Family Christmas Picture Outfit Ideas: Matching Shirts, Colors and Poses

The Christmas card photo has a lot riding on it: it goes to every relative, it ends up on fridges, and it's the one picture you'll compare year after year. What everyone wears makes most of the difference between a snapshot and a photo that looks planned.

Here are three ways to match, six color palettes, and practical tips for poses, settings and kids.

Three ways to match

1. Matching shirts, your own bottoms

The easiest and most forgiving: everyone in the same design, each shirt personalized with a name or role, worn with their own jeans or pajama pants. It looks planned without looking like a uniform. Our matching family Christmas shirts and Christmas pajama shirts are made for this.

2. Coordinated colors

Everyone in different clothes from the same two or three colors. It's the look of a professional session, and it takes more planning: lay every outfit out together before the day.

3. Full pajama match

The classic Christmas morning photo: matching tops and matching pajama pants. Put the grown-ups in long sleeves, the baby in a bodysuit, and pair everything with the same plaid.

Six palettes that work

1. Classic red and white: red shirts for the adults, white for the kids, or the reverse. Unmistakably Christmas.
2. Evergreen and cream: deep greens with cream or natural. Warm, calm and good against a lit tree.
3. Black and plaid: black tops with red or green plaid pants. Graphic and easy to find.
4. All white by the tree: white shirts glow in warm indoor light and let the tree carry the color.
5. Heather grays: soft and cozy for pajama photos; every style, including baby bodysuits and women's V-necks, comes in two heather grays.
6. Mixed reds and greens: "most likely to" and funny designs look great with each person in red, green, white or black.

Make the shirts read in photos

• Short text reads best. A name, a role or a short line will be legible; a paragraph won't.
• Contrast matters. Light prints on dark shirts and dark prints on light shirts; check the live preview in each color before ordering.
• Face the camera. Turn shoulders toward the lens and keep arms relaxed so hands don't cover the design.
• Mind the lights. String lights behind people look magical but can wash out white text; move them to the side.

Poses and settings

• The stairs: everyone on a different step, youngest at the bottom.
• Around the tree: sitting on the floor with gifts in front.
• Baking: flour, cookies and matching baking shirts and aprons make a relaxed candid.
• Outside: a snowy yard or a Christmas tree farm, with long sleeves or sweatshirts layered under coats open at the front.
• The funny one: after the nice photo, take one where everyone acts out their funny Christmas shirt.

Photographing kids

1. Dress them last so the shirt stays clean.
2. Bring snacks and a reward for after the photo, not before.
3. Take lots of photos quickly and stop while everyone is still smiling.
4. Size up for little ones so shirts aren't tight; our family T-shirt size guide explains how.

Plan the timing

Order shirts for your photo date, not for Christmas. If the photo is in early December, order in November. Our Christmas order-by dates show the latest safe date for delivery before Christmas, and our guide to matching family Christmas shirts has more design ideas.