Why new pyjamas?

[shrimponastick]

Reading through a few threads and many posters mention new pyjamas on Christmas Eve.

What is the tradition behind this??

I had never heard of it before.

Well why not buy pyjamas at Christmas time? They have to be bought at some point, as long as you don't get ones with santas on them they are a fairly sensible present. It seems a common enough tradition that it means that December is actually quite a good time to get children's pyjamas, both the DDs got lovely flannelette ones last year that they are still wearing so it doesn't feel like a great extravagance. I'm all for sensible presents, stockings in this house are full of things like socks, pants and toothbrushes (plus some chocolate coins, I'm not completely meanspirited).

Because they live in them from Christmas Eve night until Boxing Day morning. Unless of course they spill something on themselves. This year I'm getting mine all onesies.

Fred worms, its not an EXTRA pair of PJs that you wouldn't have otherwise, everyone needs new PJs from time to time (particularly growing kids).. we just do it at christmas and make a thing of it, rather than getting them on a random wednesday in November because you "need" them.. so its no extra money!

DS is still wearing last year's christmas PJs. they're getting a bit short now though, this years will prob last him a year too because I make sure theres growing room

(I've just realised that this year my christmas PJs will be the ones I take to hospital when I go in to have DC2 )

its like socks at christmas, they're not extra socks, its making something you'ld get anyway into a stocking filler

Oh yes, they wear them all year (or even 2 years if you have skinny boys like me)
Surely nobody has pj's just for Christmas!

I'd love to buy PJs, but I can guarantee that one or other aunts presents is likely to contain some.

New Pjs ensure the pictures are decent and visitors don't get

DDs are a bit inclined to hang on to favourite nightshirts until they are too short.

I agree Halloween. I can't afford new jammies and when it comes to buying new PJs or onenew daytime clothes for DS, I have to go with new day clothes. So he outgrows his PJs. Christmas pyjamas elevate the normal to a higher level.

They make me happy. They make DS happy. They make my aunts feel warm and fuzzy as they have bought a useful, cosy present appreciated by DS and his mum AND, possibly most importantly, they make my mum feel the same as she did nearly 40 years ago when she first bought her DD Christmas pyjamas.

It's nit about spending more money, it's about spending money on useful, warm, comfortable, fun, intimate clothing for family. It's about Christmas.

My mum still buys me new pjs every year and I still love it I think when I was younger the pjs were from my parents and then the other presents that I got to open the next morning were from Father Christmas. I don't know, but its so nice feeling all Christmassy and snuggling into nice fluffy new pjs for the night! I fully intend on doing it for my kids too

Sorry for the typos.

Actually a lot of our christmas presents aren't "extras", pjs, socks, clothes, books, maybe underware (between DH and I) hobby equipment, if they are to get a bike or scooter or anything like that it'll be held back till christmas..
DH and I usually give each other a holiday/short break/date night sometime in spring "for christmas" and book it at christmas
DS's most expensive present is usually paying for his spring term at whatever activity he likes at the moment (swimming or whatever).

its nice, it makes ordinary essentials into something special and exciting

Fred "False* Can't see how! It's PJs! How can new PJ's be false?

They're a cosy treat aren't they? LIke new socks...or new slippers...they feel all lovely when you put them on! There's nothing to be false about!

Yes, it's bonkers. I did it one year, because the dc needed new pyjamas and I thought it might get them into bed more quickly. (It does I'll give it that!) However since my two are complete sticklers for traditon, they now request new pjs for every Christmas Eve. Dd usually needs a new pair by then, but ds has so many hand-me down pairs from the neighbours (and never grows) he really doesn't. He's already started talking about this year's pair though, so clearly he's hoping I'll get him some.

Madness, but it does seem to have become a part of how they form their memories and pjs can be bought cheaply, so I go along with it. As justification, I think that's pretty poor, but it's all I've got. Sorry.

For the photos and bribery to get them to bed.

My mum buys me pjs every year but they were a present on Christmas day. I really like they get something on chrisas eve as a extra that they need anyway. I'm thinking of getting a few boxing day presents to, just to spread it out more.

I get mine pjs for Christmas eve. I started doing it long before I found mumsnet and yes, it probably partly is so that they look lovely on Christmas morning in the photos.

They are never glaringly Christmassy pjs though, and they are then worn all year round. It is just one of the times I buy them new pjs. Long warm ones bought at Christmas, new short cool ones bought when we get our holiday clothes (which will also be their summer clothes) in May.

Tis habit.

Last year I did the whole Christmas eve parcel idea and my OH was ver about it, so won't probably do it again anyway.

I'd never heard of it before reading Mumsnet either, but have done it for three or four years now. Dd2 (7) has remarked a few times recently (completely unprompted) that she loves getting new PJs on Christmas eve and is looking forward to it!

The PJs I got her last year were red spotty ones from Sainsburys and she has worn them lots throughout the year. It doesn't have to be anything expensive but it's nice putting in a bit of effort to find ones they'll really like.

Tradition passed down from 3 generations ( no logic involved sadly).

My mum used to buy me and DBro pyjamas and slippers every Xmas (though Xmas day not Xmas eve) so we could be all cosy while we opened presents and had Xmas breakfast.

I'd never even heard of it before mumsnet, not something we ever did. Is it the only time they get new PJs in the whole year?? If so i think you're all really mean. rationing PJs.

I actually thought that my family was the only one to do this until I saw on mn that everyone seems to do it! My mom used to do it when we were kids and at 28 still does and I do it for my ds! He loves it!

My parents always bought us nice new jammies at Christmas. Every single year. They still do and we're all in our thirties now! The christmas jammies were always really nice ones, while during the year if we needed new ones it was just cheapy ones. So the Christmas one have always been special.

So we now do it for our DS's. They get them on christmas eve in a hamper. The hamper is from their brother (who was stillborn) and we find it a happy way to bring their brother into Christmas with us. They talk about the hamper all year and whenever they wear the pjs they got at Christmas they call them "Roberts special jammies" which makes me happy.

Nothing false about any of that.

For the last couple of years Father Christmas has included pyjamas in his haul, and then the DCs put them on in time for watching Doctor Who all snuggled up together.

I think FC might be branching out into onesies this year.

We don't have new PJs for Xmas eve but there are usually some in the stocking!

Lightbulb moment! I'll get my parents (84 and by then 87 I think..) new PJs for Xmas. Why not. THey'll like the silliness of primarks finest .

Of course it's the only time they get new jammies! As big grown up teens they don't grow out of them - though DS does wear out PJs in embarrassing places now- snork!

I just think they are nice, cosy presents for winter time! I'd love new pyjamas for Christmas.

Plus the children don't then look like urchins if any family member calls in before we are dressed!

The children are still in their pyjamas? It's 12pm!

Ahhh, but they are new Christmas pyjamas. So it's definitely allowed.