As the days get shorter and the colors of fall give way to frost, our lives become wrapped in tradition. It begins with Halloween: trick-or-treating, neighborhood Halloween parties, themed family costumes, or just stealing all the peanut butter cups out of your kid’s candy stash… no matter how big or how small, the shift from fall to winter signals a shift into a season filled with traditions and memories that will last a lifetime.
There are popular traditions that you share with others, such as the turkey you might be cutting into in the coming days, and then there are ones that are unique to you and your family. Young families have the special and unique opportunity to start traditions with their families and choose what their children will remember from their childhood about this special season — and might pass on to their own.
Here are a few ideas for new traditions you might like to start with your family this holiday season.
With the holiday season just around the corner, we know that many of you have family holiday portraits scheduled in the coming days. When you are planning your family portrait this holiday season, consider some outside-the-box options.
Each year we receive dozens in the mail that, frankly, all look the same — and into the trash they go! Ditch the matching sweaters and have some fun this winter with pictures that are guaranteed to bring holiday joy.
Yes, I am home from a month long trip frolicking in Connecticut. Actually the trip was a sad one I went back home to celebrate the life of someone that will always remain near and dear in my heart.
After being home for a few days, I can feel the Holiday spirit fill me. My family hasn’t decorated for our holiday festivities because they waited for me to be home. Now that everything is back into some order we will be starting our holiday work.
The holiday season is a big time in my family as I am sure it is for many families. Nothing is better than being held up in the house because of cold weather baking, watching classic movies, and snuggling in your pajamas.
Christmas is the time where pajamas are very important. When I think Christmas I envision a small child making their way down a huge staircase in their pajamas usually with a stuffed animal in tow. Heading to the Christmas tree to see if Santa has come to visit them and leave gifts if they were good all year long. as a child I always wore footie pajamas like our “Winter Snowflake” Kids Fleece Footie Pajamas.
As children I always begged my mother to open one gift on Christmas Eve. That was usually pajamas for us to wear on Christmas Day for photos. This tradition has lived on in my house. I make sure every year to buy pajamas for the family and we wear them in the morning for the perfect photos. I know some families even wear matching pajamas for Christmas Morning photos, I am sure that is of interest. If it is then search no longer because The Pajama Company offers Matching Family Pajamas, it is the cutest idea for the biggest family related holiday of the season.
Before the big night it might be nice to do a fun family project dawning your pajamas. I always pick a project to do with the kids and pump up the traditional Christmas music that everyone eventually hums and sings along to (like Johnny Mathis, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, etc.) and we have a lot of fun and laughs being together as a family. I will give you a fun suggestion to get started with this tradition.
So there you have it fun family picture ops, projects and music. Yes here at The Pajama Company we know how to have fun.
Salt Dough Santa Ornament
4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water
Directions:
1. Combine ingredients and knead dough for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Roll dough out and cut around hand or cut circles out for making hand imprints.
3. Make a small hole for the hanger and prick to prevent air bubbles.
4. Bake at 300ºF about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. You may have to bake considerably longer depending on how thick the ornaments are. Please note that these ornaments will harden as they cool.
5. Paint and decorate as desired. Acrylic paints work best and use a varnish to make them shiny and to protect the painting.
By Anne Badanes, The Pajama Company Holiday Editor
What could be simpler than watching football games in pajamas? Right after all the hoopla of Christmas it is time to kick back and watch football, in pajamas of course. I just read that there are 35 bowl games, which means over a hundred hours of football to watch.
My Buckeyes will be at home with no post season game for this year. Instead of watching the Ohio State Buckeyes, we’ll enjoy eating Buckeyes while we watch the other games. Buckeyes are one of the tastiest holiday treats — simple to make and almost impossible to mess up.
Even if they aren’t in the Bowl games, Buckeyes are always winners! Whether you’re watching football or just enjoying a simple day in your pajamas, these treats will make your day a little sweeter.
Buckeyes– you need only five ingredients; 1 ½ cup of smooth peanut butter, 1 cup of SOFT butter, ½ tsp. of vanilla extract, 4-5 cups of confectioners sugar and 4 cups of semi sweet chocolate chip. Mix the PB, butter, vanilla and confectioners sugar together. It might look dry, but using your hands roll this mixture into 1” balls and put on a cookie sheet (I put parchment or waxed paper on the cookie sheet)
1. Mix the PB, butter, vanilla and confectioners sugar together. It might look dry, but using your hands roll this mixture into 1” balls and put on a cookie sheet (I put parchment or waxed paper on the cookie sheet)
2. Stick a toothpick into each of the balls and put these in the freezer for about an hour (they can stay longer if you like)
3. Melt the chocolate chips in either a double boiler or just a bowl that is sitting in simmering water. Stir the chips as they melt until it is smooth.Holding the toothpick, dip the peanut butter ball into the chocolate mixture, covering about ¾ of the ball with chocolate. Remove the toothpick and put back in the fridge until you want to serve them!
4. Holding the toothpick, dip the peanut butter ball into the chocolate mixture, covering about ¾ of the ball with chocolate. Remove the toothpick and put back in the fridge until you want to serve them!
By Anne Badanes, The Pajama Company Holiday Editor
How did the holiday that promises peace on earth become a month of stress? We all know the reasons; we can look at our to-do list and see all the things that we must do. We feel the expectations that others have and we beat ourselves up with the expectations that we put upon ourselves. Many women feel they must be the magicians behind the “magic of this holiday”. We tend to forget that we are human.
