Our New Favorite Christmas Eve Gift-Giving Tradition (and a few other ideas I’d try)
For most of our married life, I assumed that we would switch off Christmases — one year with my family in the Midwest, the next with my husband’s family here in North Carolina. But when your husband is a pastor who preaches the Christmas Eve service every year, those alternating plans don’t exactly work out as imagined.
At first, I’ll admit, that realization made me a little sad. I missed the idea of snowy Midwestern Christmas mornings with my family. But it also gave us an opportunity: to build something new and meaningful right here, with the family God has placed us near.
A Simple Start
Last year, we brainstormed with my in-laws what kind of tradition we could start on Christmas Eve — something that fit our season of life and schedules. Since Austin and I are both heavily involved in planning and leading the Christmas Eve service, we knew we’d want something simple when we got home.
That’s how we landed on Chinese takeout and a Christmas movie. After church, we all change into comfy clothes, pick up takeout (egg rolls, lo mein, and all the rest), and watch either The Grinch or A Charlie Brown Christmas. They’re both short, easy to agree on, and the perfect way to wind down from a full day of ministry.
But I wanted to add something else — something that would make the night uniquely ours.
Adding a Gift-Giving Tradition
Since we open our main family gifts on Christmas morning, I thought it would be fun to have a small, themed gift exchange on Christmas Eve. So we decided to draw names — everyone gets one person to give a little gift to that night.
But instead of just saying, “buy whatever,” I wanted it to have a theme. A theme helps keep things simple, meaningful, and (let’s be honest) budget-friendly. It also helps everyone — kids and adults alike — think creatively about how they can show thoughtfulness.
So here are the categories we brainstormed, any of which could easily become your own family’s new favorite tradition:
1. Something Homemade
There’s something special about receiving something made by hand. It takes time, creativity, and care — all the things that make a gift feel personal.
Homemade can mean almost anything:
- Bake a loaf of bread or a batch of cookies.
- Try your hand at candle-making.
- Sew a quilt, an apron, or a set of cloth napkins.
- Build something out of wood — maybe a toy chest or a cutting board.
- Create a photo book from a favorite family vacation.
- Make a playlist for someone: songs for the post-Christmas blues or new-year motivation.
The possibilities are endless, and the beauty is that homemade gifts often cost little to nothing — just your time and attention.
2. Something Thrifted
Everyone draws a name and has to find a secondhand treasure — something with a story.
You could:
- Hunt down a beautiful set of candlesticks or cocktail glasses (which, let’s be honest, make great ice cream sundae cups too).
- Find a high-quality cardigan made of real wool (likely or under $20!).
- Discover a vintage board game or classic book.
- Thrift a basket, napkin rings, and cloth napkins and assemble them all into the cutest hospitality bundle.
- Find vintage tea cups and gift them with a box of your favorite tea.
This category levels the playing field — no pressure to spend a lot, just to look with creativity and thoughtfulness.
3. A Book and Chocolate
This one is inspired by the Icelandic tradition called Jólabókaflóð (the “Christmas Book Flood”): families exchange books and chocolate on Christmas Eve and spend the evening reading and snacking together.
You could gift:
- A cookbook for the family chef.
- A birdwatching guide for a nature lover.
- A devotional or biography for the reader who loves a good story of faith.
- A board book for the littlest family member.
And of course, pair it with chocolate — whether it’s a fancy chocolate bar, Reese’s cups, or chocolate truffles from a local shop.
4. An Act of Service
This one might be my favorite. Give the gift of your time, attention, or help — things money can’t always buy.
You could offer:
- A babysitting coupon (which I would absolutely love to receive) for a date night or concert.
- Help putting away Christmas decorations and cleaning after the holiday (make it fun with music and a cup of coffee when you’re done).
- A pre-filled calendar with family birthdays and anniversaries along with a set of birthday cards, already stamped and addressed.
- A standing offer to pick up thrift store donations four times a year and drop them at the local thrift store.
Acts of service are deeply personal, and they remind us that love often looks like showing up and serving one another.
What We Chose
Our family ended up choosing the “something homemade” category, and it was such a joy to see what everyone created. I embroidered an apron for my sister-in-law (with veggies because she loves them — it was my first time embroidering something like that and it had mistakes to be sure, but that’s all part of the process and honestly makes it more meaningful). And honestly, I couldn’t stop thinking of more things I wanted to make for everyone else — this category lends itself to so much imagination!
Here are just a few ideas if you want to start your own:
- Hand-painted ornaments
- A loaf of sourdough, homemade coffee syrups in little jars, homemade jam, etc
- A knitted scarf
- A handmade bookmark tucked into a favorite book
- A framed family recipe written in your handwriting
- A photo book from Shutterfly withe pictures from a family trip
A Tradition That’s Ours
When the night winds down — the takeout boxes are stacked, the movie credits are rolling, and a few handmade gifts are exchanged — I can’t help but feel grateful for the new traditions we’re forming. They may not look like the ones I grew up with, but they are deeply ours.
And maybe that’s the best part about traditions: they don’t have to be passed down to be precious. They just have to be practiced with love.
