Ugly. Christmas. Sweater.
You know what I’m talking about. This time of year they are almost impossible to miss whether it’s a meme online or in the apparel aisle of a store. Even Jimmy Fallon did a series on them last year called “The 12 Days of Christmas Sweaters.” They are everywhere.
So where exactly did this Ugly Christmas Sweater tradition come from and how did it go from a fashion faux-pas to a holiday must-have?
While traditional sweaters have been around since the late 19th century, it wasn’t until the early 2000’s that the “ugly” Christmas ones became cool. It was really a way for young hipsters to “make fun of” the sweaters their parents used to wear. Parties started popping up all over the continent and an oddly weird yet humorous Christmas tradition was born!
And while UCS (Ugly Christmas Sweaters, in case you didn’t figure that out) have been historically reserved for holiday parties and contests, I think it’s fun to bring this tradition into your family home and get your kids involved in it. Because who better to have fun with such a silly concept like this than kids?!
So I decided to jump in with both feet and took the kids straight to Walmart to find ourselves some amazing ugly Christmas Sweaters. It was funny to hear the kids reactions as I tried to explain to them this concept. At first it was “I don’t want to wear an ugly sweater!” Then once they saw the sweaters, there was a more general sense of acceptance. Once we all donned the UCS for this photoshoot, there was nothing but pure hilarity that ensued as people stopped to watch us dressed in our Christmas ugliest!
The point was to get the kids together to laugh and have fun. And that they did!
Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously and life can get so stressful with deadlines, bills to pay and unmet expectations. Stripping back the layers of pretension and replacing our best with an ugly Christmas sweater will definitely help you take yourself less seriously.
And in today’s world, we need more moments like that.
So if you are looking for a tradition to incorporate into your family that is light, fun and full of laughs, may I suggest that you go to the store and have a contest to see who can find the ugliest Christmas sweater yet! And then wear them…out in public and have fun!
And let that ugly Christmas sweater remind you of what is truly important this holiday season: peace, love and happiness!
Love & Blessings,
Note: This post is sponsored by Walmart Canada as part of the Ugly Christmas Sweater program. In exchange for this review, I have received special perks in the form of products and/or compensation. As always, all opinions on this blog are my own.
