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.

I love pj's and try to avoid the clothing dep in the supermarket incase a new pair jump into the trolly ;-)

We all (5 of us) get new pj's every year on christmas eve. My parents did it for me and my grandparents did it for my mum etc. It is something we all need and it's nice. If christmas was only about essentials it could be rather boring.

Oooh, DP has a new slant on the Christmas Eve hamper nonsense.

He says Santa comes during the night on Christmas Eve, everyone knows that, and you can't possibly have elves leaving stuff the day before. Elves don't even have the authority to deliver, they just help to make stuff back at Santa HQ.

dearprudence: yes, I think it must increase expectation, it's just excessive imo.

My dcs have always had new pjs on Christmas Eve. When they were little they would just appear (as if by magic) on the end of the bed before bathtime.

But now they are older and father christmas doesnt visit I will do anything to make Christmas more magical than mundane. So for the last couple of years we have done the hampers. They come in a gift bag for each dc and last year included; pjs, slipper socks, microwave popcorn and a popcorn tub from dotcomgiftshop. A can of coke and coke glass (pilfered away from McDonald's) Lush bath bomb and a DVD between them.

The dcs loved receiving them and loved the idea that I had done something to make Christmas eve special. It was a lovely experience and its paid for out of the Christmas budget, so not extra as such.

Anyone else feel after reading this that they're not making Christmas magical enough? Am hoping I'm not the only person who doesn't do Christmas Eve pyjamas and hampers and such like as I do love Christmas but don't seem to do the things everyone else does.

Voldemort i have never done the gift bag thing but it sounds so lovely, i think i will this year and steal all your present ideas

I love it! Last year we had a hamper - pjs for everyone and a new Christmas DVD plus our Christmas Day outfits - I didn't tell DH and he admitted later that he loved it! Plus I put a pack of lagers in for us to drink whilst assembling the presents - and some hot choc for DS and new bedding (which I'd had for ages and got in the sale for £5) which I'd washed so it was ready to go on.

I can't wait this year I think it'll be one of these sets of pjs it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Well, I'm really odd, obviously! My DCs have always been fully clothed to open their presents as, when they were little, we went to Christmas morning service before opening presents and, when they got old enough to go to midnight mass, they were too old to believe in FC any more and so opened their presents at 2am when we returned home, then went to bed and slept like teenagers until Christmas lunch was ready! They don't seem to have suffered too much though, as they still look forward to and enjoy Christmas!

I, too, wash pj's, underwear, bedding and towels before use, though not new, "top clothes".

mirandawest I'm sure you make Christmas magical and have some lovely traditions. The thing with mumsnet is, good ideas spread like wildfire. I took the hamper idea from mumsnet and last year I told somebody in work who thorght it was lovely. She has just had a baby and said one of the first things she said after giving birth was "ooh I can make her a Christmas eve hamper :o

hokeycokey steal away :o

like frantic, mine are always dressed to open presents because we go to mass first and now they are older, those who choose not to go to mass have to get dressed and make a bit of an effort.
th hamper idea sounds lovely, but not something we've ever done either, so don't worry

oh, Voodoo, that's so lovely

We have new PJs for DD at Christmas, although I think this will be the first year that she really loves the festive season.

I like creating our own traditions as our own small family where we pick from our favourites. DH likes to sit and watch a film on Christmas Eve and I like to have croissants for breakfast, traditions from our childhood but we have ditched various things which annoyed us.

I love hearing what others do, it gives me ideas, like a small decoration for the tree, or a new book on Christmas Eve to speed up bedtime!

Hi everyone, I'm a bit new to this, I usually just love reading your fab discussions and comments. I picked up the New Jammies tradition last year and got my DS some really cute Elf ones from Blue Zoo. But this year I am really struggling to find any "festive" ones in his size ! he's only 5, but I need age 6-7 as he's so tall. Can anyon ehlp me out with some suggestions ? I've spent ages trawling ebay and amazon but everything cute is too small.....Thanks x

Ours always got new pyjamas for Christmas so would wear them going to bed Christmas night, not Christmas eve.

We always get dressed before going downstairs to see if Santa has been so it's irrelevant for the Christmas morning photos.

But I can't believe that people let their kids wear mismatched pyjamas....that seriously makes my teeth itch!!! :o

whoknewitwouldbethiscrazy

www.johnlewis.com/333532/Product.aspx?s_pccid=pc_gs__&

www.vertbaudet.co.uk/boy-s-christmas-red-velvet-pyjamas.htm?ProductId=702533157&CMPID=PPC0896VBTEPPYBLNKBLNK

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261127549956?hlp=false

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261136222242?hlp=false

Any of these any good?

In my family everyone got new pyjamas in Christmas eve and stayed them forvsll of Christmas day. I like it; it makes going to bed feel special, and is nice and practical. I have enough pyjamas this year, so mine will be my favourite pair freshly washed and lavender-scented.

I bought their PJs in last year's Jan sale but DD found hers in about October in the box under my bed so she already has them which slightly mucked up my plans....

I like the Christmas Eve box for the whole family - might do that as a surprise this year. It's the first year we're having a small Christmas (usually about 20 people) with just my parents staying here so it would be a surprise for them too.

I'm so excited this year as it's the first Christmas that I've had two children and I've got them matching pyjamas

I stole it from Mumsnet for this foster child I've got - I was looking for ways to make her feel secure and start good traditions with her (her family never had any unless you count inappropriate alcohol ones).

I also do a particular bath bomb from Lush (Christmas Eve) so that she has a bath and gets to sleep early enough for her not to catch Santa. (Harder now she's a teenager!)
This year she also has a new duvet cover of her favourite band.

She is going to be AMAZEBALLS