The NBA`s Christmas Day games are always a highly anticipated holiday treat, but one beloved tradition has notably vanished in recent years: the dedicated, festive Christmas uniforms.
So, what exactly caused this change?
The explanation is straightforward: when Nike assumed the NBA`s uniform contract from Adidas in 2017, they opted not to continue the seasonal designs that their predecessor had established.
Bah humbug.
Despite the absence of a specific holiday line, Nike offers a variety of uniform combinations through its four core jersey editions: Association, Icon, City, and Statement. However, this has not stopped players and fans alike from voicing how much they miss the yuletide attire.
Last year, LeBron James, who is known for his nearly two-decade run of consecutive Christmas Day appearances, publicly lamented the disappearance of the special uniforms.
Nike, however, remains committed to its current strategy. In 2021, the company stated that they were satisfied with the existing uniform assortment and the robust storytelling opportunities it provides, with no plans for the holiday fad to return.
Let`s take a nostalgic trip back through the short-lived, yet memorable, era of the NBA`s holiday collections:
2008–11: The Snowflake Era
The tradition began modestly with a simple white snowflake detail placed around the team logo on the front of the jerseys. The league also actively promoted games featuring teams whose primary colors aligned with the holiday palette of red and green.
2012: Bold Monochromatic Colors
This single-color scheme formally cemented the holiday trend, coinciding with the 65th anniversary of NBA Christmas Day games.
2013: The Big Logo and Sleeved Controversy
The centerpiece of this design was the large, centered team logo, but the short sleeves ended up stealing all the attention. Despite these uniforms being 26% lighter than standard jerseys, several players complained that the additional fabric negatively affected their shooting mechanics. The T-shirt style was widely disliked, even by legends like Dirk Nowitzki.
2014: First-Name Basis
For this unique edition, the focus shifted to the back of the uniform. In a friendly gesture, players’ first names were placed below their numbers, replacing the traditional surname, to emphasize their popularity and familiarity with fans worldwide.
2015: Holiday Greeting Cards
Inspired by festive greeting cards, this year’s jerseys featured names and numbers woven in a seasonal, cursive script font, set against primary team colors and cream tones. This elegant design was arguably the most well-received uniform of the entire Christmas collection.
2016: Christmas Cards II (The Final Bow)
Due to its overwhelming popularity, the festive font design from 2015 was brought back for a second year. Sadly, this marked the final installment of the special NBA Christmas uniform tradition.
Jasper Carew 
Rupert Hollis