The most wonderful time of the year needs some of the most wonderful fashion pieces, thankfully we have ugly sweaters. Nothing like a tacky sweater to match the tacky aesthetic of the holiday season.

The ugly sweater is just a festive sweater worn really only during the time of late November to December, but primarily during the last two weeks of the year. Typically depicting some holiday symbol like a reindeer or snowman. They can range from something more traditional like an old-school sweater pattern, or can be more modern including cultural references or puns.

Ugly sweaters can come in an actual knit sweater style or more of the modern ones are starting to lean more into a sweatshirt, probably because it’s cheaper and easier. Some people have strong opinions on this, I myself once did, as they think that the sweatshirt ones were less festive.

I personally own two ugly sweaters, although don’t let the name fool you because ugly sweaters aren’t always ugly. I have one with a cartoon reindeer taking up a majority of the sweater and another one with a polar bear and it says “bear with me”. Iconic, I know.

The name ugly sweater does rang true as for sometimes they are ugly, real ugly. Like U to the G to the capital L Y ugly. They have clashing colors, awkward knit patterns, uncomfortable images, weird mixing of materials, and some even have horizontal stripes. Mixing all these together just creates this odd masterpiece of amazing. Something so ugly it looks good.

This leads into how some of these sweaters are getting more intense. Some have lights installed in them while others have sound so at the push of a button you can take your sweater to a whole new level of commercial festiveness.

You know Buddy the elf was wrong, because the best way to spread Christmas cheer is by wearing a sweater seen by those near. Nothing makes someone feel more festive than wearing a ridiculous pile of fabric with a gingerbread man with its leg bitten off. This is agreed by Lexi Rosen when she told me “Ugly sweaters get everyone in the holiday spirit”.

Most people have a general positive opinion of them. Leiona Islam, a senior, stated “honestly I dig ugly sweaters. It’s the BEST part of the season and the tackiness of them is wonderful I am def pro ugly sweater”.

I personally love this crazy phenomenon of ugly sweaters the past few years. I feel like I get to see more and more people take themselves a bit less seriously and have a good time because of these sweaters. I get to see adults competing for the ugliest Christmas sweater and I get to see teenagers laugh and take pictures with their friends.

This really is a wonderful amazing time of the year full of joy and love. I think that the light-heartedness of these sweaters is just another thing that adds to this season.

So in the words of senior, Emily Coppa, “May all your sweaters be ugly and bright, as you indulge in sweet treats sure to delight”. Happy Holidays everyone!