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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not understand matching pyjamas and Christmas Eve boxes

154 replies

Fatas · 26/12/2020 23:38

I don’t understand where all these new traditions have come from. Whole families wearing matching Christmas pyjamas and Christmas Eve boxes.

Do you do it? Or are you also confused?

Is there anyone that does not dress their baby up either for Christmas, Easter, world book day or Halloween? I mean what enjoyment does the baby gain from drawing up. I just find all these new norms a little odd, or am I just miserable?

OP posts:
PatchworkElmer · 27/12/2020 10:33

Oh and I’m not on social media (although DH is). No pictures of DS ever go online. They might be shared in the family WhatsApp group.

Sunshineandflipflops · 27/12/2020 10:37

I don’t do it as I have enough to think about with actual Christmas Day and once you start a ‘tradition’ you kind of have to stick with it when you have kids! I made the mistake of doing Elf on the Shelf when my kids were younger and was v glad when they got too old for it (although my ds was still upset)!

Each to their own, I probably do stuff that others might turn their noses up at.

PrincessNutNutRoast · 27/12/2020 10:37

@TheKeatingFive

Is anyone else starting to get a bit concerned at the number of adult women who cannot understand pyjamas and boxes?

Yup Grin

I didn’t realise there were so many hard of thinking out there

It's really quite worrying. I hope none of them drive.
Noconceptofnormal · 27/12/2020 10:40

Mumsnet is full of people who like Christmas eve boxes and matching pyjamas so always get defensive about them.

I did have a good laugh though this year on Christmas eve with all the matching pyjamas photos on Facebook, the husband knows he looks like a complete bozo but does it to keep the peace.

AccidentallyOnSanta · 27/12/2020 10:40

Any household that gives something to their kids on Christmas Eve is basically doing a Christmas Eve box, regardless of how it's presented.

Mind blowing, I know.Hmm

justanotherneighinparadise · 27/12/2020 10:42

If you don’t understand it or like it, don’t do it. The people doing the matching pyjamas are mainly doing it for photos. Those who are doing CE boxes are adding a tradition that makes them feel more Christmassy.

We do something different and that’s our tradition. This year the kids have had a fab time, we’re all happy and relaxed so our style of Christmas works for us. It wouldn’t work for another family and that’s fine with me 👌

ChronicallyCurious · 27/12/2020 10:44

Growing up my Mum always gave us all one present each to open on Christmas Eve and it was always pyjamas, I know a lot of my friends are similar so it doesn’t surprise me that Christmas Eve boxes have become a thing.

We now do matching pyjamas because the photos will be nice to look back on in a few years, because we enjoy it and it’s nobody’s business. I think passing judgey comments this year especially is a bit of a dick thing to do. We haven’t been able to have a proper Christmas this year. No Christmas markets, no going out for Christmassy meals, no choirs singing, no Nativity in the school, no visiting friends, no nothing.

You can’t really judge the people who have jumped on the bandwagon and made Christmas Eve boxes and taken matching pyjamas photos in the effort to at least try and make Christmas feel a bit special.

TheKeatingFive · 27/12/2020 10:47

Mumsnet is full of people who like Christmas eve boxes and matching pyjamas so always get defensive about them

What’s ‘defensive’ about saying Christmas Eve boxes/pjs are not a difficult concept to understand and shouldn’t ‘confuse’ a grown woman?

2andahalfpints · 27/12/2020 10:50

I grew up in the 80's, 90's and had new pyjamas every Christmas eve, the concept isn't new

IrishGirl2020 · 27/12/2020 10:55

@ChronicallyCurious

But do you just wear them once, then send them straight to landfill/charity shop and buy another pair the following year?
Even if you don’t, I reckon lots of people do and we all need to stop living wastefully in this way if there’s to be any future for our children on this overcrowded polluted planet.

Agreed that this year we were pretty short of Christmas fun but in general I don’t think encouraging our wear-once throwaway culture is a good idea

HoppingPavlova · 27/12/2020 10:58

With my kids being older teens and young adults I’m imagining the hilarity of trying to get the whole family into matching PJ’s AND taking a photo. With the boys, I reckon I’d need a flash bomb and taser at minimum to pull it off so yeah another who just doesn’t understand it. Admittedly my girl would probably comply and allow a photo and then flood every social media thing available with it so maybe that’s what’s behind those who do it, some intense need for further SM exposure? Even she realises that attempting to get her brothers to comply would be utterly futile thoughGrin.

Alarae · 27/12/2020 10:58

Along with everyone else who has had a pants year, I just wanted a bit of silly fun.

No pictures went on SM (I don't like to post pictures of my DD) and actually, my DH loved it.

Its a novelty that's no different to silly santa gifts. Or let's face it, the useless Christmas crackers full of tat. You can join in or not.

Plus I fully intend to wear my pj's all year round. I purposefully bought nice ones so they would get used again.

