The short answer
A good Christmas Eve box holds new pajamas, one thing to read or play, one small treat and a note, and it gets opened about an hour before bedtime. Pack it for the youngest child in the room, buy the pajamas first because they are the one item that has to ship, and leave anything hot out of the box. New christmas pajamas are the center of it because the kids can use them straight away. We sell these pajamas, so treat the picks below as editorial suggestions and the steps as a plan you can adjust.
Step 1: Set the Budget Before You Buy Anything
Price the pajamas first, then let them cap everything else. Our rule of thumb is that the other items together should cost no more than the pajamas did. That is an editorial judgment, not a formula, but it stops a small tradition from turning into a second Christmas morning.
- Split per-child and shared items. Pajamas, notes and treats are per child, and costs multiply fast. One game or one family book can be shared, so it costs the same with one child or four.
- Use the rule of one bought, one owned. Buy the pajamas and pair them with something you already have: a favorite story, a mug from the kitchen shelf, or a deck of cards.
- Keep the box. A sturdy box you store with the decorations is a one-time cost, and it makes next year's version quicker to pack.
- Put all the pajamas in one order. Shipping is free above a threshold that can vary by region, so check the threshold before you split anything up.
- Read the return terms if you buy on sale. PatPat does not accept returns on sale items, so a low price on a guessed size can cost you more in the end.
Step 2: Choose Pajamas That Suit the Night
Choose one of two routes: a single set for one child, or a family print everyone opens together. Many kids christmas pajamas sold on their own are labeled snug-fitting, so check the listing before you pick a size. A family set like the gingerbread print adds parents and siblings, and its listing says the kids' and baby pieces are flame-resistant.
The route changes how you size. A piece labeled WEAR SNUG-FITTING, NOT FLAME RESISTANT relies on its close fit under US sleepwear rules, so order true to size and resist buying one up to last until next year. For the reasoning and the chart, see what size to order and when. The gingerbread and reindeer listings say each pajama set includes buffalo plaid socks, so you can skip buying a separate pair for those.
Step 3: Fill the Box by Age
Use one list per child, then check the whole box against the youngest person who could reach it. CPSC's holiday guidance says to keep balls and toys with small parts away from children younger than three, and deflated balloons away from children younger than eight. It also says to follow the age guidance on the packaging. The Santa pajamas guide has a quicker version of this for a small box; here is the full list.
Toddlers, about 1 to 3
- Pack: pajamas, a board book and a note for you to read aloud.
- Leave out: toys with small parts, small balls, marbles, coins, balloons, and anything with a button or coin battery. The AAP's choking-hazard list names all of them.
- Make it easy: use a box they can open on their own, and take away the plastic wrap first. CPSC says to discard plastic wrapping and packaging right after unwrapping.
School-age kids, about 4 to 8
- Pack: pajamas, a picture or early chapter book, a coloring pad with crayons, a simple card game, and a note from Santa if your family does that.
- Leave out: balloons, which the AAP lists as a hazard up to age 8, and noisy toys that restart the evening.
- Give them a job: setting out the plate for Santa or choosing the bedtime story gives the excitement somewhere to go.
Big kids, about 9 to 13
- Pack: pajamas, a paperback or a puzzle for tomorrow, a small notebook, and a note written to them and not from Santa unless you are sure.
- Leave out: a costume-style print they did not choose. In our view, older kids often care more about being asked than being surprised, so show them two options in advance.
- Watch the small pieces: if a toddler shares the house, a big kid's card game or puzzle stays up high once the box is open.
A note on babies
A baby's box is really for the parents' photo album. Set out baby christmas pajamas and a board book, and leave the rest out. When the baby goes down for the night, the AAP's safe-sleep advice still applies: on the back, with soft objects and toys kept out of the sleep area. So the new plush toy waits outside the crib.
Shop the look
For a house with mixed ages, a parent and an older child wear the Santa set in short sleeves and shorts, a toddler takes 2Y, and a baby takes 9-12M: one listing, choose each member and size. The reindeer set has glow-in-the-dark accents, and its listing suggests letting the clothes absorb natural light first, so keep it by a window that afternoon, out of sight.
Santa and snowman print family short pajama set in whiteShop now
Reindeer glow-in-the-dark family pajamas in navyShop now
Both sets cover kids 2Y to 12-13Y and baby sizes 3-6M to 12-18M, and adult sizes stop at 2XL. For picks by family setup, see best family Christmas pajamas.
Step 4: Handle Treats and Hot Cocoa With Care
Put the cocoa packet in the box and make the drink after the box is put away. Several common Christmas Eve treats are on the AAP's list: its choking-hazard page says to keep hard, gooey or sticky candy, marshmallows and popcorn from children until at least age 4. For a child under 4, that rules out candy canes and marshmallow toppings, so skip them or save them for an older sibling and keep them out of reach.
We looked for a safe serving temperature for hot cocoa from the AAP and CPSC and did not find one, so we won't print a number. What these sources do agree on is the routine around the cup:
- Test it first. SickKids, the Toronto children's hospital, says to test hot food and drinks to make sure they are warm and not hot, and to have children drink at a table.
- Keep your own cup away. The AAP says to avoid carrying your baby and hot liquids at the same time.
- Mind the edges. The American Burn Association advises keeping hot drinks away from table and counter edges and using travel mugs with tight-fitting lids.
The order we suggest is simple: box first, pajamas on, then cocoa at the table with everyone sitting down.
