To think the biggest difference between family Christmas' is whether you dress up or not

This thread has made me feel old.
If you can't dress up at Christmas, what's the point of life?

Could never wear jeans for 'knocking about in' as my mum would call it.

I do put on a nice frock to go mils for Xmas brekkie, but the we come home and get into our newly bought lounge wear and start making Xmas dinner, slowly, whilst sipping on bucks fizz and listening to boss tunes.

Oooh can't wait til Xmas day now 😁

We are pj's at Xmas family

Xmas jumpers at a push

Heels indoors?

Who does that!

Growing up we always did smart for Christmas and this has been carried on for my own family. We don’t do presents until everyone is up, showered, dressed, breakfasted and has a glass of champagne so there wouldn’t be any advantage to being in PJs - you may as well dress up. Our youngest has already started asking about her ‘Christmas dress’, so they have that expectation too.

I would say that we’re 'heels indoors’ except my tolerance for heels is VERY low nowadays and last year by the time we served lunch I was wearing a black velvet dress very stylishly accessorised by my shearling slippers 🤷🏻‍♀️. I did START in smart shoes, to be fair!

I’m in the properly dressed camp because I don’t like not wearing a bra - I need the support! But probably jeans and a nice top, I was considering wearing a lovely jumper dress but I’m cooking so need to be able to ditch a layer.

I agree actually.

I began writing a post about how for some it is a time of selfishness and pure self-indulgence, while for others it’s a time for giving, sharing, welcoming etc

I realised I was pretty much paraphrasing the lyrics to the song ‘Mistletoe and wine’. The lyrics there pretty much sum up the way I think about Christmas.

As a child we would always dress up for Christmas though we didn't go visiting, gp's would come to us

Since I've had my own home we are less formal. I wear mostly clean PJ's on Christmas Day but will put on a dress for dinner

Yes!

We’ve never done pyjamas. Smartish casual would be the usual, but since I’ve so often cooked, I’ve usually done without any particularly nice top with my usual jeans, on account of the inevitable splashes of fat/gravy.

I’ve got quite a nice Christmas jumper but TBH I find it too hot.

Me neither - even if I have a bath in evening I get dressed again -

I don’t wear heels or a cocktail dress but definitely dress nicely in comfortable clothes that can accommodate a lot of food- a jumper dress or similar with fun earrings and hair done nicely. It makes the day feel special to make a effort and look nice!
Spending the day in PJs is what I do on a wet Saturday when I have a cold and feel a bit grungy. Christmas in PJs wouldn’t feel good to me at all.

My idea of hell would be pjs all day. Christmas with no bra 😞

How about a bikini?

I wouldn't turn up at anyones home in PJs.
I don't pocess any!

I always put on my Christmas jumper and Christmas tree earrings on Christmas Day regardless of whether I’ll e with family,y or it’s just DH and me.

Jeans and a Christmas jumper to walk the dog, then smart- my ideal outfit would be quite “White Company at a drinks party” eg black velvet dress and opaques plus maybe a velvet ribbon. (Actually my ideal outfit would be somewhere between Clara and Drosselmeyr but not sure I can pull that off.)

My idea of hell would be pjs all day. Christmas with no bra 😞

This year I've invited a neighbour and her dog to join us for lunch, so I'll have to be up, dressed, tidy and with everything in the kitchen under control, by about 9.30. My ds will sleep until 11, post exams.

I'll be wearing an apron over tidy clothes, the bird will be in the oven on time, the ham and mince pies will have been baked in advance and Carol's from Kings will be playing. I'll hold off the Christmas fizz until she arrives.

I hope 😀

It’s pretty obvious from about a million threads that the biggest difference is between those families who actually understand the spirit of Christmas and are eager to spread goodwill and share good fortune, and those who genuinely believe it’s the greatest possible excuse for my little family and my child wouldn’t be able to relax if we invited a relative or acquaintance to spend the day with us. Some of the attitudes people seem able to reconcile with Christmas are horrifying.

But I’m in the ‘slob about in pyjamas until ten minutes before lunch’ camp.

You and your friends sound lovely

Urgh. I hate people being in pyjamas all day. Feels as though everyone is ill or hungover. Plus, they're not exactly very warm.

I couldn't sit at a table or people I didn't know very well if they were in pyjamas. It would be a very uncomfortable experience. I don't care if they scrubbed themselves with bleach and wire wool before putting on brand new pyjamas, i would assume they were dirty clothes on dirty bodies. Comfortable fine, but actual clothes in front of guests. Be as scummy as you like in private.

I never wear PJs during the day. I put them on when I go to bed and take them off when I get up and have a shower! I could never eat a meal (other than breakfast) wearing pyjamas, I'd feel like such a slob. Especially a big feast day meal like Christmas or Easter.

On Christmas Day we dress up a little bit compared to normal days - we go to church in the morning in any case, then the family gather for the big meal, and and usually go out for a walk in the afternoon.

No, but I'm not keen of heavy carby meals and it's hard to over eat veggies and turkey.

Plus we go for a long walk through the lanes so digestion tends to sort itself out.

I'm always a bit puzzled by this. When I get up I need a shower to feel clean and fresh and energised. Obviously I put clean clothes on after a shower, not pj's. Plus pj's aren't very warm.

And Christmas is a bit of an occasion, so I'd normally be a bit dressed up. Not heels and full make up but tidy, maybe jeans with a new sweater, xmas socks etc. Comfortable and cheerful.

If I was invited out to lunch, I'd check dress code.

Always dress up, always have and I hope I always will.