PrincessNutNutRoast · 27/12/2020 11:03

Even if you don’t, I reckon lots of people do

"I have literally no evidence for this claim, indeed people are probably going to disprove it, but I bet it's true anyway!"

ChronicallyCurious · 27/12/2020 11:04

@ChronicallyCurious no I wear them all year. We actually buy ours at the start of December and then wash them and they go in the Xmas Eve box along with other things because I only buy one pair of Xmas pyjamas each year. I’d say my pyjamas are 75% Christmas and then a few summer ones because I don’t care if I’m wearing Christmas pyjamas in April.

I actually don’t know anyone else who throws them away after one use that is ridiculous. They cost around £15 a head. My friend paid over £70 for her families this year and was horrified so she won’t be throwing them away.

The shops are filled with Christmas themed pyjamas from October onwards by that logic nobody should be buying them because they’ll be thrown away afterwards. I received three pairs of pyjamas as presents this Christmas. Two had reindeers on. I’m not going to bin them both because it’s after Christmas.

ChronicallyCurious · 27/12/2020 11:04

@IrishGirl2020 whoops accidentally replied myself but that was for you

PrincessNutNutRoast · 27/12/2020 11:06

By the way, boxers...please feel free to put your pics on my social media feed. I've seen far more offensive images than families in matching pyjamas, and given how many people you are going to "confuse" with it, who cannot understand what they are seeing, well, I'm looking forward to seeing what a nationwide cerebral blowout. You could probably roast the turkey on it.

moraymint · 27/12/2020 11:06

I honestly can't believe an adult cant understand the concept of Christmas pjs
I think the op was wanting to look down her nose at people wearing them but rather than actually doing this she tries to be smart by saying she doesn't understand it.
Just because it isn't a tradition in your house op you surely can't possibly believe that every household in the country has the same Christmas traditions as yourself, and if you do think this I honestly have no words

TheKeatingFive · 27/12/2020 11:08

But do you just wear them once, then send them straight to landfill/charity shop and buy another pair the following year

I don’t know anyone who would do this. They’re worn as normal pjs.

IrishGirl2020 · 27/12/2020 11:11

@ChronicallyCurious

I am so glad to hear that! I was worried that people literally just bought them for that one photo and never wore them again. Only to buy another matching set for all the family the following year
I personally wouldn’t care about wearing Christmas pjs in April either

Chickychoccyegg · 27/12/2020 11:11

Hope its been cleared up for you now op, people like different things, I know its shocking, but true!

PegasusReturns · 27/12/2020 11:12

My parents did a Christmas Eve box of sorts for me and my siblings 40+ years ago.

I kept the tradition with my DC (eldest 17) giving new (non matching) PJs but as soon as I was able to purchase matching ones (maybe 6/7 years ago) I transitioned to that.

Doesn’t feel like a new tradition to me and so what if it was?!

nosswith · 27/12/2020 11:13

I understand these ways of getting people to spend more money on non-essentials over Christmas, and do not participate in them.

AliasGrape · 27/12/2020 11:16

I had new pjs every Christmas Eve from being a child, and have continued to buy myself a new pair every Christmas into adulthood. It makes me smile and reminds me of my mum. I like pyjamas and keep them in rotation until they’re worn out - I wear them for as long as it’s cold enough to wear pyjamas so it’s not like I wear them only on Christmas Eve.

I bought the baby a Christmassy sleepsuit from a local friend who has her own business making children’s clothes. I did it because it looks cute. It didn’t match my pjs but close. I might even have posted a picture for my friends and family to see because you know, they like my baby and enjoy seeing pictures of her given most of them haven’t been able to meet her due to Covid. As it happened we had a nappy leak before we could get round to taking a picture. Possibly the baby felt I was being too shallow and consumerist, or did not want to take part in a tradition she did not deem ancient enough.

I was in a charity shop just before Halloween and saw a cute little pumpkin sleepsuit which I bought for her and dressed her up in. I did this because she looked cute and it made me smile. Admittedly she grew out of the sleepsuit fairly quickly but that would be the case whether it had a pumpkin on it or not.

Going forward I will probably buy my daughter pyjamas and probably a new book to open on Christmas Eve. I’m undecided as to whether I’ll put it in a box or maybe a bag.
I will do it because it’s cute and will make me and hopefully her smile. If she doesn’t like it I’ll stop.

I will take pictures of some of these things and might post the occasional ones on social media (where only family and close friends will see albeit they are scattered across the globe a bit). I will do that because I enjoy it.

Hopefully that’s not too confusing.

Toilenstripes · 27/12/2020 11:17

Didn’t take long for the Americans to get blamed. Why can’t you Brits take responsibility for your own naff creations?

Pixie2997 · 27/12/2020 11:19

Nope we’ve never had matching pyjamas or Christmas Eve boxes. If you’re into it then fine but for us I didn’t see the appeal. Never had it as a child and don’t feel my children’s Christmas is less special because they don’t have these things.

My two have Christmas pyjamas given to them in early December so they can wear them all month
but never matching.