Christmas road trip shirts make the long drive to Grandma's feel like part of the celebration instead of something to get through. If your family is loading up the car this December, here are matching tee and sweatshirt ideas for every age, plus a few practical tips for winter drives with kids.
Every Wanderstamps shirt is personalized before you add it to the cart, with your family name, a kid's name or your own line plus the year, and each one is printed to order just for your family.
Why Christmas Road Trip Shirts Are Worth It
Matching shirts do a few quiet jobs on a holiday drive. They make it easy to spot your crew at a busy rest stop, they turn the first gas-station selfie into a holiday photo, and they give the kids something fun to put on the morning you leave. Because the year is printed on the design, the shirts also become a small keepsake of that year's trip.
If you already traveled for Thanksgiving, our Thanksgiving family road trip shirt ideas cover the November side of the season.
Santa-Themed Shirts for the Grown-Ups
The Custom Santa's Road Trip Christmas Shirt shows Santa and his golden retriever in a wood-panel wagon with the tree tied to the roof, with a line like "Sleigh? We drove" and the year underneath. It comes in soft colors such as ivory, white and grey, so it photographs well on a snowy morning.
For colder drives, the Custom Christmas Adventures Vintage Stamp Sweatshirt has a collage of vintage-style stamps (Santa, a reindeer, a holiday road trip and snowy villages) with "Merry & on the move" and the year below. A crewneck is easy to pull off when the car heater finally kicks in.
Matching Kids and Baby Picks
Kids can match the same stamp design in the Custom Kids Christmas Adventures Vintage Stamp Sweatshirt, and the littlest traveler can wear the Custom Baby Christmas Adventures Vintage Stamp Long Sleeve Onesie, which can say something like "Baby's first Christmas" under the design.
For toddlers, the Custom Toddler Road Trippin' Wagon Long Sleeve Shirt puts a station wagon on a mountain road with your child's name printed right on the design. Long sleeves are handy for car seats, where a puffy coat is not a good idea (more on that below).
Bringing the Dog? Christmas Road Trip Shirts for Pet Families
If the dog has a seat in the car, lean into it. The Custom Paws & Pines Christmas Dog Sweatshirt shows pups riding in a cozy wagon, with "Dog hair, don't care" and the year as an easy default line. Kids can match in the Custom Kids Paws & Pines Christmas Dog Shirt.
Want something that works past December too? The Custom Are We There Yet Dogs Road Trip Sweatshirt and the Custom Kids Are We There Yet Dogs Road Trip Shirt feature two pups looking out the windshield, and the Custom Camper Van Mountain Road Trip Sweatshirt suits families who head for the mountains over winter break.
You can see every holiday design in the Christmas collection, and if you want a sillier look for Christmas morning, browse our funny Christmas shirts for family ideas.
Practical Tips for a Christmas Road Trip with Kids
- Skip puffy coats in car seats. Bulky winter coats can leave the harness too loose. Buckle kids in wearing a sweatshirt or long sleeves, then lay a blanket or their coat over the straps.
- Pack a winter car kit. Keep blankets, a flashlight, a phone charger, an ice scraper, water, snacks and any needed medicine in the car before you leave.
- Check road and weather conditions. Look at the forecast and your state's road-condition updates for the whole route, not just your starting point.
- Dress in layers. A tee under a sweatshirt lets everyone adjust as the car warms up or you step out at a cold rest stop.
- Order early. Because each shirt is printed to order, place your order well before your departure date.
- Wash inside out. Turning printed shirts inside out and washing cold helps the design look good for next year's photos.
Christmas Road Trip Shirts FAQ
Can I change the words on the shirt?
Yes. On the Christmas designs you can replace the line under the artwork with your family name or your own short line, and the year is part of the design. On the road trip designs, the name prints right on the artwork.
Do you have sizes for the whole family?
The designs above come in adult, kids, toddler and baby styles, so everyone from grandparents to the newest family member can match. Check each product page for its exact sizes and colors.
When should I order Christmas road trip shirts?
Order as early as you can. Every shirt is made to order after you personalize it, so leaving a buffer before your trip is the safest plan.