s/o When did Matching Chiristmas Pajamas Become a Thing?

[fairfarmhand]

Did anyone older than like 25-30 grow up with this tradition?

I don't remember ever having heard of it until Social Media started happening there was the push for photo ops to share online. I suspect that it is a social media phenomenon that clothing manufacturers took advantage of so they could sell more seasonal crap.

Of course, I could be wrong. I've been wrong once or twice before. 🙂

 

[prairiewindmomma]

It happened at least by the 1950s. You can look in vintage catalogs and see holiday sets for families.

[marbel]

I started buying them in 1999, when I had a 2-year-old, an almost-1-year-old, and a Hanna Andersson catalog. No social media then, at least for me!

[prairiewindmomma]

If you look at vintage Sears catalogs, Weldon had Valentine’s Day pajamas for the entire family in the 1950s also. 
 

Edited November 8, 2023 by prairiewindmomma

[HomeAgain]

Very early in our house, but not intentionally for Christmas.  My mom made most of our clothes to keep costs down, and yards of the same fabric was cheaper than a different fabric for each kid.

 

It's what I think modern traditions are trying to emulate, that 'hominess' of the good ol' days where Ma stayed home and cared for the family.

[Katy]

My mom sewed them for us when I was little. I’m 44. One of my childhood friend’s mom ordered theirs from Land’s End or LL bean every year. 

[Faith-manor]

For us, it was never a tradition in our families, either of them. It wasn't the kind of thing either of our fathers would have been keen spending money on. But my mom was a seamstress so she would often make matching Christmas hats or scarves or a vest for my brother and I. Mark's family did nothing. When our kids were little, mother in law was working in a college environment with a lot of well off professors, administrators, special speakers/guest lecturers, etc. She saw their matching Christmas PJ photos and decided she needed to keep up with the Joneses. So she started buying our kids matching PJ's, and then asking for photos. Since our grandsons grow so fast that they seem like that eldest one needs new PJ's every six months or less, we started buying them for Christmas just because dd puts them in their drawers for continued use, and they get handed down or as youngest out grows them, she gives them to families she knows. So it isn't a waste. We would not be willing to buy just for single use. 

[Pawz4me]

My kids are 25-30 and Christmas pajamas have never been on our radar at all. But we're a family who doesn't do jammies. Once the boys aged out of those footed onesie pajamas things they started wearing old, soft shorts or sweat pants and t-shirts as jammies, probably because that's what DH and I have always done. Those are much more comfy than most things sold as pajamas.

[Faith-manor]

1 minute ago, Pawz4me said:

My kids are 25-30 and Christmas pajamas have never been on our radar at all. But we're a family who doesn't do jammies. Once the boys aged out of those footed onesie pajamas things they started wearing old, soft shorts or sweat pants and t-shirts as jammies, probably because that's what DH and I have always done. Those are much more comfy than most things sold as pajamas.

Yes. Mark has never warn PJ's during our marriage. Undies and t shirt. I am pretty certain my bachelor sons do the same thing. They are all mini-heaters and really do not want the added warmth of a pajamas. Meanwhile, I am in fleece lounge pants, long sleeve top, and a fleece vest 😂.

[Boymama5]

I grew up getting Christmas pjs every year and carried that on with my kids long before it became a social media thing. They weren’t necessarily always matching though. 

[Kassia]

7 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

My kids are 25-30 and Christmas pajamas have never been on our radar at all. But we're a family who doesn't do jammies. Once the boys aged out of those footed onesie pajamas things they started wearing old, soft shorts or sweat pants and t-shirts as jammies, probably because that's what DH and I have always done. Those are much more comfy than most things sold as pajamas.

We're also a family that doesn't do pjs.  Sweats, leggings, t-shirts, whatever but no pjs.  I did put the kids in pjs when they were little but not since then.  

[Lecka]

They didn’t do the whole family, but my mom and my aunt had matching clothes for the two of them and their dolls!  My grandmother made matching outfits for their dolls.  They loved it!

 

Edit:  my mom did “mommy and me” matching outfits with her and my two older sisters, but it had lost steam before I was born.  I had matching (coordinating/some of the same fabric) outfits with my same-age male cousin, which we both loved when we were little.  

