How is it I have lived this long, and never had a plaid flannel shirt or jacket before now? I bought my first one right before Thanksgiving, so Chuck and I could have matching jackets before we went to Utah, and the next thing I knew, I was back at the store, snatching up a whole bunch more. I had decided that a family photo shoot would be super fun with all of us wearing matching flannel shirts.
Our Utah kids had had some major expenses this year, and we had tried to help out a little bit along the way. We let them know that our Christmas budget had been spent already, and that this Christmas would not be about the presents, but about being present. We really didn't want them spending their hard-earned money buying us anything.
But I'm a mom. I couldn't have them not even have a single gift to open. So each of our kids received a flannel shirt. The whole family got matching plaid flannel shirts.
Some of you may groan, but I grew up with a mom who sewed, and loved finding bargain bolts of fabric. Our family of ten was sometimes mistaken for popular singing families of the day. The Cowsills wore red, white, and blue striped pants and vests, right?
My husband and I match each other by wearing similar colors or the same shirt sometimes. What I'm saying is this is not necessarily a new idea to me.
"What did you get for Christmas?"
"My mom and stepdad gave me a flannel shirt."
"What else did they give you?"
"That was it. A flannel shirt."
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| Photo credit: Jamie Waters |
Well, when I look at it in a hypothetical conversation sort of way, it sounds pathetic. But you know what? We had so much fun on Thanksgiving afternoon at Grandma's house, taking family photos, talking and laughing, and just being silly.
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| Family Flannel Fun. |
After Chuck took pictures of our family, we shared our flannel shirts with my sister's family, and they had fun posing in matching outfits, too. We got a lot of mileage out of those shirts!
Fast forward to Christmas Day. When Chuck opened one of his presents, his eyes went wide, and then he smiled. He saw a red and black flannel shirt, and then he realized there were two identical red and black flannel shirts in his box, but only one would fit him. What a thoughtful wife I am to buy myself a gift, and even wrap it up, and give it to my husband, huh? We have fun wearing matching clothes, so I didn't think he'd mind my indulgence.
When we showed up for our Illinois family Christmas dinner, Trudy just laughed when she saw our matching shirts because she had considered wearing HER red and black flannel shirt. Then Chuck's youngest son said he was going to put on his red and black flannel shirt, and told his mom to get hers.
That's all it took. We had to pose for some pictures with all four of us together.
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| #lumberglam. This look may not be my most fashionable, but it is definitely my most comfy. |
There's something so warm and cozy about flannel. Ever since I bought that first jacket this year, I've been on the lookout for the softest flannel shirts I can find. I think I'm onto something here.
Warm and cozy clothes that make people smile; what could be better than that?
Sisi strutting her stuff in her new flannel shirt.
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| Our family Christmas greeting. 2017. |
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| My Mom, Jamie and Dylan Photo credit: Jamie Waters |
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| Sporting our Christmas flannel at the local burger joint in Monroe, Utah. |
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