Love It: Ugly Christmas Sweaters
People who hate on ugly Christmas sweater parties are the same people who hate on Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber: people just love to hate on things that are a tiny bit tacky and enormously popular. It’s time to be honest with ourselves as to how good it feels to let go of hating on kitschy things. It’s time to say that Kim is beautiful and “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” is kind of funny, and, yes, Justin Bieber has a really good voice. Brothers and sisters, we can move beyond this pettiness.
Ugly Christmas sweaters are the epitome of normcore, which is not only totally trendy, but also actually really practical. If you didn’t know, being basic is now a thing. Ugly Christmas sweaters have joined the ranks of New Balance sneakers and mom jeans, baseball caps and T-shirts, minimal makeup, and hoop earrings as the new index of cool. And, why would you hate a trend that makes lazy cool?
Who needs those fancy Christmas parties with those sparkly Christmas dresses, champagne, and uncomfortable heels, when you can look just as festive in a lighted, Christmas sweater with reindeer, misshapen snowflakes, gingerbread men, and Santa Claus that you got for $5 at a thrift store (or from your grandma’s closet) that most importantly keeps you warm. I’m so in love with the idea of the ugly Christmas sweater party that I think this trend should branch out to other holidays. Hanukkah. Diwali. I’m not Jewish, but I would wear a menorah sweater.
Why stop there? Christmas sweaters should branch out even beyond the holiday season. I think they should be worn year round. Wear ’em to your classes, wear ’em on the T, wear ’em to Annenberg. Some people would argue that Christmas sweater parties are trivializing Christmas. These are probably the same ridiculous people who believe in the War on Christmas. What exactly is non-trivializing about a fat white man in a beard coming down your chimney to give you presents? People who have a problem with ugly Christmas sweater parties should have a problem with Santa. Ugly Christmas parties are a thing and they are here to stay—embrace the kitsch.