 

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Lecka

[mmasc]

I started buying my dc matching pjs for Christmas when they were little bitty, so at least 15 years ago. I didn’t have social media and I never bought matching pjs with us (me and dh)…just the kids. They looked so cute in the Christmas morning photos with their little matching jammies, plus they’d keep wearing them long past that day. Now I just buy them a new pair of flannel pj pants that they open on Christmas Eve (and they wear those all year too).

[Spryte]

It was a thing in the 70s and 80s, for the kids. My FOO didn’t do it, but cousins did.

We didn’t do matching jammies till 2013 or 14, and then it was just for the kids 2 or 3 and 7 or 8 yrs old) — they were just pajamas they could wear year round, but so cute together. And then they formed a little band and we have great videos of the Pajama Sets performing all sorts of songs. Too cute!

Our youngest got sucked into all the matching Christmas pjs stuff a few years later, and it morphed into matching sets for all. I plan to free us of that tradition this year!

[busymama7]

My son is 26 and I made them for his first Christmas. I was definitely doing it long before I was on social media.  

[MercyA]

Born in the mid 70's. We didn't do any special Christmas pj's, much less matching ones. Neither did DH's family. We did have special Christmas pillowcases. ❤️

I loved buying cute pj's for my DD when she was younger, and I love seasonal things, but I could never justify paying for a new specifically holiday set of pj's. I did love finding seasonal things at garage sales.

DD and I would enjoy matching. DH would not. 😉 

The youngest members of our (wealthiest) extended families usually get matching pj's for Christmas photos. 

[wisdomandtreasures]

I'm 35. I didn't grow up with this. But also, my only sibling is 11 years older and would have jumped off a cliff before cooperating with cute matching photo sessions. 🤷‍♀️

[gardenmom5]

40s?  50s?   I remember the Sears wishbook from when I was a kid had pictures of matching pjs, and sweaters .  . . 

we're doing matching pjs this year . . . for 1dgs . . . . .he wants it . . . . even though he'll only be here for thanksgiving . . . (2dd keeps lobbying for us to come to her house for christmas.)

[Bootsie]

My grandmother made almost all of my clothes in the 1960s early 1970s, including nightgowns and robes.  She would make me a nightgown, use the scraps for a nightgown for my sister who was six years younger, then those scraps were used for a doll dress, and those scraps were used for a barbie outfit.  But we never had matching store bought pajamas--especially not for parents.  

[GoVanGogh]

1 hour ago, HomeAgain said:

Very early in our house, but not intentionally for Christmas.  My mom made most of our clothes to keep costs down, and yards of the same fabric was cheaper than a different fabric for each kid.

 

It's what I think modern traditions are trying to emulate, that 'hominess' of the good ol' days where Ma stayed home and cared for the family.

That was my childhood, too. Homemade matching clothes. My sister and I both hated it. We are both in our 50’s now and just recently showed up to a family event wearing almost identical matching clothes. Totally NOT planned at all. We had never discussed what we were wearing to the event and live across country from each other and run in different socioeconomic spheres. It was so weird, like it must be ingrained in our dna somewhere. 

[pitterpatter]

You might enjoy this short article. Not a lot of substance, but it totally fits this post.

https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/christmas/family-tradition-christmas-pjs

[catz]

We've been doing it for years, since my oldest who is now newly 23 was a toddler probably.  But it's just an excuse to buy pajamas.  We've worn every set through the winter for years.  It's not just a photo opp.  I've always bought clothes and pajamas at the holidays.  I've used it as an excuse to buy something maybe a bit cuter and nicer than we'd buy if we just needed some desperately.  I got the kids matching outfits a few times when they were really small.  But they are almost 4 years apart and boy/girl, that was definitely for my amusement as a mom lol.  

I'm glad we missed the whole elf on a shelf thing.  I don't know if people are still doing that but dang that seems like a bunch of work!  

[busymama7]

48 minutes ago, catz said:

 

I'm glad we missed the whole elf on a shelf thing.  I don't know if people are still doing that but dang that seems like a bunch of work!  

I do it and think it's fun. But the elf only moves. No mischief or messes AT ALL.  My older kids who stay up late are in charge of moving it because I go to bed much earlier.  It's simple and easy and a very fun part of December for us. 

[catz]

3 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

I do it and think it's fun. But the elf only moves. No mischief or messes AT ALL.  My older kids who stay up late are in charge of moving it because I go to bed much earlier.  It's simple and easy and a very fun part of December for us. 

