What is a 1st December box?
A 1st December box is a recent trend where you gift your child a box packed full of exciting, festive bits and bobs to help them experience the magic of Christmas all month long.
What’s the difference between a 1st December box and a Christmas Eve box?
As the name suggests, A 1st December box can be given at the start of the month, whereas a Christmas Eve box is given, well on Christmas Eve!
The advantage of giving your little ones a few treats a bit earlier, is they can enjoy the festive season and learn all about Christmas through reading books and doing various fun craft activities.
Not to mention, they get to wear super cosy pjs while doing this.
Whereas if you give your toddler a Christmas Eve box, they’ll only get to enjoy their goodies for a day or two before it’s all over or they get overwhelmed with new presents!
What should I put inside a December box for my toddler?
You can put anything you’d like in your toddler December box. It all depends what they’re into but here are some ideas:
- Advent Calendar
- Colouring books
- Pyjamas
- Letter to Santa kit
- Books
- Sweet treats like a Santa chocolate lolly
- Festive little board games like the ones from Orchard Games
- Soft toy
- Reindeer food
- Stickers
- Christmas plate, bowl, and cup
- Snacks for Santa
- Christmas bedding or blanket
- Elf on the shelf (if you do it)
- Craft activities
Obviously it’s up to you what you pick off the list, or you could use it as an opportunity to start a tradition of your own.
Top tips to save money on a toddler 1st December box
If you’re on a budget, a 1st December box doesn’t have to cost a fortune! Here are my top tips on how to make it cheap and cheerful:
Use what you already have
A lot of the stuff I put in Rose’s box, we already owned. Things like books, soft toys, and the box itself were already in our house. But because we dressed them up and she hadn’t seen them in a while, it was all new and exciting.
Shop preloved
I’m a big advocate for shopping second hand, as there’s so many Christmas treats waiting in charity shops and online on sites like Facebook Marketplace and Vinted. Always check here first before shelling out on new things.
Browse the bargain shops
Sometimes we can’t always find what we need preloved, or for things like letter to Santa kits, we need to buy new, which is totally fine!
Bargain shops like B&M and Home Bargains are full of delightful kids Christmas tat to fill your box with. Rose absolutely loves these aisles and to be honest, so do I!
Get cashback
If you are buying new from the high street, make sure you get the best deals on cashback sites and apps. I love cashback because it’s essentially free money for buying something you were going to purchase anyway!
Look for freebies
Freebies genuinely exist and are a great way to save money! Check freebie sites for things like free snacks, books, and crafts. It’s also worth checking things like your email and post.
We got a coupon through the door for a free Christmas treat jar at our local garden centre, with no minimum spend!
You can also sign up to be a product tester to get free products to add to your 1st December basket.
Use your loyalty points
If you have any spare Clubcard or Nectar points, Christmas is the perfect time of year to use your loyalty points on lovely little treats like decorations or your little one’s favourite snacks.
Don’t beat yourself up!
Finally, don’t stress yourself out. If this feels like yet another thing you have to worry about, don’t do it! You have to do what’s best for your household and your budget.
We personally don’t do elf on the shelf (yet) and we do loads of free stuff around this time of year too. It’s all about picking the traditions that feel right for you and your family. Merry Christmas!
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