I don't know about you but when I was a kid we had a Christmas tradition of being able to open one, VERY SPECIFIC, gift on Christmas Eve.
And that gift was Christmas pajamas. Not the most exciting gift but we I loved it. I have no idea whether my brother cared at all.
Later in life, the truth came out. This tradition was born because my mother wanted to make sure we had nice pajamas for the inevitable opening gifts pictures on Christmas morning.
This was back in the day - before photo cards, Instagram and the internet were invented, obviously. No, those photos were destined to be developed and placed lovingly into photo albums; even the ones that didn't turn out, were blurry or had a finger obscuring most of the picture. My mother would have thought she'd died and gone to heaven if she had been handed a phone that she could take pictures with it - no developing necessary. She would have never gone for the internet, Instagram, Facebook or texting. But the ability to whip out her phone and just start taking pictures? Yes, please. She would have been all over that!
All that to say, the official procurement of Christmas gifts has begun - I just ordered Christmas pajamas for the Happy Couple to open on Christmas Eve. And this year, as usual, Man-Child will go through the charade of acting like he has NO IDEA what this gift might be.
What can I say? I have my traditions and he has his.
What about you? Are Christmas pajamas a thing in your house?
Oh, I like that idea! I think I'll buy myself some new jammies and surprise myself. :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, you should! Everyone needs Christmas jammies. When I ordered theirs a pair for me "may" have been slipped into the bag...
DeleteYes! We do Christmas jammies for the kids on Christmas Eve + open up a new ornament for the tree. Our plan is for the kids to have a nice stash of pretty ornaments to take with them when they move out, but the math is NOT GOING TO WORK. We still have years left of receiving 4 new ornaments a year (my husband and I give each other an ornament, too). I love the tradition too much to stop but we are running out of real estate. I guess the only answer is to put up more trees in the house?
ReplyDeleteYay for Christmas jammies! I love the ornament idea; I may have to start including one for them for their tree! And, yes, the only answer is more trees. Or...if you only have the bandwidth to deal with the one tree; rotate ornaments every year.
DeleteI used to buy the boys Christmas boxers and teeshirts. Usually goofy ones. They'd open them on Christmas Eve and wear them to bed. On Christmas morning, I'd give each of us some sort of silly hat that I'd bought--one year it was antlers, another it was elf hats, yet another it was springy antennae with jingle bells on them. When we had far too many, I simply put them all into a box and we each grabbed one we liked.
ReplyDeleteLike Elisabeth, the kids also have ornaments that they picked out themselves each year when I'd take them out for a special day on Christmas break. But even though they have their own homes/trees, they like the idea of those ornaments living at my house and being on my tree. And they come and hang their ornaments every year.
Oh what a fun idea with the silly hats! And, of course, they want those ornaments on your tree - that's where they always saw them. How sweet that they come to hang their ornaments every year; a new tradition.
DeleteI know many people who have that tradition and I always admire it! I have never done it myself, although I do have festively themed pajamas. I just wear them from Nov 1-Jan 1! We were always allowed to open a small gift on Christmas Eve but I think it was more to keep my mom from losing her mind with us.
ReplyDeleteLOL! That may have been the impetus of mom starting the jammie tradition to begin with; she was done with us.
DeleteWhen I was a kid, the big thing was a Christmas DRESS. Fancy, twirly, with a full skirt and lots of lace and ruffles. I loved it!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and daughter and I got matching Christmas jammies in 2020, I think. Seemed appropriate at the time.
Love that you got the happy couple jammies! So fun!
I might be a little jealous - a Christmas DRESS?! I bet you did love it. I got a fancy, new dress for Easter never for Christmas (that I can remember).
DeleteNo Christmas pajamas here. My mother disliked photos for the most part, so I've no idea what she'd think of a camera inside a phone that wasn't attached to the wall.
ReplyDeleteI wonder why she disliked photos.
DeleteLast year we did Christmas pjs. But I will be requiring us all to wear them again as opposed to getting new ones. I'm cheap like that! :) I think it's a lovely tradition though and I hope your son continues it with his family.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of him continuing the tradition; that would be lovely. But as you and I know, it's usually the mom that starts the traditions; so we shall see.
DeleteWe always opened new pjs on Christmas Eve, and like yours, that was because my mother wanted us looking our best in the morning--for both photos and home movies. One year she realized that my brother, who was always high-energy and bouncing around, had worn through the knees of his before we finished opening presents!
ReplyDeleteWe also each opened a book, to give us something to do that night--Mom was pretty smart.
Moms are a pretty devious lot; aren't they? I love that your brother wore out the knees that very morning!
DeleteI love traditions like this. I always get the girls matching pajama pants from Old Navy. I asked them if they still want me to do this and they said yes! (I love that) ❤️
ReplyDeleteOf course they do; it's a tradition!
DeleteI have never heard of Christmas pajamas; I learned something. I have a long over the head flannel one piece sleeping garment, it makes me want to wear a night cap with a hassle and grow a corniculant mustache.
ReplyDeleteChristmas Eve has typically been spent with my side of the family and Christmas Day with David's. When I was a child, my parents always let us open all of our gifts on Christmas Eve. My guess is that they hoped to sleep in on Christmas morning. Don't know that for a fact, but I'm pretty confident that was the reason. Other than that, we didn't have Christmas PJ's or anything like that. I can't believe Turkey Day is next week and Christmas is just around the corner! So not ready! Mona
ReplyDeleteI love that you still give Christmas PJ's. This was the same in our home; new Christmas PJ's and I did it with my girls too. I think I forget, some years, but last year the girls and their Beau's all got Festive PJ's.
ReplyDeleteThe Christmas pajamas idea is a sweet tradition. I think kids, regardless of how old they are, like to continue traditions. We often do Christmas socks (goes along with a "Merry Christmas Mr. Bean" episode). -Jenn
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