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

The first time I went to my ILs for Christmas, I got told off for wearing jeans 😂 (A lighthearted ‘jokey’ telling off, but still…) I had even put a sparkly top on- I thought I was making an effort- but not compared to them!

They’ve actually massively toned it down over the years and dress much more casual now- they now wear Christmas jumpers on the day, which is very casual by their standards. I’d happily stay in PJs for the duration (not the same pair for several days obvs).

I don't know anybody who would wear pyjamas on Christmas day. I can't believe people will sit around the table eating turkey on pyjamas!

I find jeans uncomfortable- I don’t like stiff fabrics. I wear leggings all the time. Maybe my undercarriage is too full or something, but yeah, my vulva doesn’t like being encased in jeans 😂 I also have big quads so if the waistband fits, they’re too tight on the legs. If they fit my legs, the waist is too big.

the same ^ here
I call it normal and reasonable approach.
We had guests a few times at Christmas and it’s always smart casual, no heels but we are no heels group so it’s expected.

I've never known it to be a thing. That it would be appropriate to wear PJ's round someone's house for dinner, let alone Christmas Dinner which normally is a bit more fancy than a Sunday roast (for example).

After cooking dinner, eating dinner and going on a walk - i would feel gross then going to bed in those same clothes!

Comfy jeans and Christmas jumpers here, apart from the 6-year-old who will be in a velvet dress and (fake) fur coat with sparkly shoes 🤣

I would be a bit surprised if guests came in their PJs but my sister will bring "comfies" to change into after lunch.

@Bellaboo01 I wouldn’t wear PJs to someone else’s house for Xmas- only if it was just me, DH and the kids at home, which it is this year for the first time ever! So I will probably wear loungewear or PJs. And if so, I will put a different pair on to go to bed.

Pyjamas can be warm, it depends what you buy. Our house is always warm anyway.

If we have company or at my sisters then we make an effort - not out out effort, but something with a bit of flair and some make up. Just us, well we get dressed but not too much thought. My son will walk the dog and is as likely to throw a jacket on over flannel pj bottoms as anything else. But the table is set beautifully!

I’ll let you know what happens if we ever get an invite on Christmas Day, in the 20+ years I’ve lived away from home we have always hosted and never been invited. So yes I’ll wear what in my own home to facilitate everyone and anyone who’s invited here is equally welcome to wear leggings if they so wish!

We dress up and kids have brand new outfits for Christmas day and boxing day.

Aw if you don’t dress up for Christmas Day where’s the joy in life?! As I get older (56) Christmas gets a bit harder as you lose loved ones so dressing up helps me to cheer up. Also, I don’t get that many chances to dress up these days so I like to make it special.

Surely the distinction being made in the OP is between ‘slobbing at home’ and ‘going out to someone else’s house’?

I get that you’re acknowledging that a lot of people dress nicely at home, with or without guests. But if you are a guest - it’s a no-brainier surely?

Each to their own. We like to dress nice and festive for christmas. I will be wearing my glitter jumper dress.

Some people get the chance to dress up throughout the year with various events, parties, work stuff, so for those people, not dressing up can be something which is nice. Also not everyone gets joy from dressing up or from Xmas. Some people would think it’s quite sad that the only joy in life is dressing up for Xmas.

It always amazes me that people have got to adulthood without realising that people are different and get joy from different things. If it makes you happy to dress up, that’s fine, but to question where other people’s joy is in life if they don’t do the same as you is just silly.

I can't stomach nightwear outside of the bedroom. The DC can wear their PJs and dressing gowns to open their stockings, but then will put a nice jumper/dress or leggings on (or an elf outfit, as DD2 is planning this year) for the rest of the day.

For those being snotty about not visiting relatives, I have to listen to my DM criticise me every other day of the year. I'd rather not listen to it on Christmas Day thanks. Not everybody has large, close families.

I like to dress up. I don’t go as far as high heels in the house these days though.

I don't buy particularly tight jeans, but no. It's funny how jeans have gone from slobbing about wear to semi-formal and considered uncomfortable over the last couple of decades.

I love a pj day but would always have a shower and put on fresh ones. It’s the best feeling ever!

My work means I have to constantly put on a "front" because of a) what I do and b) places I have to be to encompass all aspects of the job. This means that I don't have to do "dressy" to feel special. The thing that makes it all "special" for me is just having my family with me, and if that's PJ's (with a bra), that's PJ's with a bra. Clearly if we have anyone else in the house, more effort is made. But that's what it is. Effort. I do enough of that all year.

The best feeling ever for me is shower dress in clothes that make me look nice in and I’m comfortable in, I want to feel I look good as well as comfort. And spending the day in my pyjamas doesn’t do that.

Would find it hard to cook a Christmas dinner in pyjamas

It would never occur to me to wear pyjamas to someone else's home for a visit. My family isn't very formal, and few of us really dress up for Christmas gatherings, but there are no pyjamas to be seen.

Even if I am home alone, I don't see the appeal of pyjamas all day, unless ill. They get in the way of moving around or doing some of my hobbies, never mind things like cooking or cleaning. That said, my daily wear around the house is very casual, comfy loungewear, which isn't much 'dressier' than pjs, really.

We're a pyjamas/loungewear family - occasionally on years where we had someone else for Christmas dinner (like one year an elderly family friend/neighbour came for dinner) we'd get properly dressed for the food but otherwise it's putting your brand new Christmas pyjamas on in the morning and being comfy/cosy in front of the fire all day.

It looks lovely when people all dress up! But it's not for us: Christmas day is 4 or 5 of us maximum, squished into my mum's tiny living room. It's always been a day for us to chill - no going out for a walk/to a pub/to church/to visit people - and the idea of getting specifically dressed up to sit in my mum's living room feels very silly.

We have a relaxed dress on xmas.

The males will usually be in jeans and xmas jumper. My mym used to wear legging and xmas junper but has recently found she's more comfortable in dresses ans and has been bought some nice jumper dresses from my dad for xmas so no doubt she will wear on of those. My daughter has a pretty christmas dress but comfortable enough for her to play and run around in. I have a red pleated midi skirt (with an elasticated waist- win!) With a black tshirt - although will take xmas jumpers for the family xmas jumper pic!