The short answer
The hard part of giving gingerbread pajamas on Christmas Eve is not the print. You are buying for people you can't ask, and the return clock starts when the parcel lands, not when the gift is opened. Find each size quietly, check the fit on arrival with the tags on, and order this month. We sell these pajamas, so treat our print suggestions as editorial opinion and check the return terms for yourself.
| The snag | What to do about it |
|---|---|
| You can't ask for a size | Adults: measure a top they already wear. Children: get a height from a parent |
| The return window can close before the unwrapping | A parcel delivered by November 24 has a 30-day window that ends on or before December 24, so test the fit when it arrives |
| Washing ends your return option | Returns must be unworn, with tags and original packaging, so hold the wash until the fit is confirmed |
| Some gifts are final | Sale items can't be returned. Check before you buy a size you are guessing at |
| Sizes run out one at a time | Put everyone in one order, by the third week of November at the latest |
The Magic of Unwrapping Matching PJs on Christmas Eve
This tradition works because it is an early gift with a job to do that same night. We could not find a documented origin for new pajamas on Christmas Eve, so we won't offer one. What is documented is the older habit underneath it: presents are traditionally exchanged on the evening of December 24 in Germany, Austria, Poland and Sweden, among others. Many American families wait for Christmas morning, so opening one parcel the night before gives them a small piece of both.
How you run it is up to you. You can hand over one wrapped parcel, or fill a Christmas Eve box with the pajamas, a book and a family game.
It is also the one gift that gets used within the hour, which in our judgment is why pajamas hold the center of the box. The kids change, the evening slows down, and everyone wakes up already dressed for the morning photos.
Matching adds a catch. A full surprise needs every size to be right, and the more people you add, the less likely that gets. So decide how much secrecy you actually need:
- Full surprise. Workable for your own household, where you can get into closets and already know the children's heights.
- Print surprise. Everyone knows pajamas are coming and sends you a size, but nobody sees the print until the night. This is our pick for grandparents, in-laws and cousins.
- Children only. The adults choose together and the kids get the reveal. Fewer sizes are guessed, and the people most excited by the moment still get it.
Choose the Print by Who Is Opening It
Start with the least willing adult, because a reluctant uncle is harder to please than a six-year-old. Among gingerbread family pajamas, the three below suit different recipients. All three are polyester and spandex blends.
For a Christmas Eve theme, the "Cookies for Santa" set fits the night itself. Its listing photos put the words on the adults' solid tops, with the print on the pants and an all-over gingerbread pattern on the children. It gives you an easy ritual too: pajamas on, then the plate goes out.
For a traditional look, the gingerbread house set has a classic button-down neckline and long raglan sleeves, with brown houses across a pale background in the listing photos. It suits a household that prefers a collared pajama to a slogan top.
For someone who dislikes all-over prints, the gingerbread and plaid set confines the cookie motif to the chest of a crew-neck top with red sleeves and pairs it with plaid pants. In our view it is the easiest of the three for an adult who would otherwise leave the gift in a drawer.
Cookies for Santa gingerbread family pajamas in rust redShop now
Gingerbread house print family pajamas with collar in brownShop now
Gingerbread and plaid print family pajamas in red and whiteShop now
If the fabric matters to the person you are buying for, read the fabric line on the listing and not just the title. The gingerbread pajama fabric guide compares what is available. For choosing by family setup instead of by recipient, see best family Christmas pajamas.
