How Matching Family Pajamas Became A Viral Holiday Tradition

It isn't difficult to understand the allure of donning sleepwear around the holidays. Warm and cozy, pajamas are just about the perfect complement to evenings snuggled up by the fireplace with your favorite Christmas movies streaming in the background.

But, once regarded as strictly loungewear, Christmas jammies have gone the way of the ugly sweater: Cute, kitschy, and too good not to show off to your entire social media following.

That goes, especially, for matching family PJs, the donning of which has become mainstream everywhere from department store catalogs to Christmas cards. These days, you'd be hard-pressed to get through a holiday season without stumbling upon a display of festive footies, sized 3-6 months to Men's XXL. In the age of social media, "fam jams" have become so popular that many families have adopted them as a beloved holiday tradition. Here's how the trend of matching Christmas pajamas started and where you can find your own.

How This Festive Tradition Began

But where did such a strange tradition—one in which grown men willingly suit up in festive onesies in the name of twinning with their 2-year-old—even start? According to fashion historian Debbie Sessions, the holiday uniform first gained traction well before the dawn of social media. As early as the '50s, holiday department store catalogs would advertise festive getups adorned with stripes, checks, and other holiday motifs for the whole family. The trend inevitably took off, sticking around steadily through the '60s, '70s, and '80s.

Family PJs Revival

Social media revived it in a big way. In 2013, a family from North Carolina released a music video parody on YouTube titled "Christmas Jammies," in which they hilariously recap their year while sporting red-and-green sleepwear. The video went instantly viral—today, it has more than 18 million views—and made #ChristmasJammies a wildly popular Instagram hashtag.

Where to Find Matching Sets

The revival also boosted sales of holiday sleepwear for retailers like Target, who now offer dozens of festive printed and patterned PJs for the whole family (including the pup). This means that if you haven't already snagged your crew a festive ensemble, there are more than enough options to choose from.

Why Wear Matching PJs

Families sporting matching PJs covered in reindeer may seem like an odd sight, but the reason is simple: Tradition. Whether donning them on Christmas Eve for a relaxing movie marathon or wearing them as often as possible throughout the Christmas season, the routine of wearing matching pajamas and doing things together is what families look forward to year after year.

How to Start Your Own Tradition

No matter how old your kids are, it’s never too late to start a matching Christmas PJs tradition if you want to jump on the trend. Every age can get in on the fun. Even teens have been known to wear pajamas on a coffee run or hanging out with their friends.

To start the tradition in your house, find a version everyone can enjoy. Coordinating everyone’s looks may make it easier to find something comfortable for every member of the family. If family members won’t agree to matching sets, try a theme, pattern, or color, like Santas, green and white, or buffalo plaid. If your teen says he’s too big for a onesie, you’re likely to find plaid flannel pants that go with someone else’s shorts set or nightgown. When the kids are older, they may be fine with you purchasing everyone’s sleepwear. Older family members may appreciate choosing a set that matches their personality.

Don’t want to share photos with family and friends in the annual Christmas card or on social media? That’s ok. The point is to have a tradition that everyone can participate in, whether it’s a comfy movie night during the season or an exciting Christmas morning. If you decide to sport matching pajamas this year, it may be one of your coziest family traditions.

So, whether you opt to 'Gram your #ChristmasJammies or not, the tradition seems like one worth adopting, if not solely for the permission to spend all day in your pajamas (for a purpose). Agreed?

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