Do you have an ugly Christmas sweater? What does it look like?

The ugly Christmas sweater is a tradition that surpasses all other laws of fashion. Whether it has been passed down from Great-Aunt Helga or been recently purchased at the nearest thrift store, the ugly Christmas sweater has become a must-have holiday season staple.

Sweaters have been around since the 1800’s, but Christmas sweaters themselves became more popular in the 80’s, inspired by Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.  Fast forward to 2002, when the first official ugly Christmas sweater party was hosted in Canada.  According to Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Ugly On, Chris Boyd and Jordan Birch wanted to organize “a cheesy, feel-good, festive party” centered around Christmas sweaters.  That first party sparked the flame of “Christmas fashion,” which evolved to the point where, in 2011, Dolce & Gabbana designed an entire collection of beautiful ugly sweaters.  

Moving on, as fashion retailers such as H&M and Macy’s embraced the trend, the ugly Christmas sweater made its way into the homes of most, if not all, celebrating Americans and has emerged every Christmas since you can remember.  

In case sweater history is not enough encouragement, here are three additional reasons why its time to own an ugly Christmas sweater:

1. The ugly Christmas sweater does not judge.

You want to eat 50 Christmas cookies? Go for it. The ugly Christmas sweater forgives and plans for your cookie necessities.

2. The ugly Christmas sweater is a conversation piece.

What better way to break the silence than with the story of how you found your sweater? It’s timeless and interesting… right?

3. Each ugly Christmas sweater is uniquely crafted for individuals of every kind.

Whether you like pom-poms or bells or ribbons or glitter, there is an ugly Christmas sweater out there for you.  I like to think the ugly Christmas sweater finds you, not the other way around. Just remember, patience is key to finding the perfect sweater.  Get one today!