Matching Family Christmas Shirts: Ideas and Tips for the Perfect Holiday Photo

Matching Christmas shirts have become the easiest way to turn a chaotic family gathering into a photo you will actually frame. They are comfortable, they work for every age, and — unlike matching sweaters — nobody overheats by the fireplace.

Here is how to plan them well, from choosing a theme to lining everyone up for the picture.

Start with the feeling you want

Before you browse designs, decide what kind of photo you are going for. Most families land in one of four camps:

• Funny. A shared joke — usually the "most likely to" format, where each shirt finishes the sentence differently. See our list of 100 most likely to Christmas ideas.
• Classic. Clean holiday lettering, the family name and the year. Timeless, and it looks great framed.
• Personal. Each shirt carries someone's name or role — ideal when the kids are young and the photo will be treasured for the names alone.
• Themed. A shared motif like Christmas lights, plaid, reindeer or snowflakes, with personalization on top.

There is no wrong answer, but deciding up front makes every later choice easier.

One design, personalized for everyone

The approach that photographs best is one design worn by everyone, with a different name or line on each shirt. From a distance the group looks unified; up close, every shirt is clearly someone's own.

Our Christmas collection is built for this. Designs like the Most Likely Christmas shirt let each person pick their own quote or write a custom one, while the design stays the same across the family.

Choosing colors

Color does most of the work in a group photo. A few approaches that work: