National Family PJ Day Date in the current year: November 14, 2024

Today, pajamas are ubiquitous in many parts of the world, but very few people know about their origins. The history of sleepwear in general is somewhat murky, but it is believed that in Medieval Europe both men and women commonly slept naked, sometimes with a nightcap. Around the 17th century, higher-class women and men started to wear chemise-like nightgowns and nightshirts, respectively.

Pajamas originated in the Indian subcontinent as relaxed daywear and made their way to Europe thanks to British colonists around the 18th century. The first recorded use of the word pajama in English was in the first half of the 19th century. Pajamas started to become popular men’s sleeping attire in Western Europe in the second half of the 19th century (Victorian Era).

Traditional pajamas usually consist of a long-sleeved shirt and trousers made of flannel, lightweight silk, or another soft fabric. Modern pajamas come in many styles and can be worn as both nightwear and loungewear during the day, especially on weekends. They can include short-sleeved tops and bottoms of varying length. One-piece pajamas (onesies) have become increasingly popular lately. Some pajamas have a pronounced masculine/feminine aesthetic, while others are gender neutral.

Matching family pajamas have become a beloved holiday tradition rivaling ugly Christmas sweaters. Although the trend reached its peak popularity during the social media era, its history can be traced back to the 1950s, when department stores would include pictures of happy families dressed in matching festive pajamas in their holiday catalogs.

Holiday movies definitely contributed to the trend, but it was social media that revived it in a big way. In 2013, the Holderness family from North Carolina posted a parody video titled “XMAS Jammies” to YouTube, where they rapped to the tune of Will Smith’s “Welcome to Miami”, wearing matching red and green PJs. The video went viral (it now has more than 18 million views) and made #ChristmasJammies a very popular Instagram hashtag. These days many apparel stores offer matching family pajama sets, and their sales typically skyrocket during the holiday season.

National Family PJ Day was launched in 2019 by the US-based apparel company Soma to celebrate lounging around in comfy pajamas with our loved ones and, of course, to promote the company’s sleepwear ahead of the approaching holiday season because pajamas are a great Christmas gift. Celebrate the holiday by getting matching pajamas for your family and spending some quality time with them.

You can have a pajama party, a movie or game night (the dress code is pajamas, of course!), book a family photo shoot, or invite your kids’ cousins over for a sleepover. And don’t forget to take pictures and post them on social media with the hashtag #NationalFamilyPJDay to spread the word about the holiday and encourage others to have a cozy family day.