For years I taught a seminar to help women avoid the stress of Christmas. It offered practical steps in dealing with those tough holiday issues whether it was extended family, budget worries, an overbooked calendar, or the unspoken “rules” of gift giving. In the seminar, the women evaluated their behaviors and expectations. Then they made hard changes that helped bring sanity and yes, even peace into December.
Here is the bad news. The seminar was held in September. That was early enough in the year for people to make the necessary changes such as telling mom that they wouldn’t be driving to Boise this year….or that they had a $10 limit for nephew’s gifts…or that they would not be in charge of a cookie exchange.
The countdown is here and it seems that everyone knows how many days until Christmas. With a bit of panic in their voices, my friends will say “Yikes only 13 more days until Christmas and I haven’t……..” and then they spew out a list of impossible tasks. I want to tell them there is no way they can get all that done in a month.
Instead of counting days until Christmas, I concentrate on a few principles to keep it SIMPLE. These thoughts are nothing new, I’ve gathered them from psychologists and authors who write about holiday stress. Through the years I’ve adjusted them for me.
I’ll think of my home as a place to relax and enjoy being with people, not a place for a photo shoot for Better Homes and Garden (pick the magazine) Or for a museum.
I’ll not compare myself to others when they start bragging about all they’ve done/bought/ planned for the holidays. Instead I will think of what is important to me.
Instead of racing to the malls or downtown, I will shop from home. It will save me money in the long run.
I’ll show others that I appreciate them using words not expensive gifts.
When possible, I’ll appreciate the winter solstice right when it gets dark, light a few candles and think about the meaning of the holiday.
First impressions are tough. For me, I usually wonder whether my clothes are right when I meet someone new. Ta Da…right now my attire is perfect as I am wearing my favorite plaid pajamas while I write this blog for The Pajama Company. Here is the the story of my pajama passion.
During my college years, long flannel nightgowns were popular and I wore them for years. While they hid a stomach full of late night pizza, they made me look like an over sized Wendy in Peter Pan. Moreover, they’d get tangled around my legs in bed. At a bridal shower, flannel nightgowns were called armor for new brides. I heard that and quickly switched to SSS nightwear–short, silk and sexy. Not only were those flimsy things chilly, but they were hard to launder. Once I had a baby who woke up several times each night, I needed something else to wear to bed.
Fortunately, that was about the year that Ellie joined our family as my new sister in law. She was one of the first women I knew who loved pajamas and always looked cute in them. That was years before she began The Pajama Company. Yes, she’s a woman who has walked her talk for years–the pajama evangelist. She gave me a pair of pajama bottoms and I became a convert.
Currently, my favorite pajamas are the ones I am wearing now, a pink plaid pair that was left here when my daughter moved out. I have a drawer stuffed with my own pajamas, but this pair hung alone on a hook in her bedroom when she left for college. As I straightened up her room, my emotions were in limbo between tears and the elation of an empty nest. I saw the lonely PJs and remembered all the mornings when I was unable to get her out of bed. They were soft and smelled of her. I paused on the way to the laundry basket, wondering whether to launder them or retain her scent.
By Cat Fish, The Pajama Company Director of Outreach
Hi Pajama Company Community!
My name is Cat and I am the newest addition at The Pajama Company. I am thrilled to be joining The Pajama Company because I share their philosophy that people should do (and wear) what makes them happy. What makes people happier than pajamas?
Editor’s Note: To help us get to know Cat, we asked her to answer a few very important questions.
1. Describe your favorite pajamas.
My favorite pajamas are the red and green plaid flannel pair I wear every Christmas. They are soft and cozy and remind me of eggnog and presents and being with family for holiday celebrations. Sometimes I wear them other times of year just to feel festive!
2. What would your perfect day look like?
I would sleep in, drink a big cup of coffee (or two) and eat brunch with friends all wearing our pajamas. We would venture out and discover a new place (right now I’m exploring different neighborhoods of New York City). Later on, I would take a nap with my cat and watch an episode of my favorite new show, Girls. At night, my friends would try an ethnic restaurant, see some live music, and end the night hanging out on a rooftop overlooking the city. I would, of course, finish the day back in my cozy pajamas reading a good book as I drift off to sleep. Sounds like a good day to me!
3. What was the last book you read?
I’m currently reading Do Something That Matters by TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie (borrowed from fellow Pajama Company employee, Jilly Badanes). Blake writes about his journey founding and building TOMS, and gives advice and inspiration for people who want to change the world. That’s why I’m so proud that The Pajama Company has partnered with Every Mother Counts, an advocacy and mobilization campaign to increase education and support for maternal and child health.
4. What song is currently stuck in your head?
“Dancing On My Own” by Robyn has been in my head all week. It’s on the playlist I’ve been listening to on the subway to work every morning, and it seems to sticks with me all day. Luckily, I love Robyn–so it’s actually a good thing.
5. What youtube video are you watching over and over?
Nothing makes me smile like a silly kitten video. This one is always on heavy rotation.
6. Winter or Summer?
Oh that’s tough, but I think I’m a winter gal. I love the holidays, skiing in fresh snow, and drinking hot chocolate by the fire. Pajamas always play a bigger role in winter too, which is just icing on the cake.
7. Stripes or plaid?
Both. At the same time 🙂
8. Where is your favorite place to wear pajamas, outside of your house?
I like to walk to my local coffee shop wearing my pajamas on weekend mornings. If pajamas are cute enough, you can wear them anywhere!
