Move over Christmas Eve boxes there’s a new festive trend in town, and it turns up 25 days earlier.
I’ve only just discovered the “1st of December box” and honestly… I’m not sure whether to be delighted or quietly panicking.
If you’re like me and juggling full time work, kids, school events, Christmas concerts, and the emotional endurance test that is end of year life — you’ll understand why my first reaction was:
Oh god… not another thing.
But then… I saw the videos.
The matching pyjamas.
The twinkly crafts.
The hot chocolate kits.
And I thought… okay that does look fun.
And now I think I’m going to buy into it.
Welcome to parenting in 2025.
So… what IS a 1st of December box?
It’s basically a Christmas starter pack.
On 1 December, parents give their child a box filled with festive treats — usually:
- Christmas pyjamas
- Crafts / colouring books
- A tree ornament
- Christmas storybooks
- Hot chocolate
- A movie night treat
- And anything else that screams “Mariah Carey has defrosted”
It’s like a mini-Christmas before Christmas. The idea is to kick off the season with a bit of magic.
Cute? Yes.
Necessary? Unsure.
Apparently, it’s everywhere now — TikTok, Instagram, Kmart mums groups, you name it.
In fact, Kmart have even been kind enough to curate this for us – Check it out HERE
Not everyone is cheering
One TikToker recently posted a video saying:
“Can we normalise parents that can’t afford to do 1st of December boxes?
My four and a half year old will get his Christmas pyjamas and his $3 chocolate advent calendar.
These parents filling baskets with hundreds of dollars worth of stuff… it’s making it really difficult for the parents that can’t afford it.
Christmas Day is the day for presents — can we just go back to that please?”
Fair point — cost of living is a nightmare right now.
But the internet never stays gentle for long.
@mistyloftus22 #xmasday #december1st #costofliving #xmas #toomuch ♬ original sound – Misty 🇦🇺
And then the backlash began
Parents fired back — and they had feelings.
One person commented:
“Can we normalise not being triggered by what other parents do?”
Another added:
“So us parents who can afford it should stop because other parents can’t afford it? Ha ha ha girl, save $30 and make your child a box.”
And then:
“Why can’t they though? Can we normalise that people parent differently?”
Which is… fair?
But here we are — because nothing says Christmas spirit like arguing with strangers online.
Why the trend is taking off
Parents who love the idea say:
- It spreads the holiday magic across the whole month
- You get more use out of Christmas PJs
- It marks the start of “festive mode”
- Kids LOVE the surprise
And honestly, there’s something lovely about pausing the chaos to do something intentionally joyful.
But here’s the pressure part…
Social media makes it look like every family is assembling a Pinterest-worthy crate packed with $200 worth of:
- Personalised gifts
- Scented candles
- Matching cups
- Mini LEGO sets
- Christmas crafts
- Ornaments
- A partridge in a pear tree
So maybe It’s not the tradition itself that stresses people out — it’s the expectation.
My honest reaction
As a working mum?
I felt the TikToker’s pain.
At this time of year, my mental to do list is its own horror film. Adding another tradition feels… ambitious.
But the other part of me — the one who loves seeing my son grin like it’s his birthday — thought…
You know what? This could be really fun.
So I think I’ll do a 1st of December box.
But mine will be simple.
Pyjamas, an advent calendar, maybe some craft, and jobs done.
I’m not creating Santa’s workshop — I’m just trying to make a moment.
Do you actually have to do this?
Absolutely not.
There is zero award for Best December Parent.
(If there were, the trophy would be shaped like a glue stick and come with a free Bunnings sausage.)
It’s not compulsory. It’s just a bit of fun — if you want it to be.
If you do want to try it… here are easy fillers
- Christmas PJs
- Chocolate advent calendar
- Colouring book
- A Christmas story
- Hot chocolate sachet
- Candy canes
- Christmas stickers
- Movie night voucher (from the lounge room)
It doesn’t have to be expensive — just joyful. The 1st of December box is a cute trend that can create real magic for kids. But if it adds stress or financial pressure? Please opt out guilt free.
