Christmas is coming. You can sense the anticipation in the air when it comes to the weeks leading up to the pinnacle of the season, Christmas Day, as those around you tend to be a lot happier, and the smiles on those around you can be infectious.
It’s true that for some, the Christmas holidays can be a taxing and anxious time, even more so for those hosting the event; overall, the experience of spending this important time with your loved ones is a crucial part of keeping your family as closely knit as possible.
This is particularly true in the current climate we find ourselves in, where the coronavirus has played havoc with our lives for the best part of two years, and a nice warm gathering with those you love can help to make us feel more able to deal with the tough times that hit us.
It’s a great time for families and an opportunity to make a real holiday of the period, especially if you happen to be hosting the extended family at your place this year, and what better way to show familial solidarity than a cute matching outfit?
Matching Christmas Pyjamas
There’s nothing quite like waking on Christmas Day morning and walking to the tree to check out what Santa’s left for you, and you tend to do that while wearing a comfortable pair of pajamas.
Perhaps yours are a little out of date or in need of a freshening up; why not take advantage of this situation and get a matching set for the whole family? There is nothing cuter than a Christmas pic where mum, dad, and their children are all resplendent in pajamas decorated with a festive theme.
There is no end to the variety of these offered by your local fashion outlets and in any number of online stores, you might visit. We heartily recommend any that have green and red covering, and the inclusion of Rudolph the rednosed reindeer wouldn’t go amiss.
The additional benefit comes when you’ve consumed your Christmas dinner, and you feel incredibly full, as those pajamas can be very forgiving when it comes to feeling bloated.
Recreating an Old Photo
This is a great trend at the moment. Here you’ll look to recreate an old family photo. Perhaps it’s you and your partner and your children (when they were much younger), and then your task is to remake the same photo some years after the first. This can be such fun. If your children had a specific pair of kids glasses, and now they are fully grown, you’ll have to adapt accordingly. Similarly, you may not be able to hold them in your arms as you once did, though you could try to do so for additional comic effect.
These types of photos are always a big smash on social media channels and can be an excellent way for your family occasion to be even more sentimental during what is already a very emotive time of year.
One tip, though, this will only work if everyone in the original photo takes part, so make sure that any grumpy individuals go the extra mile; otherwise, the whole effect is somewhat wasted.
Great Christmas Present Opportunity
Putting together a matching outfit for your family can actually be a great Christmas present to both give and receive. It’s a collective present and a unique bonding experience, and if your family gatherings over the festive period can sometimes lurch into somewhat problematic territory (arguments over Xmas are, of course, commonplace), then getting together in this sort of practice could help to ease the tension and make the whole occasion more fun and playful.
Clearly, if you want this to be a surprise, then you’ll have to then get the relevant measurements of those taking part, and for some of us, that might include relatives we don’t see all that often, so make sure to put in the relevant research as no one wants a situation where a member of your family has a matching outfit that is too big or small.
Coordinated Family Portrait
Some families like to take coordinated family pictures for the Christmas period, and it’s a great way to mark the occasion. This year, why not do it with a twist. Get your entire brood dressed in matching outfits in an effort to foster an even greater level of Christmas spirit.
This requires a fair amount of planning, but the end results make all that effort worthwhile, and you’ll end up creating a visual memory of an event you’ll remember for a lifetime. Just make sure Uncle Malcolm gets the memo, as no one wants to be left out in the cold.
Matching Outfits Don’t Need to All Be the Same
Now, this may sound like something of a contradiction so let us explain. You may be planning to dress your whole family in a Christmas style, and maybe there’s a large number of you, you might then consider the opportunity to make a larger theme.
For instance, one member might be dressed as an elf, while another wears a Santa outfit and another in a more generic fashion. In this scenario, all the individual elements play a part in an overall aesthetic that can be fun and perfect for the season. Be sure to check first with whoever is tasked with dressing like the angel that sits on top of the Christmas tree!