The best Christmas Eve box ideas start with a new pair of pajamas, then add one or two cozy extras like socks, slippers, a book or a hot chocolate kit. The box is opened the night before Christmas, so everyone goes to bed in something new and wakes up ready for photos.
A Christmas Eve box can be as simple as a gift box with pajamas and a book or as elaborate as a filled wooden chest. Below, we explain where the idea comes from, what to put inside for each person on your list, how much each box costs and how to make opening it a ritual worth repeating.
What is a Christmas Eve box?
A Christmas Eve box is a small collection of gifts given on Christmas Eve, usually to children, to build excitement for the next morning. Better Homes & Gardens Australia describes boxes ranging from a simple box with pajamas and a book to custom wooden chests filled with toys, and notes that the idea is often linked to the German custom of opening presents on the night before Christmas. The Everymom also points to that German custom and describes boxes filled with holiday pajamas, books, ornaments and treats.
The common thread is comfort. New pajamas are the anchor, because they get worn the same night, and everything else in the box supports a calm, cozy evening before the big day.
Christmas Eve box ideas by age and budget
Here are four boxes built around Eberjey pieces, with prices from the live catalog.
| Box | What goes in | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Kids’ box | Kids Printed TENCEL™ Modal Unisex Long PJ Set and Cozy Socks | $110 |
| Grown-up box | Gisele Printed TENCEL™ Modal Long PJ Set and Sherpa Slipper | $236 |
| Sleep box | Inez Washable Silk Eye Mask, Cozy Socks and a favorite book | $86 plus the book |
| Couple’s box | Gisele and William Printed TENCEL™ Modal Long PJ Sets in the same print | $326 |
| Dog add-on | Gisele Printed TENCEL™ Modal Pet PJ | $58 |
Eberjey offers gift boxing on select products for $10 per order, with up to six items per box, which makes a ready-made Christmas Eve box. For more ideas at every price, see our luxury sleepwear gifts under $75, $100 and $150.
The kids’ Christmas Eve box
Start with pajamas in a holiday print. The Kids Printed TENCEL™ Modal Unisex Long PJ Set ($72, sizes 2–10) is a unisex, snug-fit set, as Eberjey describes it, in a buttery soft fabric verified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100. Add Cozy Socks ($38, size One Size), a holiday book and a small treat for Santa’s plate.
The box also makes bedtime easier on an exciting night. A study in the journal Sleep, summarized by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, found that children up to age 6 with a consistent bedtime routine went to bed earlier, fell asleep faster, woke less in the night and slept longer. Pajamas, a bath and a story fit neatly into that routine, even on Christmas Eve.
If the whole family is matching, our guide to matching family Christmas pajamas lists every print from kids’ size 2 to adult XXL.
The grown-up and couple’s box
Adults love a Christmas Eve box too, especially one that feels like a small luxury. The Gisele Printed TENCEL™ Modal Long PJ Set ($158, sizes XXS–XXL) is Eberjey’s signature button-front set in a holiday print. For a couple, pair it with the William Printed TENCEL™ Modal Long PJ Set ($168, sizes XXS–XXL) in the same Santa Paws print.
Finish with something for cold floors and dark rooms. The Sherpa Slipper ($78, sizes S–L) has a soft plush upper and cushioned insole, as Eberjey describes it. The Inez Washable Silk Eye Mask ($48, size One Size) is made of 100% washable silk with a pillow-soft filling. Our article on whether sleep masks help you sleep explains what to look for.
Small add-ons that finish the box
- A silk accessory: the Inez Washable Silk Printed Scarf ($68, size One Size) in Santa Paws can be tied in hair, around the neck or on a bag.
- Something for the dog: the Gisele Printed TENCEL™ Modal Pet PJ ($58, sizes S–XXL) matches the family sets.
- Warm feet: Cozy Socks, which our guide to wearing socks to bed covers in more detail.
- A shared activity: a holiday movie, a puzzle or a board game for the evening.
- A warm drink: a mug and a hot chocolate kit.
Make opening the box a ritual
A little ceremony makes the box feel special. Researchers led by Kathleen Vohs at the University of Minnesota, with colleagues at Harvard Business School, found that people who performed a short ritual before eating chocolate rated it more highly, savored it more and were willing to pay more for it. The study, published in Psychological Science, looked at food, but the idea carries over nicely to a Christmas Eve box: a small, repeated ceremony makes the moment feel like an occasion.
For a Christmas Eve box, that could be opening it at the same time each year, after dinner and before the bath, then putting on the pajamas, reading the book and setting out treats. Gift research supports the practical approach too: our guide to gifts for someone who has everything explains why everyday upgrades are often the most appreciated.
Frequently asked questions
What do you put in a Christmas Eve box?
Start with new pajamas, then add one or two cozy extras such as socks, slippers, a book, a holiday movie or a hot chocolate kit.
When do you open a Christmas Eve box?
On Christmas Eve, usually in the evening, so everyone can put on their new pajamas before bed.
Where does the Christmas Eve box tradition come from?
It is often linked to the German custom of opening presents on the night before Christmas.
How much does a Christmas Eve box cost?
A kids’ box with the Kids Printed TENCEL™ Modal Unisex Long PJ Set and Cozy Socks costs $110, and a grown-up box with the Gisele Printed TENCEL™ Modal Long PJ Set and Sherpa Slipper costs $236.
Are Christmas Eve boxes just for kids?
No. Adults, couples and even the family dog can get one, with pajamas, slippers, an eye mask or a matching pet PJ.
Does Eberjey offer gift boxing?
Yes. Gift boxing is available on select products for $10 per order, with up to six items per box.
Sources
- Better Homes & Gardens Australia, "What Is A Christmas Eve Box?"
- The Everymom, "Christmas Eve Box"
- ScienceDaily, "To savor the flavor, perform a short ritual first"
- EurekAlert, "To savor the flavor, perform a short ritual first"
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine, "Study shows children sleep better when they have a regular nightly bedtime routine"
- Sleep (via PubMed Central), "Bedtime Routines for Young Children: A Dose-Dependent Association with Sleep Outcomes"