Step 5: Keep the Sizes Private
Sizes are nobody's business on Christmas Eve, and sibling comparisons can sting. Write each child's name on the outside of the box or bag, fold the pajamas with the size label inside, and keep the size list on your phone and not on a tag.
To get a size without tipping them off, use a recent height rather than the age on last year's pajamas, and compare it with the PatPat size chart. Then keep the labels where they are:
- Don't cut out the neck label. You need it to read the sleepwear route, and returns need tags and original packaging.
- Check the size when the parcel arrives. Compare the size on each piece with the chart, tags on, and keep the original packaging for any return.
- Swaps take time. The refund policy treats an exchange as a return and a separate new purchase, so the size you want could sell out in between.
Buying for nieces, nephews or grandchildren? The Christmas Eve gifting guide covers measuring in secret and the 30-day return window.
The green gift bag above has its own listing, so use its photos to judge whether a folded set will fit. In those photos it is a flat pouch with a tree pattern, so it can replace the wrapping, though it won't replace a box that holds a book and a game.
Step 6: Pick the Moment to Hand It Over
Count back from bedtime instead of picking a clock time. These are our suggestions and not research findings, and every family's evening runs differently.
| Your situation | When to open | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Toddlers only | Right after dinner, about 45 minutes before bed | Short attention span and an early bedtime leave little slack |
| School-age kids | About an hour before bed, after the plate for Santa is ready | Enough time to play the game and still settle down |
| Big kids | After dinner, with no rush | They can stay up for a movie in the new pajamas |
| Mixed ages | Go by the youngest child's bedtime | Older kids can keep the evening going once the little one is down |
| Evening service or a family dinner out | When you get home, or before you leave if it will run late | Tired kids handle a short version better than a long one |
| Away from home | Pack a flat version in the suitcase | A bag travels better than a box, and the note matters most |
For the hours around it, including the wind-down, the Waiting for Santa plan maps the whole night.
How Far Ahead to Buy Each Item
Buy in order of how hard each item is to replace. The pajamas come first because they have to ship, and the rest can wait until December.
| Item | When to get it | If it falls through |
|---|---|---|
| Pajamas | By the third week of November for the widest choice of sizes | Pick another print that still has every size |
| Book or game | Early December | Use a favorite from your own shelf, or a deck of cards |
| Box or bag | With the pajamas if it's on the same order, otherwise early December | Any sturdy box with tissue paper |
| Fit recheck for kids under about five | Mid-December | Replace that one piece, if the size is still there |
| Cocoa and treats | The week of Christmas | Whatever is in the pantry |
| The note | December 23 | Write it that evening, it only needs two lines |
PatPat estimates 1 to 3 days of processing, which can run longer in peak season, and 2 to 5 business days within the contiguous 48 states. Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico are estimated at 10 to 16 days. Those are estimates and not promises, and our Christmas pajamas shipping guide works them back into estimated order dates, including later ones.
Frequently asked questions
What goes in a Christmas Eve box for kids? New pajamas, one book or game, one age-appropriate treat and a short note. Keep it to what a child can enjoy in the hour before bed.
What age is too young for a Christmas Eve box? No age is too young if you pack for it. For a baby or toddler, that means pajamas and a board book, with no small parts or hard candy.
Can I put candy canes or marshmallows in a toddler's box? The AAP lists hard candy and marshmallows as choking hazards to keep from children until at least age 4. Save them for older kids and store them out of a toddler's reach.
How hot should hot cocoa be for a child? We did not find an official temperature from the AAP or CPSC. SickKids says to test it so it's warm and not hot, and to have children drink at a table.
When should you give a Christmas Eve box? We suggest about an hour before bedtime, going by the youngest child's schedule. That leaves time to change and settle down without a rushed bedtime.
Should kids' Christmas Eve pajamas be a size up? Not if they are labeled snug-fitting, because the close fit is part of how those garments meet US rules. Order true to size using a recent height.
How early should I start preparing the box? Order the pajamas by the third week of November for the widest choice of sizes, and leave the book, treats and note until December.
Before You Close the Lid
Run through it one last time: names on the outside, sizes out of sight, plastic wrap gone, and small parts checked against the youngest child in the room. Then hide the box somewhere you will remember on December 24.
Pajamas are the one part of the box you can't pull from a shelf on December 24, and kids' sizes sell out individually. Shop kids' Christmas pajamas.
About this article
Written and fact-checked by the PatPat Editorial Team. How we research, source and review what we publish is set out on our editorial standards page.
Method. Product details, listing photos and in-stock sizes were read from PatPat product pages and inventory in early November 2026, and return and shipping terms from PatPat's policy pages. PatPat is the seller, the packing lists and timing are editorial judgment, and we did not wear-test any garment. Safety points come from the sources below and are general guidance, so follow the age labels on what you buy and ask your pediatrician about your own child.
Sources. Choking hazards: AAP, HealthyChildren.org. Toys, balloons and packaging: CPSC, Holiday Safety. Hot liquids: AAP, Treating and Preventing Burns, SickKids AboutKidsHealth, Scald Prevention and American Burn Association, Pediatric Scalds. Safe sleep: AAP, A Parent's Guide to Safe Sleep. Snug-fitting label: CPSC, Infant and Tight-fitting Garments. Returns and delivery estimates: PatPat refund policy and PatPat shipping policy.
Last updated 6 November 2026 · Next review November 2027
