How To Fall Asleep on Christmas Eve Waiting for Santa
Key Takeaways
- A Christmas Eve sleepover turns the wait for Santa into a fun group tradition filled with laughter, games, and lasting memories.
- Creating a warm and comfortable sleep setup helps kids and adults relax and makes it easier to transition into rest.
- Calming holiday activities like movies, cookie decorating, or even a nighttime stroll keep the magic alive while easing everyone toward sleep.
We’ve all been there. It’s Christmas Eve, we’re buzzing with excitement, wide awake, and counting candy canes instead of sheep. The stockings are hung, the cookies are plated, and yet sleep feels impossible when you know Santa’s on his way.
At FUNBOY, we totally get it. That’s why we’re turning the night before Christmas into something magical, cozy, and dare we say, sleep-worthy. From creating the ultimate holiday sleepover setup to winding down with scroll-stopping Christmas style, we’ve got all the tricks to help you drift off and wake up ready for the best morning ever.
Set the Scene With a Cozy Christmas Sleepover
Christmas Eve jitters are real — whether you’re six, sixteen, or still secretly hoping for Santa sightings as an adult. That’s why the tradition of a Christmas Eve sleepover has become such a vibe.
Pile everyone into one room, crank up the holiday playlist, and turn the night before Christmas into its own celebration. When siblings, cousins, or besties are all under the same roof, the wait for Santa feels way less endless and way more like an epic holiday hang.
If you’ve never hosted a festive sleepover before, now’s the year. Think matching pajamas, a group movie marathon, maybe even some late-night cookie decorating. A sleepover setup keeps the anticipation fun, gives kids (and adults) a way to burn off energy together, and turns that long wait into one of the most memorable nights of the season.
Instead of tossing and turning solo, you’re laughing, snacking, and making memories, which is way more fun than staring at the ceiling counting down the hours.
Create a Comfort-First Sleep Setup
Of course, the whole point of a Christmas Eve sleepover is eventually falling asleep (sorry, Santa can’t show up until you do). That’s where comfort becomes the secret ingredient. Soft, layered blankets, oversized pillows, and the right sleeping setup transform a “chaotic holiday slumber party” into actual restful fun.
Enter FUNBOY’s festive air mattresses, designed with plush flocked tops and playful designs that make kids excited to crawl into bed while still comfy enough for grown-ups to sneak a nap on.
Our Gingerbread Sleepover Bed is basically Christmas magic in inflatable form, and we’ve got another brand-new holiday bed dropping this year that’s pure holiday highlight reel material. These beds pack down into travel bags (perfect for family trips) and blow up in minutes, which means no last-minute panic when cousins or neighbors decide to join the Christmas Eve crew.
The truth is, comfort cues your body to relax. When the mood is warm and inviting, kids are way less likely to fight bedtime, and adults actually get to enjoy a little quiet time before the big day. Add a snuggly throw, dim the lights, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a smooth transition from “we’re too excited to sleep” to “out cold until Christmas morning.”
Embrace Chill Holiday Activities Before Bed
You can have the comfiest Christmas Eve setup in the world, but nobody knocks out the second their head hits the pillow tonight. The hack?
A few fun, low-key activities that keep the magic alive while helping everyone ease into sleep mode:
Break Out the Board Games
Sometimes the simplest traditions are the best. Pull out a stack of board or card games and make them holiday-themed.
Play charades using only Christmas songs or movies, swap Monopoly money for candy canes, or try trivia with categories like “Name That Reindeer” and “90s Christmas Movies.” The point isn’t who wins — it’s giving everyone something fun to focus on that doesn’t involve staring at the clock.
Decorate a Few Last-Minute Cookies
Skip the full-on holiday bake-a-thon and keep it simple: store-bought sugar cookies, a few tubes of icing, and sprinkles galore. Have everyone design a cookie just for Santa and maybe one for themselves as a bedtime snack. Decorating slows everyone down, keeps hands busy, and doubles as a little holiday “art project.”