Sizing Simplified: From Baby Sizes to Adult Plus Sizes
Size each person by a measurement, not by the letter or age they usually wear. Before settling on one of our gingerbread christmas pajamas, write down your whole list and compare it with the realistic range below, which we read across our Christmas family sets in early November 2026.
| Recipient | What to expect | How to get the size without asking them |
|---|---|---|
| Baby | Not on every set. Where offered, mostly 3-6M through 12-18M. 0-3M exists on only a handful of sets | Ask a parent for the baby's current height and weight, then allow for growth up to December 24 |
| Kids | Usually 2Y through 8-9Y. 10-11Y and 12-13Y appear on fewer sets | Ask a parent for a recent height, or check the marks on the door frame |
| Women | S through 2XL on most sets. 3XL on about half. 4XL only on a small number of selected prints | Measure a well-fitting top, then order by chest and not by letter |
| Men | M through 2XL on most sets. 3XL on about half. S and 4XL only on selected prints | Same method, and check for his size first if he wears a men's S |
Two limits apply to the three sets above. None had baby sizes in stock or a 4XL when we read them; they ran kids 2Y to 12-13Y, women's S to 3XL and men's M to 3XL. If a baby is on your list, our Christmas pajama ideas include gingerbread prints that had baby sizes from 3-6M. The size finder will test your full list against current stock.
The quiet measuring method for adults
- Borrow a pajama top or soft T-shirt they wear often, from the laundry pile if necessary.
- Lay it flat and smooth it out without stretching it.
- Measure straight across the chest from one underarm seam to the other, then double the figure.
- Compare the result with the chest column on the PatPat size chart.
That number runs larger than a body measurement because a garment has some ease built in, and our chart lists body measurements unless a product page says otherwise. For an adult, that error leans toward a roomier fit, which is usually fine in pajamas. Also allow for the letter gap: PatPat women's letters run about 1.5 to 2 inches smaller in the chest than a typical US chart, so the size she wears elsewhere may be too small here.
Why the method changes for children
Do not use the flat-top trick to size a child up. CPSC excepts tight-fitting garments from the children's sleepwear flammability test, and a bigger size removes the close fit those garments depend on, so read height against the chart and order the size it gives. This guide does not rank tight-fitting and flame-resistant styles on safety. The full rules are in what size to order and when.
A pet piece is usually a bandana and not a pajama set, and the house set above had no pet size when we read it. If the dog is on your list, go to gingerbread pajamas with your dog.
Keep the Tags On Until the Size Is Confirmed
Check the fit the day the parcel arrives, because a gift you open on December 24 may already be outside its return window. PatPat's refund policy gives you 30 days from receipt to request a return, which is measured from delivery and not from the holiday. On the shipping estimates, an order placed this week would land around mid-November, so its window would close around mid-December.
| If the parcel arrives on | The 30-day window ends on | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| November 14 | December 14 | Ten days before the unwrapping, so the fit check has to happen early |
| November 24 | December 24 | The window closes on the night itself |
| December 4 | January 3 | The window outlasts the holiday, but more sizes may be gone by then |
Don't delay your order just to shift that window. Waiting trades a paperwork problem for a stock problem, and a missing size is the harder one to fix. Here is how to keep your options open instead:
- Keep everything sellable. The policy requires items to be unworn and unused, with tags and original packaging, and you will need proof of purchase. Compare each piece against the top you measured, then put the tags and packaging back as they were.
- Skip the pre-wash for gifts. Our general sizing guide suggests one wash before the day. For a gift, leave that step to the recipient once the size is settled. The three listings above say to machine wash cold and not to bleach.
- Know that a swap is really a return and a new purchase. The policy does not offer a direct exchange. It says the fastest route is to return the item and, once the return is accepted, buy the new one separately. The size you want could sell out in between, so check for it before you start and act as soon as you spot a problem.
- Email before you mail. Requests go to service@patpat.com first, and parcels sent back without approval are not accepted.
- Check for sale items. The policy states: "Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards." If you are guessing at someone's size, weigh that before you buy at a sale price.
- Keep the return in your hands. Refunds go back to the original payment method, so the buyer needs to handle any return. Keep the order email until the new year.
While the tags are on, read the neck label on each child's piece. The listings for these three sets don't say which flammability route their kids' sizes take. A label reading WEAR SNUG-FITTING, NOT FLAME RESISTANT tells you not to trade that piece up to a larger size. Adult pajamas aren't covered by these children's rules.
