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What should I put in a Christmas Eve box for a toddler?

What to put in a toddler's Christmas Eve box (pajamas, a book, a toothbrush, one cozy thing), what to leave out, and when to open it so bedtime holds.

Storybook Studio Editorial Team12 min read
Oliver and his family, from the Oliver and the Christmas Workshop sample, stand together under a large glowing star in a snowy storybook village

The short answer

A Christmas Eve box for a toddler works well as a small bedtime kit: pajamas, a book, a toothbrush, and one comforting item. Choose things made for your child's age. Leave out balloons, loose batteries, and foods that are choking hazards for young children. Open the box before the usual routine starts, then follow the same bath, brush, book, and bed steps.

A Christmas Eve box for a toddler works well as a small bedtime kit: cozy pajamas, a book to read that night, a toothbrush, and one comforting item. Choose things made for your child's age. Leave out balloons, loose batteries, and foods that are choking hazards for young children. Open the box before the usual routine starts, then follow the same bath, brush, book, and bed steps. The box is a calm start to Christmas, not a second round of presents.

Key takeaways

  • Think "bedtime kit": pajamas, a book, a toothbrush, and one cozy thing.
  • The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says to keep small balls and toys with small parts away from children younger than 3. Nemours KidsHealth says children younger than 3 are at the highest risk of choking, and that some toys have small parts that can cause choking.
  • Balloons are a choking risk up to age 8 (AAP). CPSC says to keep deflated balloons away from children younger than 8.
  • Open the box early in the evening. AAP advises trying to avoid exciting play before bedtime.

What is a Christmas Eve box?

A Christmas Eve box is a small box or basket some families give children on December 24. It usually holds things for that evening, such as pajamas, a book, or a snack, so the night before Christmas has its own small ritual. There is no set list. What goes inside is up to your family. The longer run of small doors before that night is advent calendar ideas for kids. A short note of thanks inside the box can follow gratitude activities for kids.

For a toddler, a useful version supports the night you are about to have. A toddler on Christmas Eve is often excited, overtired, or both, so a box that leads into sleep is kinder than one that adds more stimulation.

What should I put in a Christmas Eve box for a toddler?

Pick three to five things. Each one should be safe for your child's age and useful that night. The "why it fits" notes below are editorial. The safety notes cite the source named in that cell. If the box is for an older preschooler, a stocking stuffer for a reader age 3 to 5 covers what fits that age and what does not fit a stocking.

ItemWhy it fitsSafety note
PajamasSignals bedtimeCheck for loose buttons or decorations that could come off. That check is a practical one, not a quoted rule.
A picture bookBecomes tonight's bedtime storySound books may contain small batteries. See the battery note below.
A new toothbrushKeeps the "brush" step of the routineChoose a size made for your child. That size choice is practical, not a quoted rule.
A cozy item, such as a soft toySomething to hold during the storyFor a baby, AAP and NICHD Safe to Sleep both say to keep soft objects, including stuffed toys, out of the sleep area.
A family photo or a noteA calm thing to look at togetherA printed photo is simpler than a frame with glass. That is a practical choice.
A snack for Christmas morningSomething to look forward toAAP, the CDC, and Nemours KidsHealth list whole grapes, nuts, popcorn, hard candy, and marshmallows among choking hazards for young children.

The book is the anchor. AAP's Brush, Book, Bed routine says that after toothbrushing and before bed you sit and read with your child (AAP, Brush, Book, Bed). The CDC uses "brush, book, bed" as an example of a nighttime routine (CDC, Tips for Relying on Routines and Rules). A Christmas Eve book fits that step. For the ordinary-night version of that order, see what belongs in a preschool bedtime routine. For more small December rituals, see Christmas traditions with toddlers.

What should I leave out of a toddler's Christmas Eve box?

Most of what to avoid is about choking, batteries, and packaging.

If you think your child has swallowed a button or coin battery, AAP says to take them immediately to an emergency room (AAP, Small Batteries). Poison Control says to call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 1-800-498-8666 or a poison center at 1-800-222-1222 immediately, and not to delay going to the emergency room, because a battery stuck in the esophagus can be life-threatening (Poison Control, Safety tips for button batteries). Nemours KidsHealth says to get emergency medical care if you think a child has swallowed a battery (Nemours KidsHealth, Choking). AAP's holiday decoration page also says these batteries can cause life-threatening injuries if swallowed, and to contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for a suspected poisoning (AAP, Holiday Decoration Safety).

When should we open it so bedtime still works?

