S/O Do you own an ugly Christmas sweater?

[Spryte]

What does it look like? When do you wear it?

Do your kids? Do you buy them a new one every year?

Just curious.

[Starr]

There were some great ones at TJMax yesterday. I think the whole idea is funny. It started as a way to have fun and laugh at old sweaters we once enjoyed wearing and now it’s a big business. 

[HomeAgain]

Nope.  The children have one each, and youngest ds is trying to get me to make one with a pretty cute theme, but I don't enjoy wearing them at all. They only have one because of after-Christmas clearance and the need to wear one once a year to UCS parties.

[Jaybee]

No, none of us has one.

[SKL]

I don't own anything that was purposely created to be ugly, nor would I buy something I didn't think looked nice.

That said, I have a lot of winter-themed sweaters and sweatshirts.  🙂

[TexasProud]

Well....  I still own my Christmas sweaters from the late 80's early 90's when I thought they were wonderful.  I actually still like them, but now they are considered ugly LOL.    My daughter bought a few cheap ones from Walmart when she was in high school and I have those in the closet as well. 

[Faith-manor]

No.  But we saw an epic ugly Christmas sweater when we were at the Nutcracker. It was this pale blue that looked like faded denim, and  had a knight in armor, and armor was covered in "blood" but the droplets were shaped into ornaments, a santa hat on the knight, the neck and wrist bands were like a mustardy, lime green, and then there was some red on the sleeves. It was so bad! 😂

[MercyA]

I like them. I think they're fun and festive. But then, I tend to like gaudy, kitschy things in general. 🙂 

I don't like the phrase "Ugly Sweater." I wish a new phrase would be coined. I think it could hurt people's feelings who don't see the old-school ones as ugly or tacky. 

Last year I had a Christmas dress, covered in snowmen wearing sunglasses, Christmas bells, etc. It was fun but it's too big this year (yay). Another year I had a long cardigan with reindeer on it. I keep my eye out at thrift stores but am not about to pay new prices for something that gets worn once or twice a year. I wear them to informal Christmas parties and get togethers--usually only when I know the attendees well.

DD has several Christmas tees, purchased from TeeTurtle and thrift stores. She wears them in the weeks leading up to Christmas. 

DH would never, ever consider wearing one. He's too dignified. 🙂 

Edited December 5, 2023 by MercyA

[Toocrazy!!]

I have one, it’s more tacky than truly ugly. It’s very festive and colorful. I got it for pretty cheap on Amazon.  

I bought it a few years ago for a group I joined that did an ugly Christmas sweater lunch. Peer pressure made me buy it. Ha! Had to fit in. But I’ve worn it a few times every season since. It’s fun, makes people smile. 

[JustEm]

Nope. Dh does because three years ago his work had an ugly sweater party. His isn't actually ugly though. It's gaudy and silly but not ugly. He wears it at least once or twice a year at Christmas events. I almost bought myself a corgi themed ugly Christmas sweater last year on deep clearance but ended up not because I knew I'd only wear it once or twice a year. Not worth the closet space.

The kids don't wear sweaters. But ds10 is a big fan of wearing Christmas themed clothing anytime except Christmas season. So, much so that this year I bought him a great Halloween themed shirt at goodwill and gave it to him right before Thanksgiving, which he has been wearing weekly since.

[Heartstrings]

I don’t own any sweaters really.  I have a sweater dress and a couple cheap old sweatshirts for winter house and yard work.   I’d buy a cute winter themed sweater if I had an UCS thing I could not get out of attending. I’d try everything to get out of it first though, up to and including attempting to get food poisoning or Covid.  

[Heartstrings]

3 minutes ago, hjffkj said:

e kids don't wear sweaters. But ds10 is a big fan of wearing Christmas themed clothing anytime except Christmas season. So, much so that this year I bought him a great Halloween themed shirt at goodwill and gave it to him right before Thanksgiving, which he has been wearing weekly since.

My daughter wears Christmas  or Halloween clothes year round, especially the dresses. It’s just her personality at this point, the cute kid wearing Halloween in March and Christmas in June.   She’ll be wearing nothing but Christmas this whole month no matter how much I try to encourage other outfits.  

[Carol in Cal.]

Nope.  I never have.  

To the extent that I’m seasonal in my dress, it’s usually just earrings or a pin.  

I do usually wear liturgical colors to church but that is pretty low key.