Host a Christmas Eve Movie Marathon
A Christmas Eve classic for a reason. Queue up a short but iconic lineup: Elf for the belly laughs, Home Alone for the nostalgia, Arthur Christmas for the younger crowd, and Klaus or Jingle Jangle if you want something fresh.
If you really want to take it next-level, use our 20-ft Inflatable Movie Screen for an outdoor theater moment. Pile everyone onto blankets or our sleepover beds, pass around cocoa and popcorn, and let the movies do their thing. By the time the credits roll, kids are drowsy, adults are relaxed, and “just one more scene” turns into lights out.
Christmas Carol Karaoke
Forget the polished caroling — make it a living-room concert. Pull up YouTube lyric videos and take turns singing classics like Jingle Bell Rock, All I Want for Christmas Is You, or even funny ones like Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.
If you’ve got older kids or a house full of friends, turn it into a lip-sync battle or use silly props as microphones. It’s light, it’s hilarious, and the burst of energy usually leads to everyone crashing even harder once it’s over.
A Nighttime Christmas Stroll
If the weather’s decent, grab coats and head outside for a short walk to check out the neighborhood lights. The cool air helps reset bodies that feel wired, and the twinkle of Christmas décor adds to the magic.
For younger kids, spin stories about which houses Santa will stop at first; for adults, it’s a chance to take a breather before the big day. You might even “spot” Santa’s sleigh in the sky (aka a blinking plane) and give kids the nudge they need to call it a night.
When the Kids Still Aren’t Out Cold
So, lights are off, stockings are hung, cookies are plated, and the kids are still wide awake. Classic. Honestly, no parent is surprised. Christmas Eve is like the Super Bowl of bedtime resistance.
The trick isn’t to fight it with frustration but to have a few sneaky backup moves that make “falling asleep” feel less like a battle and more like the next fun step in the night. Try a guided wind-down: there are endless kid-friendly meditation or bedtime story playlists on Spotify and YouTube that are short enough to keep their attention but calming enough to do the job.
If you’ve got older kids, lean into “quiet challenges” instead, like who can stay the stillest, who can breathe the slowest, or who can keep their eyes shut the longest. It sounds silly, but gamifying bedtime works way better than endless “go to sleep!” reminders.
And here’s the pro move: don’t overreact. The more pressure you put on falling asleep, the harder it gets (for them and for you).
Let them flip through a holiday book, cuddle into their blanket fort, and remind them Santa won’t stop by until everyone’s snoozing. Nine times out of 10, the magic of the night catches up, and suddenly they’re out like a light before you even realize it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to let kids stay up late on Christmas Eve?
Honestly, yes, as long as it doesn’t become an all-nighter. A later bedtime filled with holiday traditions can be just as magical. The key is setting a final wind-down point, so even if they’re up later than usual, they still get some rest before the big morning.
What should we avoid doing before bed on Christmas Eve?
Skip sugar overload, endless screen time, and high-energy games that ramp up excitement instead of winding it down. Keep things fun but mellow (think decorating, storytelling, or a holiday movie) so bedtime feels like a natural next step, not a forced shutdown.
How much sleep do kids actually need on Christmas Eve?
They’ll probably get less than usual (and that’s okay), but aim for at least 7–9 hours depending on their age. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s making sure they’re rested enough to enjoy the morning without total meltdown mode.
The Final Countdown to Christmas Morning
Christmas Eve is one of those rare nights that live in your memory forever. It might be chaotic, a little loud, and filled with way too much sugar, but it’s also full of magic. And the trick to making it all work? Leaning into it.
Whether you're building the ultimate holiday sleepover, playing one last round of reindeer trivia, or trying to convince an overexcited five-year-old that yes, Santa really won’t stop by until everyone’s asleep — this night is what the season’s all about.
At FUNBOY, we’re here to help you turn the waiting into something worth remembering. Explore our holiday essentials and make this Christmas Eve the most fun one yet.
Sources:
Celebrating Christmas Eve / Christmas | UUA.org
Relaxation techniques: Try these steps to lower stress | Mayo Clinic
Out in the Cold | Harvard Health Publications
Meditation for Kids: The Basics and the Benefits | Cleveland Clinic
