Snow Days and Jammies

Thanks to my Facebook teacher friends, I was recently introduced to some special days that occur during the winter solstice, “Jammie Days.” I had not heard of jammie days until this winter with its recurring snowstorms and school closings, so I’ve concluded there is a causal link between jammie days and what students and teachers jubilantly refer to as “snow days.”

Jammie days are not pre-planned and are celebrated in the privacy of individual homes after teachers and their children stop jumping up and down and screaming, “Yea, no school!” Protocols for jammie day celebrations vary somewhat, but are alike in that teacher-moms hang out all day in their jammies and do fun stuff with their jammie-clad children. Jammie day activities include such things as baking cookies, making donuts, decorating cakes, playing games, reading books, putting puzzles together, dancing, coloring, painting, and watching movies.

My response when I heard about jammie days was, “Say what?” In our household jammies on during the daytime would mean that: a) someone is ill or b) a burglar entered our house during the night and took all of our clothes. The former has happened, the latter not yet. It might seem that I have a hang-up about jammies, but that’s not the problem at all. What I have is a hang-up related to routine.

Of course, some might judge being tied to routine as a neurosis, and they might also believe that such neurosis is accompanied by all sorts of issues with which a psychiatrist would have a field day. Not so! In my view, it is perfectly reasonable that my early morning routine dictates being dressed for the day, having my hair done, and not leaving the dressing area until make-up has been applied.

So, because of my compulsive need to hold fast to habit, I’ll probably never have the pleasure of a non-illness related jammie day. Oh to be laid-back enough to hang out all day in my most comfy outfit!

To all you jammie day moms out there, I’d like to rename that day for you as “Gift Day,” a day celebrating God’s gift of a whole day to spend in any way you wish with your kids. Enjoy!