In many UK households, Christmas now begins on the evening of the 24th, with a box set aside to open before bed. A new pair of pyjamas is very often at the heart of it, sometimes with a book, a little chocolate, and something warm for the night. It is a comparatively recent tradition, not an old ceremony, and that is part of its charm: it is simply a kind way to mark Christmas Eve, especially in a house with children, and just as welcome for a grown-up who likes a present to unwrap before morning.
Our contribution to that box is a pair of personalised block-print pyjamas: soft, breathable cotton, printed by hand in Rajasthan, cut as a proper long set, and finished with a monogram on the pocket. The photographs on the listing are design previews, prepared while the first pieces are being made. Because each set is made to order by our artisan partners, colours, embroidery and print placement will vary slightly from the images, as handmade work does.
How the cotton is printed
The cloth is 100% cotton, chosen because it is comfortable to sleep in and softens with washing. It is printed in Rajasthan with little sage and rust flower sprigs, using carved wooden blocks. The printer works along a length of prepared cloth, dipping the block and striking each repeat by hand, so the sprigs have the slight variation that is the mark of the craft. The colour is then dried and fixed. A little softening and fading over time is part of the character of a hand block print, not a fault.
Navy piping will later edge the shirt and trousers, and frame the notched collar and the pocket that carries the monogram.
Cut, sewn and monogrammed
Once the printed cotton is ready, it is cut to a relaxed-fit pattern: a long-sleeve shirt with a notched collar, and full-length trousers with an elastic and drawstring waist and pockets. The set is made in women’s sizes XS to XXL, which covers approximately UK 6 to 22. A size guide, with approximate chest and trouser-length measurements, is on the listing; if you are between sizes, please message us before you order, as a personalised set is made just for you.
The garments are then sewn, with shell buttons on the shirt and navy piping along the edges. The breast pocket receives your monogram: one to three initials, hand embroidered in navy. Please include your size at checkout, and check the spelling; we embroider exactly what you type. That small piece of lettering is what turns a comfortable pair of pyjamas into a keepsake — the set someone reaches for not only on Christmas Eve, but on ordinary winter nights afterwards.
Each order also arrives with a matching block-print drawstring pouch, which is a practical way to present the pyjamas in a Christmas Eve box, and a useful bag to keep them in afterwards.
Ideas for a Christmas Eve box
You do not need a great deal to make the box feel complete. The pyjamas can be the main thing, folded in their pouch, with one or two companions chosen for the person who will open it.
A book, or a short Christmas story, is a natural partner, as is a bar of good chocolate or a small treat to eat while a film is on. Warm socks or slippers belong in the same mood. If you want a second handmade piece, our personalised hot water bottle cover is a gentle addition for a cold night — remembering that the listing is for the cover only, and that the bottle itself should be a safe, standard-compliant one. For a child’s box, a personalised Christmas stocking can sit beside the pyjamas, ready to be hung once the evening is over; a matching family set is also available if several people in the house are opening a box on the same night.
Keep the box itself simple: a sturdy cardboard box, a wooden crate, or even a large hat box, lined with tissue. The point is the moment of opening, not an elaborate display. If you are giving the pyjamas on their own, they will still arrive in our cream gift box, with ivory tissue, a gold satin ribbon, a wax seal and a care card, and we will hand-write a gift note if you add one at checkout.
Care, sizing and when to order
Wash the pyjamas on a cold, gentle cycle with similar colours, then line dry them in the shade and use a warm iron on the reverse. The cotton will relax and soften, and the print will mellow a little, which is what this kind of cloth is meant to do.
The set is made to order in one to two weeks, then shipped express. For Christmas delivery, including a box to be opened on the 24th, we recommend ordering by 30 November, so that there is time for the printing, the cutting and sewing, the monogram and the journey to your door.
You can order the pyjamas, and the rest of the collection, from Lumen Atelier Textiles. Every piece is 20% off until 12 December 2026, with the code CHRISTMASSALE20.