Open it early in the evening, then move into your normal routine. AAP says a predictable nighttime routine helps a child understand and learn to expect what comes next, and that routines may ease the stress that some families experience at bedtime (AAP, Brush, Book, Bed). AAP also suggests nighttime rituals such as storytelling, reading aloud, conversation, and songs, and advises trying to avoid exciting play and activities before bedtime (AAP, The Importance of Family Routines).

A simple order that keeps the routine intact:

  1. Open the box after dinner. Leave enough time that nobody feels rushed.
  2. Bath, then new pajamas. The pajamas become part of getting ready.
  3. Brush teeth with the new toothbrush.
  4. Read the new book in the usual spot. Keep the lights low and the voice calm.
  5. Lights out at the usual time, or close to it. Holidays bend schedules. Aim for close.

Save anything noisy, bright, or new to play with for Christmas morning. A toy that lights up is a fun gift and a hard thing to put down at bedtime.

What about a baby's Christmas Eve box?

Keep it even simpler. Pajamas and a sturdy board book are enough. The sleep-safety difference is specific. AAP says to keep soft objects and loose bedding out of a baby's sleep area, including pillows, pillow-like toys, quilts, and comforters, because they can increase the risk of entrapment, suffocation, or strangulation (AAP, How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe). NICHD's Safe to Sleep campaign says a crib with nothing in it except a fitted sheet is the safest option, and that soft or squishy items such as pillows, stuffed toys, and crib bumpers can pose dangers. It also says sleeping under quilts, blankets, and other soft coverings increases the risk of suffocation and strangulation, and that keeping these things out of the baby's sleep area is the best way to avoid those dangers (NICHD, Safe Sleep Environment for Baby). A plush toy can be a gift for a baby. It should not go into the crib.

Can grandparents or relatives send one?

Yes. Ask the parents first about sizes, what they already planned, and anything they would rather you skip. Mail it so it can arrive before the 24th. Holiday delivery times vary, and this article does not quote a shipping range. For the main Christmas morning gift, meaningful Christmas gifts for kids that are not toys has ideas beyond the toy aisle.

A relative can also join the evening by video. AAP suggests linking a video call to an activity, such as having a family member read the child a book (AAP, Tips for Video Chatting). ZERO TO THREE suggests setting up a short video call for a grandparent or loved one to read a board book (ZERO TO THREE, 10 Ways to Share Virtual Traditions). If the book in the box is one a grandparent also has, they can read it together before bed. For planning that book, see a personalized Christmas book for a grandchild.

What kind of book belongs in the box?

Any short, calm picture book your child will want to hear again works. Christmas Eve is a good night for a story about your own family's Christmas: the tree you decorated, the cookies you made, or the people you will see tomorrow. For an original Christmas Eve read-aloud starring your child, see the personalized Night Before Christmas book guide. It is not the Clement Moore poem.

Storybook Studio's holiday book is one way to do that. You choose Christmas, add the child and the family members or pets they know, and describe what your family always does. You can also list things to leave out, such as Santa or presents. If you are still deciding, the age kids stop believing in Santa is written for that talk. If the dedication should read as if it came from Santa, use the Christmas gift from Santa book guide. The story and illustrations are created after checkout, and printing starts only after you approve the proof.

Plan ahead if you want a printed copy in the box. Printed books are made to order and then shipped, and arrival by a holiday is not guaranteed. Check the current ranges on our pricing page and the delivery estimate at checkout, see every Christmas guide on our Christmas gift books page, and read how long a personalized storybook takes and whether a personalized storybook works as a last-minute gift before you order.

For more everyday moments a story can help with, see personalized story ideas in everyday family moments.

More related guidance:

This article is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your child's doctor if you have questions about choking, sleep, or your child's development.

Sources

  1. Brush, Book, Bed: How to Structure Your Child's Nighttime Routine — American Academy of Pediatrics

  2. The Importance of Family Routines — American Academy of Pediatrics

  3. Choking Prevention for Babies & Children: What Every Parent Needs to Know — American Academy of Pediatrics

  4. Small Battery Safety at Home: A Winter Holiday Walkthrough — American Academy of Pediatrics

  5. How Small Batteries Can Become Dangerous to Children — American Academy of Pediatrics

  6. Holiday Decoration Safety: 12 Tips for Families — American Academy of Pediatrics

  7. How to Keep Your Sleeping Baby Safe: AAP Policy Explained — American Academy of Pediatrics

  8. Toys — U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

  9. Tips for Video Chatting with Infants and Toddlers — American Academy of Pediatrics

  10. Choking — Nemours KidsHealth

  11. Choking Hazards — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  12. Tips for Relying on Routines and Rules — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

  13. Safety tips for button batteries — National Capital Poison Center

  14. Safe Sleep Environment for Baby — Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

  15. 10 Ways to Share Virtual Traditions with Babies and Toddlers — ZERO TO THREE

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