This is biting me now, because I’m supposed to wear an ugly BOWLING Christmas sweater to a work-related event Friday, and I just can’t even.

[El...]

I bought a Christmas sweater one year on sale in early January. It has horizontal black and white stripes and a really colorful Christmas tree on the front. It's not hideous, but it's sort of wild. I keep it just for Christmas sweater events. 

[teachermom2834]

When I moved down south and was a young mom I attended a yearly cookie swap with ladies from church. At the time I was not into holiday dressing. Where I was from that was something only people like kindergarten teachers did. I didn’t see it as standard for people to have holiday themed clothes and I thought it was really tacky. But the cookie swap invites basically said bring a couple dozen cookies, a container to take cookies home in, and wear your Christmas sweater. But this was in 2000 and this was not an ugly sweater party. This was ladies (young southern ladies) serious about their Christmas sweaters. On year 3 I broke down and bought what I thought was the most tasteful navy blue Christmas sweater I could find to wear to this event. It’s the only time I ever wore it (annually) and I store it with my decorations though I have not worn it in many years. 

I have tried to explain to my 15 yo dd that ugly Christmas sweaters used to just be Christmas sweaters that people took seriously. She didn’t really understand. I pulled out my navy sweater this year to show her and she thinks it is ridiculous and she will not wear it to ugly sweater day. She has one for that purpose.

Anyways…it’s a funny phenomenon how it evolved. I remember a mom at the homeschool co-op about 12 years ago or so being super insulted that her teen dd had been invited to an ugly Christmas sweater party and was wearing the mom’s favorite sweater. She really did have her feelings hurt and I think that was back when it first was becoming a thing. 
 

As an aside I told a dear southern friend that people from where I was from in western NY (honestly probably too working class for people to have clothes devoted to holidays) I wasn’t used to all the garish holiday wear. She was like “yeah whatever…I’ve seen The Nanny”…apparently she pictured everyone in NY as Fran Drescher’s character in the show. 

[KatieJ]

No, I never did. Never will. 

I do have a friend who collected Christmas sweaters over the 90’s and early 2000. She wore a new one each day to work in December. She still loves them and is very hurt that  people now call them ugly sweaters. She wears them occasionally..

[Pawz4me]

No ugly Christmas sweaters here.

[regentrude]

Yes, because my best friend throws an epic ugly sweater party each year, and I don'twantto be the party pooper. I used the same one five years in a row and bought a new one for this year's.  $5 at Goodwill, not an investment. 

It's not purposely ugly, some folks would consider it normal seasonal wear, but that's so not my style.

Edited December 5, 2023 by regentrude

[Faith-manor]

1 hour ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Nope.  I never have.  

To the extent that I’m seasonal in my dress, it’s usually just earrings or a pin.  

I do usually wear liturgical colors to church but that is pretty low key.

This is biting me now, because I’m supposed to wear an ugly BOWLING Christmas sweater to a work-related event Friday, and I just can’t even.

Wait! There is a theme too? How is someone supposed to find something like that? And the money!

I think you should fake coughing up a lung so you can skip the party. 

[purpleowl]

No Christmas sweaters at our house. My 14yo has a youth group Christmas party next week where they said to wear ugly Christmas sweaters, and I think that's the first time any of us have had an event that requests them! 14yo has zero interest in wearing one, so I don't have to worry about it.

[Carol in Cal.]

21 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Wait! There is a theme too? How is someone supposed to find something like that? And the money!

I think you should fake coughing up a lung so you can skip the party. 

I am leaning increasingly strongly toward skipping the party.  Pretty much the last thing I want to do right now is bowl.  Nope, actually, the last thing I want to do right now is bowl in front of a bunch of colleagues.

[marbel]

I think my daughter bought a  not-to-her-taste sweater dress once to an ugly sweater party. I hesitate to call it ugly because that's subjective. I mean I think about 80% of the fashions I see right now are pretty ugly, but people like them. 

I don't tend to buy seasonal clothing except maybe a Christmas green sweater. I'd be hard-pressed to produce one for a social event, but I'm not opposed in theory. Though, I don't like having to buy specific clothing for a single event. 

[regentrude]

The first year my friend threw her party, a very dear older colleague showed up in an grey wool sweater that was darned at the elbow. She completely misunderstood the assignment,  but it was very sweet.

