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

[Namechange234567]

This is a light-hearted one after some frankly depressing threads this morning!

But after having a few blended Christmas' now the biggest difference doesn't seem to be when you eat, whether you have turkey or not, if you have alcohol from 6am onwards but whether you dress up. My family is firmly in the pyjamas from Christmas Eve to boxing day camp, we might throw on some different leggings to go for a walk, but hey we're wearing big coats so is it really needed?! But we then go to some houses and suddenly everyone is super fancy, wearing heels inside the house and maybe even changing again for dinner.

I feel like all Christmas invitations should come with a dress code!

YABU = No clearly there's something else to watch out for with a Christmas invite because other families are crazy
YANBU = I've also been incorrectly dressed at another family's Christmas

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 😞

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.

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

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

How about a bikini?

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.

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

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.

Yes!

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

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.

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.

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!

Heels indoors?

Who does that!

We are pj's at Xmas family

Xmas jumpers at a push

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 😁

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

Never nightwear ever (hate it even at night!) but there’s a mix of jeans and smarter here. I’m most comfortable in a dress and leggings or thick tights anyway but I’ll put on something a little more festive eg my dark green velvet dress rather than cotton, dh puts on a shirt rather than t shirt typically, mum dresses up more and insists dad wears trousers not jeans but my brothers will be in jeans so no enforcement. My DD’s wear what they want (adults) but tend to follow my style anyway

I understand staying in your pj’s in your own home but if you were visiting someone in their home, surely you would get dressed?

We do get dressed and try and look nice or at least festive.

No, we are a pretty informal family but we dress up a bit for Christmas Day

You get these threads every year, so I know it's normal, but I literally cannot imagine anything more depressing than spending Christmas Day in PJs or leggings.

Christmas is a time for a bit of sparkle!! That's the dress code

EXACTLY

though I don't know if age has anything to do with it, maybe people always did this

We always had new clothes for Christmas Day as children in the 70s. Velvet dress, lacy tights, patent shoes. If we are going to my sisters we will dress up. Nice blouse and trousers. Men, smart casual. This year we are staying at home and at my sister’s Boxing Day and we will dress up when we all get together. Pajamas? God no

I’m from a heels inside family and make an effort every day family - shower, hair washed, make up on, whether I’m in, out, or working from home. It’s what I do, for me, I like this version of me best and before anyone says otherwise, I am from a close family and we understand the spirit of Christmas, children, charity etc etc

PJ’s - shower and put clean ones on, if you’re going to that much effort, why not just wear clothes, joggers? I own one pair of PJs which I bought for an overnight hospital stay, so do you put a bra and knickers on too? If not do you not feel slovenly and scruffy and half awake. The only time I’d be like that is if I was ill, so it’s alien to me.

I dressed up as a child because we often went out for Christmas lunch. A Christmas Day at home tends to be a Christmas Jumper day. I don't want to be cooking in best clothes, and we tend to start the day with parkrun.

I wouldn't spend the day slobbing around in pjs. They're shapeless things for lying and sleeping in and not that comfortable for moving aound the house in because the bust: waist: hip ratios aren't designed for women's curves.
(Currently slobbing around the house in joggers-of-despair and a hoodie, much more comfortable and warmer!)

In my family group and friends too, we all dress up for Christmas.

I cant imagine spending days in pyjamas.

Ahh that was my Christmas outfit in the early 90s too! Usually a Laura Ashley hand-me down. Lace tights and shiny shoes always made me feel special 😍