PJs vs. Sunday Best: the great Christmas Day debate

PJs vs. Sunday Best: the great Christmas Day debate

Let's settle this...

Christmas is a time for coming together and kindness, so let’s get the big argument out the way now shall we… 

Everyone has their own traditions around Christmas, and their special way they spend the big day. Do you go out Xmas even till the early hours of the morning and stumble home like some cider drenched Santa? Or do you keep things nostalgic and go to bed early, anticipatiing the day ahead?

Do you have a Chrismas pudding or an actually edible dessert? Presents under the tree all month or the night before? The list of potential Xmas themed arguments is endless. However one thing that always divides people is the ‘dressing up or dressing down’ debate.

An informal poll of the SHS office found that people are very passionate about this, so we let two particularly vocal people have their say, to try and settle this once and for all…

In favour of getting dressed up: George Metclaf, SHS features writer 

 

So I just want to say to the PJ’s all day fandom, I get it. Christmas is meant to be a break from the constant grind of daily life. It’s a day to relax, to eat some good food and not give a fuck about anything, so sitting in your trackies/PJ’s/novelty dressing gown all day goes hand in hand with that. But here’s why you’re wrong…

Christmas is a special day so it goes without saying it’s the ultimate catwalk, and the perfect time to stunt your finest gear. If you’re like me, all you’ve been bought by loved ones is clothing (that you pre-picked and gave strict instructions about regarding colour and size), so you wanna chuck it on to celebrate the day. It’s part of the fun!

When I was younger I was never allowed to open the presents I’d spent the last two months anticipating until all the adults in the house had got dressed up nice. Although I hated this at the time, it’s something that I’ve carried into adulthood. Christmas doesn’t start until you’ve got your finest gear on.

Don’t get me wrong, as soon as the mandatory Christmas Day walk is done I’m straight back in my trackies, but even then I try and keep things fancy (mainly just by wearing a jumper I don’t usually chill in, but still). Christmas is a special day, so why not dress up fancy?

There’s plenty of ways to bring the comfort of trackies into your day to day wardrobe, but putting on your finery? Not so much. Feel free to @ me.

 

In favour of PJs: Siam Goorwich, SHS commissioning editor

 

I have a rule: never trust anyone who comes home from school/ uni/ work and chills in their day clothes. Especially if those clothes are jeans. As Whitney would attest to, it’s not right and it’s not OK.

And yes, I’m afraid that rule applies on Christmas Day too.

Just like George can understand, in theory, the argument for spending the day in PJs (which is hardly surprising, because it’s the sane and sensible thing to do), I too can understand – in theory – why it would seem appropriate to get all dressed up on Christmas Day.

Yes, it’s a special occasion. Yes, you’re having a big, fancy meal that’s taken your mum literally 27 hours and three nervous breakdowns to pull together. Yes, there are guests in the house. But no, none of that means you need to be dressed up to the nines.

Why? Because there is literally nothing more uncomfortable or, in fact, unsettling, than getting dressed up in your Sunday best and then going absolutely nowhere. It simply goes against the laws of nature.

I strongly believe that you should dress for what you’re doing. I wouldn’t wear a mini skirt and heels to the gym (sorry, lads), and I’m sure as hell not going to wear a fancy dress and full face of makeup to eat a fuck off great big roast dinner then spend the next 12 hours mainlining Quality Street on my parent’s sofa. That is simply ridiculous (and a bit gross, because presumably I’d have to wear tights, and tights should never be worn without shoes, because tight-covered feet a weird and gross and smelly).

Let me be clear; I’m not condoning waking up on Christmas Day, rolling out of bed and spending the next 17 hours eating and socialising in the sweaty old PJs you slept in – that would be unsavoury. But I do believe it’s completely acceptable and, actually, appropriate, to shower and then slip into a fresh pair of festive jammies for JC’s big day.

*mic drop*