipe

1. Mix about 1/2 cup of rolled oats with 1/4 cup of birdseed.
2. Spoon a few tablespoons into small paper or cellophane bags and add a tag.
3. On Christmas Eve, sprinkle it on the lawn or a doorstep “for the reindeer.”

How to put the box together (15 minutes)

1. Pick a container: a shoebox, gift box, basket or large gift bag. Reuse it every year.
2. Add a label such as “Do not open until Christmas Eve” with your child’s name.
3. Fill it with 3–5 items from the lists above. Put fragile items (mug) at the bottom, wrapped in the pajamas.
4. Tuck in the printables: the key, reindeer food bag and the note for Santa.
5. Decide when it opens: right after dinner works well, so there is time for a bath, pajamas, a story and the cookies for Santa.

Budget-friendly tips

• Use things you would buy anyway (pajamas, a book) and simply give them on the 24th.
• Borrow a holiday book from the library and return it after Christmas.
• Print activity pages instead of buying activity books.
• For siblings, share one box with one game for everyone and pajamas for each child.

Our Christmas Eve box printables

If you want the “magic” part ready to print, our Christmas Eve Box Printables (12 pages, ages 3–8) include box labels with a fillable name, round stickers, Santa’s magic key with a poem, 8 reindeer food tags with the glitter-free recipe, a note for Santa, a thank-you card from Santa, Nice List tickets and three activity pages. Pair them with our Letter to Santa Kit if your child wants to write to Santa earlier in December. Try the free 2-page sample first.