[regentrude]

2 hours ago, MercyA said:

DH would never, ever consider wearing one. He's too dignified. 🙂 

My DH wouldn't either, but I bought him a sweater vest for $3 at Goodwill that he'll wear for the party every year. This year he won in the "reuse" category of the sweater contest, lol (elaborate 6 category voting and real prizes).

I wouldn't wear mine for normal occasions,  but when everyone is playing the game, it's tacky to behave as if it "beneath me".

Edited December 5, 2023 by regentrude

[Tap]

No, I hate the idea of owning an item, I will wear once a year or less. If it was important for an event, I would go along… but not just for a regular office day. 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Tap

[Elizabeth86]

Nope. My sensory issues will not allow for sweaters at all. 

[busymama7]

I have one that is white with a snow man on it. I thought it was cute but I inadvertently got entered into an ugly Christmas sweater contest at a church party and won 😂 I'm not offended. I think its funny but I still don't think it's ugly. I actually think I won because I was working with the children at the time and they were the ones who voted. I think they wanted to vote for me.  Or at least that's what I tell myself because again I think the sweater is cute 😉 I wear it Christmas Eve sometimes.  

[Spryte]

I don’t have one, nor does DH — or kids. I think one MIL made one (out of tinsel and lights) that won an office party competition once, but that’s it.

We don’t really do seasonal themed clothes.

But if going to a themed party or event, I would pick one up or make one to participate. We just haven’t run across a compelling invitation that would require one.

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Spryte

[fraidycat]

Kind of.
 

They're not ugly in the traditional sense of the original homemade "ugly sweater", but they are garish Christmas/winter themed sweaters/shirts that get worn a few times in the month of December.

We do not buy new every year - we're all adult sized humans so hopefully do not outgrow them, though we seem to make an effort with all the sweets and goodies around at this time of year. 😁

[Indigo Blue]

No Christmas sweaters. 

[ikslo]

2 hours ago, Toocrazy!! said:

I have one, it’s more tacky than truly ugly. It’s very festive and colorful. I got it for pretty cheap on Amazon.  

I bought it a few years ago for a group I joined that did an ugly Christmas sweater lunch. Peer pressure made me buy it. Ha! Had to fit in. But I’ve worn it a few times every season since. It’s fun, makes people smile. 

This is me, too. Bought one for a work party and now just wear it every year. Mine has a dog with a bell on it.  

[fraidycat]

I can't get the cursor in place (on phone) to edit.

One of the sweaters has a snowman. The carrot nose is an appendage on the sweater, and I think the scarf is as well. One sweater is a seqined Santa. A black "dress shirt" is printed with colourful holiday lights. One crewneck sweater has a National Lampoon Christmas photo with a battery operated light pack.

I think that is all we have now. DD does have a cute, classier understated snowman sweater, too. 

[Grace Hopper]

None of the ones that are sold nowadays that are created to look spectacularly awful on purpose. Years ago, when the trend started (seems like it may have been inspired by that party scene in Bridget Jones’ Diary?), we picked up a sweater or two from the thrift store that fell into the gramma-thinks-it’s-cute-but-it’s-horrid category. Nothing contrived, just organically ugly. 😂

[QueenCat]

Dh has a very ugly Xmas sweater. I have two that are more cute than ugly but work for parties. 

 

[Grace Hopper]

3 hours ago, MercyA said:

I like them. I think they're fun and festive. But then, I tend to like gaudy, kitschy things in general. 🙂 

I don't like the phrase "Ugly Sweater." I wish a new phrase would be coined. I think it could hurt people's feelings who don't see the old-school ones as ugly or tacky. 

Last year I had a Christmas dress, covered in snowmen wearing sunglasses, Christmas bells, etc. It was fun but it's too big this year (yay). Another year I had a long cardigan with reindeer on it. I keep my eye out at thrift stores but am not about to pay new prices for something that gets worn once or twice a year. I wear them to informal Christmas parties and get togethers--usually only when I know the attendees well.

DD has several Christmas tees, purchased from TeeTurtle and thrift stores. She wears them in the weeks leading up to Christmas. 

DH would never, ever consider wearing one. He's too dignified. 🙂 

Oooooo now you have me thinking…. I have a “command performance” holiday party that I’ve managed to skip for a number of years but have grudgingly agreed to attend this year. It’s not an ugly sweater party, but maybe I should hit the thrift and find a gem of an ugly holiday garment to wear, for a little payback, y’know? 😂

 

2 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Nope.  I never have.  