For a family in another state, you have two options. Ship to yourself, check each piece and carry or mail the gift onward. Or ship straight to them and include a note: "Open on Christmas Eve, but please try these on now."
Wrapping: Gift Bags, Boxes and Who Gets Which
A gift bag is optional, and the only thing we would insist on is keeping the original packaging safe. PatPat sells a red bag and a green bag to pair with the pajamas. The red bag's listing photos show white gingerbread figures, mugs and trees, and the green one shows a tree pattern. The red was running much lower than the green when we checked, so it may be gone. Neither listing gives dimensions, so check the photos before counting on one bag per set.
Red Christmas gift bag with white gingerbread and tree patternShop now
Green Christmas gift bag with white and mint tree patternShop now
Write the name on the outside and keep the size inside. Identical prints in a pile are easy to mix up, and a label reading 2XL is not something every relative wants read aloud. If you take the pajamas out of their packaging to wrap them, store that packaging in an envelope marked with the person's name, since you will need it for any later return. A plain box with tissue paper does the job just as well, and for a large group that may be the simpler choice.
Counting Back From Christmas Eve
Order now, and treat the third week of November as your last comfortable date. The dates below are our suggested plan, not a delivery promise. PatPat estimates 1 to 3 days of processing, then 2 to 5 business days within the contiguous 48 states, and processing can run longer in peak season. Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico are estimated at 10 to 16 days, so order sooner if you are shipping there.
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| This week | Collect heights, measure tops in secret, and shortlist a print that covers your hardest size |
| By the third week of November | Place one order for everyone, adding each size to the cart separately. Matching gingerbread jammies sell down one size at a time, not as a whole print |
| Day of delivery | Count the pieces, compare them against your measurements and read the kids' neck labels, tags on |
| Mid-December | Recheck the fit for anyone under about five. If a size no longer works, look up your delivery date first, because the 30-day window may already have closed |
| December 23 | Bag, label and hide everything in one place |
| December 24 | Hand them out after dinner and let the wash wait until after the holiday |
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out someone's pajama size without asking? For an adult, lay a well-fitting top flat, measure across the chest, double it and compare with the size chart. For a child, ask a parent for a height, since a surprise for a child rarely needs to be a surprise for the parent.
Can I return pajamas I gave as a Christmas Eve gift? Only if the request falls within 30 days of receipt and the pieces are unworn, with tags and original packaging. Sale items can't be returned, so confirm the fit before the window closes.
Do gingerbread family pajamas come in newborn sizes? Very rarely. Across our Christmas family sets, baby sizes mostly start at 3-6M, and only a handful of sets include 0-3M.
Do they come in adult plus sizes? About half of our family sets reach 3XL, and 4XL exists only on a small number of selected prints. The three gingerbread sets here had 3XL but no 4XL when we read them.
Should I wash the pajamas before wrapping them? Not if you may need to return them, because the policy requires unworn items with tags attached. Let the recipient wash them cold once the size is settled.
Before You Start Wrapping
Get the sizes this week, put everyone in one order, and test the fit on delivery with the tags still on. The surprise can wait until December 24; the size check can't.
Sizes sell out one at a time, and a print can stay on the page after the size you need is gone. Shop gingerbread Christmas pajamas.
About this article
Written and fact-checked by the PatPat Editorial Team. How we research, source and review what we publish is set out on our editorial standards page.
Method. Product details, listing photos and in-stock sizes were read from PatPat product pages and inventory in early November 2026, and return and shipping terms from PatPat's policy pages. PatPat is the seller of these pajamas, the print suggestions are editorial judgment, and we did not wear-test any garment.
Sources. Return and exchange terms: PatPat refund policy. Delivery estimates: PatPat shipping policy. Children's sleepwear rules: CPSC, Children's Sleepwear. Snug-fitting label wording: CPSC, Infant and Tight-fitting Garments. When different countries open gifts: Wikipedia, Christmas Eve.
Last updated 6 November 2026 · Next review November 2027