I love watching friends elves adventures on my social media!  It is really cute.  My brother and wife did WAY OTT creativity with theirs and I was just glad it wasn't on my holiday plate of things to do!

[kbutton]

I think I sometimes heard of kids having matching jammies, but having the whole family match was new to me in recent years.

New jammies generally for Christmas AM pictures seems to be a broadly time-honored tradition with varying levels of enthusiasm or annoyance from the kids involved, lol!

I’m surprised to learn that whole family matching sets is not new!

[alisoncooks]

2 hours ago, Kassia said:

We're also a family that doesn't do pjs.  Sweats, leggings, t-shirts, whatever but no pjs.  I did put the kids in pjs when they were little but not since then.  

Same. We didn’t really do pjs when I was a kid either. Oversized tshirts for me, mostly. 

If you get new pjs every year, it seems like everyone would have soooo many pairs of pjs in the closet. When do you wear them all? My SIL’s family does this (with a large extended family) and it seems fun for growing, small children, but a waste for adults. 

[whitestavern]

3 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

It happened at least by the 1950s. You can look in vintage catalogs and see holiday sets for families.

Yes, ever since I can remember (born late 60s) though our family never has. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by whitestavern

[DawnM]

I think my mother would have been mortified to take a photo of us in our nightwear for any sort of photo.   We never even knew people did such a thing.   

Although I did see it before social media.   I think the Sears Catalog had photos of families in matching PJs, that may be where it started.

[Ginevra]

5 hours ago, fairfarmhand said:

Did anyone older than like 25-30 grow up with this tradition?

I don't remember ever having heard of it until Social Media started happening there was the push for photo ops to share online. I suspect that it is a social media phenomenon that clothing manufacturers took advantage of so they could sell more seasonal crap.

Of course, I could be wrong. I've been wrong once or twice before. 🙂

 

Well, my mother did make us matching pajamas for many Christmases. She was a really fabulous seamstress and did do this several times. I will try to find an old photo to show you. ETA: added. Four matching nightgowns, handmade by my mother, who for dang sure had plenty to do otherwise! 
 

But she would never in a million years have spend some $$$$ amount of money on pre-made matching pajamas. I didn’t ever do it for my kids. I think it’s cute and part of me wants to do it but as soon as I start adding up what it would cost, I decide not to. 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Ginevra

[Lady Florida.]

I was born in the 50s and it was not a thing when I was growing up in the 60s.

[Lady Florida.]

2 hours ago, DawnM said:

I think my mother would have been mortified to take a photo of us in our nightwear for any sort of photo.   We never even knew people did such a thing.   

 

This too. We only took photos wearing our "Christmas best". There might have been a few photos of kids playing with toys later in the day wearing play clothes but never in pj's.

[busymama7]

2 hours ago, DawnM said:

I think my mother would have been mortified to take a photo of us in our nightwear for any sort of photo.   We never even knew people did such a thing.   

Although I did see it before social media.   I think the Sears Catalog had photos of families in matching PJs, that may be where it started.

So do you get dressed before present opening? My husband's family did but my family didn't and we don't now. Everyone wears their matching PJs all day and it's part of the fun.  My adult kids still beg and insist on them. I'm not forcing it 

Edited November 8, 2023 by busymama7

[WendyLady]

I was born in the 70's and I have 6 sisters. My mom sewed matching pajamas some years for Christmas, though not every year. She only made matching pajamas for all of us including herself and my dad one year (that I can remember). I sewed matching pj's for my own girls and my husband and I in the 90s and new pj's are always a christmas eve tradition for us but I didn't always do exactly matching until about the last 10 years. Now my kids are all young adults and i would be fine not trying to find matching pajamas or sewing them, but our youngest son really enjoys the tradition and so we are keeping it going for at least one more year! I am watching for flannel sales now...

[kathyl]

I'm 67 and never heard of it until now.

[DawnM]

33 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

So do you get dressed before present opening? My husband's family did but my family didn't and we don't now. Everyone wears their matching PJs all day and it's part of the fun.  My adult kids still beg and insist on them. I'm not forcing it 

My mom always did.   I might have been in a nightgown.   I don't remember.   My mom always just bought me nightgowns.  I hate them and have not worn one since I grew up and left home.   I only wear PJs and my PJs look more like yoga pants and a T-shirt.   

 

[Ditto]

Growing up my grandparents would get all the grandchildren matching pajamas.  But the adults never had them.