Christmas Eve surprise parcels!

As most of you probably know I love Christmas! I love everything about it – the crafts you can make, the decorations, the lights, the food, the celebrations, the nativities, the time spent together as a family and of course your own personal family traditions. It is such a magical time of year, especially for children, and you can make it super special with your own family traditions.

I cannot stand bah humbug people who complain about the commercialisation of it all! I do not spend huge amounts of money on things that my kids don’t need (that is not to say I don’t buy anything – of course I do)! I just don’t go over the top! I had a friend who a couple of years ago spent £1000 on each of her two children, aged 3 and 6, only for her to then complain after Christmas that they only played with a couple of the new toys she had bought them. I remember being completely flabbergasted!

To me personally, presents are only a small part of Christmas. Christmas is made up of many different things. When I was a kid, my favourite memories are of spending time as a whole family (my dad worked such long hours it was a big treat to be able to spend whole days over the Christmas period with him). I also used to love the Christmas dinner, my Gran’s mince pies and watching Christmas films on the TV. If you ask my daughter what her favourite part of Christmas is she will say Christmas dinner, Christmas Eve parcels and our Christmas Eve walk (this is one of our favourite family traditions – we go for a walk in the woods by our home and then come back for hot chocolates and a Christmas film). If you ask my son, he will say spending time with Daddy and helping to decorate the tree.

Each year one of my personal favourite family Christmas traditions is giving the kids a Christmas Eve surprise parcel! I make a little parcel of things for each of the kids to use on Christmas Eve. I never spend much money on them as I pick little bargains up or make things myself.

I made their parcels today whilst they were both in school and have hidden them away until Christmas Eve! I thought I would share with you what I have included in them this year!

I bought them each a new onesie, a Christmas colouring book, a Christmas canvas picture to paint and a Santa mug filled with Hot chocolate and marshmallows. I also made reindeer food (using porridge oats and edible glitter) and wrapped it in a cellophane cone, tied with pretty ribbon. Everything I bought was bought from my local discount shop so hardly cost me anything! I then wrapped the items in pretty cellophane and secured with an elastic band. I then popped some Christmas ribbon over the top and added a little bow.

I love making these little Christmas parcels and giving them to the kids Christmas Eve. I can’t wait for Christmas Eve now!