'Whats wrong with Santa outfits? Or band t-shirts? What about football kits?'
Well, if you like that sort of thing then nothing much.
Speaking of the santa outfits etc,
I think what bothers me is the way it objectifies the baby. The baby becomes an object of ridicule - a joke - something to laugh at or about.
I mean yes babies do funny stuff and I laugh at mine when he looks silly, of course I do but it is in a sympathetic way - because he can't help it. It's not a 'I know, let's MAKE him do something stupid, or dress him up as a Christmas pudding and then laugh at him.'
That's just contrived and unfair. I think it hides a fair bit of anger towards babies when people do this. (which is totally normal). It's a way of saying 'no, you're NOT in charge of me despite the way you make me love you, keep me awake all night and scream at me for no apparent reason.'
It's putting them in their place. Because there's only so much we can take. But at the same time it IS like taking the mickey out of them, and that's something I find pretty intolerable most of the time.
You know - they are people, they deserve some respect. But it's all on a continuum. I'm not saying it's the worst thing in the world. just another way of establishing dynamics and boundaries. We all do it somehow.