To the extent that I’m seasonal in my dress, it’s usually just earrings or a pin.  

I do usually wear liturgical colors to church but that is pretty low key.

This is biting me now, because I’m supposed to wear an ugly BOWLING Christmas sweater to a work-related event Friday, and I just can’t even.

Ok at the very least if I were in your position I would definitely use it as an excuse to treat myself to a cool pair of vintage bowling shoes. I think those are nifty. Can’t help ya with a sweater idea, though. Bowling + Christmas is so niche you’d likely have to decorate your own to fit the theme. 

[Faith-manor]

1 hour ago, Carol in Cal. said:

I am leaning increasingly strongly toward skipping the party.  Pretty much the last thing I want to do right now is bowl.  Nope, actually, the last thing I want to do right now is bowl in front of a bunch of colleagues.

I totally understand that. 

[alysee]

I do have one! My husband and I went to his work Christmas party and that was the theme. It is hot pink with a reindeer with sunglasses on it. I'm not sure it was super ugly, or maybe I just have bad taste because I think it's cute 🤣. 

[GailV]

Dd buys me (and herself) tacky, gaudy, cat-centric Christmas sweaters from Target. So far we have 2. Lots of sequins, fur, BRIGHT colors -- amazing stuff.

Who knows what this year will bring!  Pretty excited to see! 

My only quibble is that they're hot to wear. 

[Dmmetler]

I have a Christmas sweater with "Tyrannosaurus Rex bearing gifts" that I bought for L years ago and it stays in my closet for events when I need one. It gets worn about once a year. 

[73349]

We're not by any means guaranteed to have sweater weather at Christmas time--at least once DS has worn shorts to church on Christmas morning--so we don't have any Christmas-themed sweaters. DH doesn't have any sweaters at all; he overheats easily.

I don't enjoy things dedicated to a single holiday that much in any case.

[Carol in Cal.]

Darn it, now I have an idea, and I may need to go after all.

I have a huge, garish, oversized red sweater that I could wear with a green scarf, and tie bowls onto the scarf.

I would totally win the prize.  

 

Edited December 5, 2023 by Carol in Cal.

[Grace Hopper]

20 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said:

Darn it, now I have an idea, and I may need to go after all.

I have a huge, garish, oversized red sweater that I could wear with a green scarf, and tie bowls onto the scarf.

I would totally win the prize.  

 

Top it with a bowler hat!

[athena1277]

We don’t own any.  One year someone (I think it was mil, but the kids opened so fast I never found out) gave oldest dd a sweater with a stuffie unicorn coming out of the front.  Ds got something similarly awful.  They were so bad they didn’t even want them for “ugly sweaters.”  They were donated soon after Christmas.

[historically accurate]

None of us own any - I dislike purchasing clothing that will just get stored for 90% of the year. Basically, I figure I already spend $ for Halloween costumes; I refuse to spend $ for Christmas costumes. 

[mommyoffive]

Nope.  Nope.  Nope.  I think I am haunted way to much from all the Ugly Christmas Sweaters my mom wore.

[alisoncooks]

Yes. Multiple. Our church has an ugly sweater contest at our annual Christmas party. This year, I found an ugly (imo) sweater vest. I’m sure someone’s Nana thought it was cute in 1992…and now it is perfect for party-wear (it was an awful 70* on Sunday so a sweater vest was awesome). 

[kirstenhill]

Nope!  I've never had one!  My DD got one as a gift from someone one year (in high school) but other than that no one in our family has ever owned one.

[kathyl]

No, I don't wear sweaters.  Any sweaters.  Probably due to growing up in the Deep South where I went barefoot year-round (at home).  In fact, I never even knew what a sweater was until I was in high school.  I tried wearing one for about 2 seconds.  Too itchy and uncomfortable and it just made me sweat a ton.

 

3 hours ago, alysee said:

I do have one! My husband and I went to his work Christmas party and that was the theme. It is hot pink with a reindeer with sunglasses on it. I'm not sure it was super ugly, or maybe I just have bad taste because I think it's cute 🤣. 

Ooo, this sounds beautiful to me, especially the hot pink.  Maybe I have bad taste, too.  😁 

[rebcoola]

I have plain green sweater that is hideous like the worst shade of green and hairy looking that we got at the thrift store. Than when their is an event we add decorations so its a new ugly each time.

The kids kind of do a friend bought them ugly sweaters as part of a a family gift murder mystery thing but they aren't really ugly.