Jan's Friends: Christmas Pajama Party

When I was growing up, Christmas was pretty formal. We always dressed up. Sometimes it was a few days before Christmas Eve, sometimes Christmas Eve, and sometimes Christmas Day. Long fancy dresses with high heels, mini skirts and tights, one year I wore the cutest sweater dress.

My mom was great at throwing beautiful Christmas parties with fancy dishes, and food, and gifts for everyone. We'd dance and laugh and sing Christmas carols.

Even once I was grown up with kids of my own, Christmas was a "dress up" occasion.

It was always fun!

I tried to keep up with the tradition and take my mom's place. I found out how much work it is and how much $ can be spent.

(Sorry, no pics. I'm tired of scanning them in. Awww how did we manage before the digital age.)

I had fancy dinners where my kids dressed up. We went caroling to friends and neighbors giving little homemade goodies. We made cookies and everyone had to do some kind of "talent"-singing, reading, dancing.

Then when my kids started having their own families it started to get harder to get everyone together at the same time. And then ask them to dress up? We tried. I tried.

Then a couple years ago I changed everything.

You know how you almost always get pajamas for Christmas? And that's the only present your mom let's you open on Christmas Eve? My kids hated that. Well...I got to thinkin...What if...

we had a Christmas Eve Pajama Party?

It was a hit!

Everyone loved the idea of wearing pajamas to Gramma's house for dinner. The kids could play. Everyone was comfortable and the kids were ready for bed when they left to go home.