Christmas kids’ wardrobe essentials: Everything you need to kit them out for the holidays

The Christmas holidays are coming and with the kids having some extended time at home again, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got enough staples to keep them cosy and comfortable inside and out.  

We know there’ll be the odd home day, when they’ll want to be casual, and may not get dressed at all.

But if you’re planning any days out, a Christmas photo, or both, you might want to have a fancier outfit for them, too. Not to mention something to wear on the big day.

And to avoid cabin fever, there will probably be the odd festive walk thrown in. This could mean rain (or snow!) so a few bits to keep them warm in the British winter are a must.

Below we’ve compiled the ultimate guide to kids’ Christmas outfits, with recommendations from our tried and tested reviews. Whether you’re looking for cosy pyjamas or thermals and snow boots, here’s our top picks.

You can trust our independent round-ups. We may earn commission from some of the retailers, but we never allow this to influence selections. This revenue helps us to fund journalism across The Independent.

Lazy mornings will hopefully be the order of the day for some over the festive period, and you can’t beat a new pair of pyjamas to snuggle up in while watching Christmas films.

These fleecy checked pyjamas (£10, Lands’ End) come in a range of sizes from age five to 11, and are super slouchy for extra comfort. 

They landed a spot in our review of the best kids pyjamas, with our tester saying: “We love the long raglan sleeves and stylish chest pocket. The generous sizing means there’s lots of room in these so they’re especially comfy for lounging around at home.”

If you’re making a Christmas Eve box, or like the idea of giving pyjamas for Christmas Eve, we really like the look of this pyjama gift set (£55, My 1st Years) too, especially as you can personalise the book and the pyjamas at no extra cost. The pyjamas are 100 per cent cotton, the book is hardback and your child’s name will feature throughout it.  

We haven’t reviewed this exact set, but My 1st Years was included in our best pyjamas round-up, with our tester noting that “the fabric is soft and snuggly” on the pjs they tested. 

For extra warmth, you might want to pop a dressing gown over the top of your child’s or toddler’s pyjamas, and we haven't seen one much snugglier looking than this fairy print dressing gown (£12, Next) which made it into our list of best dressing gowns for kids.

Our reviewer confirmed it’s as silky to the touch as it looks, saying: “It’s wonderfully soft and quite a thick material so perfect for snuggly cooler nights – and for the ultimate cosy night in there’s matching slippers and lounge set available too.

Feet need to be cosy too, and kids’ slippers don’t come much cuter than these hand-sewn Mr Fox Moccis (£25, Moccis), which come in sizes to fit babies, toddlers and children up to six and will definitely appeal if your little one’s an animal lover. 

They’re super practical too, as our reviewer of the best kids slippers for 2020 points out: “There’s a sewed in double elastic at the ankle which keeps them on, and only the fabric is breathable, meaning feet are kept toasty yet dry by moving moisture out and away from your feet. The extra bonus is that they can be put in the washing machine.”

If you want to keep your child warm but also get them looking festive for a family visit or Christmas lunch, we highly recommend a Christmas jumper or cardigan which can look smart  but won’t be overly uncomfortable.  

This Fair Isle cardigan (£34, Boden) comes in sizes to fit children from aged two to five, and is a cotton, polyamide and wool mix. In our review of the best kids’ Christmas jumpers 2020, our tester noted that she loves “the colourful trim around the neck and cuff, full of festive fun”.  

If you want to stick with a pullover rather than a cardigan, this reindeer jumper (from £16, Next), which has sizes for children from nine months to eight, is a well-priced option.

There’s a festive surprise here, too: "Simply flip the sequins over and reveal a cheery reindeer face – kids go crackers for this clever feature, and we must admit it’s pretty tactile for adults too,” our reviewer said.

If you’re up for getting out and doing some nice family strolls over the winter break and beyond, it’s worth making sure your child is super-warm while you’re adventuring, or you could find yourselves wanting to cut the excursion short.  

Before you’ve even got their outwear on, why not consider some thermals for extra layering? This baselayer top and bottoms set (£18 each, Muddy Puddles) comes in a range of nice colours, from mustard yellow to a vibrant forest green, and is also available in a range of sizes to fit children from six months to 12 years.

They featured in our round-up of best thermals for kids, with our reviewer noting that “they’re soft to the touch, breathable and look great worn alone rather than just hidden under other layers. Wide elasticated cuffs (with thumb holes) and flatlock seams add to the comfort.”

Once the base layer’s done, you can think about the outer wear. If you’ve got a toddler who aims for puddles as soon as they get outside, a puddle suit is a really good way of keeping them warm and dry. This fleece lined puddle suit (£25, Wet Wednesdays) won the best buy award in our review of the best puddle suits. 

As well as being lined, it’s sturdy too, but not so much that your child can’t move properly in it. “This performed so well over a long afternoon which involved murky puddles, light showers and even a paddle in a stream,” said our reviewer, so it’s one that should last well beyond the Christmas break.  

For children who don’t want to wear an all-in-one outfit, a ski jacket can look stylish and keep them warm, and there are some seriously stylish options out there that don’t need to be reserved for the slopes. This dinosaur-themed ski jacket (£95, Dinoski), which has sizes for children from one to eight, took our best buy award in our review of the best ski jackets for kids, not least because it’s a bit of a head-turner, but also because it has lot of thoughtful features too.

It has 10k waterproofing and toasty microfibre insulation, easy-to-use magnetic pocket closures and really chunky zip toggles. Our reviewer said: “The hood is removable, but with its dinosaur horns, there was no way our tester was taking it off. It’s made from recycled plastic bottles and Dinoski has introduced a preloved scheme – they’ll buy back grown-out suits and jackets for £40 store credit, and resell them at a discount.” Impressive.  

There’s powder blue unicorn version too, and a yellow lion cub option, so you’re spoilt for choice on the style stakes. 

Thermals and a good coat are definitely worth investing in come winter, but remember that cold feet are a recipe for disaster when you’re walking, so heel-out your kids too with these winter boots (£29, Alex and Alexa). 

If you’re not mad on the leopard print design, there are other options including a mint green version, a dusty pink, a patterned tan and a darker green.

Landing a spot in our review of the best kids’ snow boots, our tester said: “Straightforward to pull on, the top can be gathered by the toggle, and they’re lined with a cosy, insulating synthetic pile. 

For more Christmas inspiration, see our guide to personalised books for kids and other ways to keep them entertained over the festive break