Ugly Christmas Sweaters

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In the phrase "ugly Christmas sweater," the word "ugly" is a term of art, a description rather than a put-down. One wears an ugly Christmas sweater precisely because it is so over-the-top, crammed with images of weighted-down Christmas trees,...
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In the phrase "ugly Christmas sweater," the word "ugly" is a term of art, a description rather than a put-down. One wears an ugly Christmas sweater precisely because it is so over-the-top, crammed with images of weighted-down Christmas trees, cartoony reindeer, red-cheeked Santas, and leering snowmen. Sequins are encouraged, as are lights. And if the sweater is three-dimensional, all the better. These sweaters have their roots in the relatively sedate Christmas cardigans and pullovers that were popular in the 1940s and '50s. Many of the earliest Christmas-themed sweaters were made with the Fair Isle knitting technique that originated in Scotland and came to the U.S. in the 1920s. Fair Isle sweaters feature bands of varying patterns that may include reindeer, snowflakes, or Christmas trees. Those vintage sweaters are downright classy compared with the kitschy sweaters that became a staple of loving moms, goofy dads, crafty grandmas, and elementary-school teachers in the 1980s, when sitcom parents were regularly depicted wearing everyday ugly sweaters. In recent years, the ugly Christmas sweater has become something of a cultural phenomenon, embraced with gleeful self-awareness. People parade their sweaters at ugly Christmas sweater parties. In some cities, these events have become so popular, they have been transformed into fundraisers for local charities, proving that even people with a taste for ironic humor understand the meaning of the holiday.

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