The other day I received an email with the subject line: Deck the Halls with Ugly Sweaters. It was from one of my employees and it was an invitation to my company’s holiday luncheon.
Tis the season for Ugly Sweaters!
Join us for an
Ugly Sweater Christmas Lunch
Wednesday December 21st
~Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater~
As one of the company owners, I was consulted about the date, location and menu but not the theme. Now I know tacky holiday sweaters are all the rage. So popular that Madame Tussauds’ most recent exhibit includes the Royal Family in holiday sweaters. I especially love the double sweater for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Madame Tussauds/Instagram
But it wasn’t too long ago that we TAUGHT embroiderers how to stitch holiday sweaters. I think those very same sweaters (that we labored hours and hours on) inspired the tacky trend. Should we be insulted? Should we laugh? What’s the appropriate response?
Here’s my take – don’t be insulted. Pat yourself on the back for inspiring an entire generation of bland-attire owners. They only had to look to us to know how to really celebrate the festive season.
Should we laugh? Definitely. Because as hard as they try, they’ll never understand the difference between wool felt snowmen and craft felt snowmen.
What’s the appropriate response? By all means attend the party in your holiday finery. Your not-so-tacky holiday sweater will be more comfortable, more cherished and possibly worthy of a trophy. (Apparently, there are awards involved – kind of like a costume party).
Now, if they attend the party in a sweater that you made for them, make sure you take a picture; I mean a “selfie”, with them so you can remember to take them OFF your gift-making list.
So tell me, what are your thoughts about the tacky sweaters?
Last week’s winner was Melinda, congrats Melinda! Your prize will be arriving shortly!
23 COMMENTS
Lindsey Zinno
8 years agoLol love it!! I would never wear one of your pieces in a tasteless way. You can count on that. Love from Lindsey!
Rita
8 years agoI guess I’m just a prude but my thinking about ugly Chrstmas sweater goes along with the rest of my thoughts, that our world is going to h— in a basket. I love a beautiful Christmas and that includes those sweaters.
BAK
8 years agothere are no ugly Christmas sweaters. I love them all. They make me smile.
Carolyn H in AZ
8 years agoI only wear Christmas sweaters that are pretty!
Shirley Clark
8 years agoI have honestly never been invited to a party and told to wear an ugly sweater. I think some of them are hilarious, and why not have a little light hearted fun.
I did help a good friend design her ugly sweater for an office party contest a few years ago. Sadly, she took her own life a couple of months later so I was so glad we got to share the laughs about the sweater during that time. She won the contest too!
Karin Callander
8 years agoI got an invitation tonight, as a matter of fact, to an Ugly Sweater party. And I have nothing to wear! We went to WalMart and found one, and oh, my gosh, it was BUTT UGLY, but I really didn’t want to spend $22 on a butt ugly sweater! I have 1 week to design and make one…hope I come up with something between now and then!
Karen Poole
8 years agoI’ve worn very pretty Christmas sweaters in years past but now, due to aging hormones I can’t tolerate sweaters for more then a few minutes (when the hot flashes start). But I did help my son make an ugly Christmas sweater not long ago, in fact I made it too ugly, he asked me to remove some of the things we put on it, lol!!!
Joanne Dillon
8 years agoLove the Ugly Christmas Sweater trend……having one at work tomorrow. Embroidery Library has a collection of ugly sweater animals that the little humans are sure to love! Keep Calm and Embroider On.
Nancy Weber
8 years agoI think they are adorable. Don’t need to take myself too seriously!
maria elena
8 years agoAll ugly sweaters are funny, but I really do not want to spend money on them, so am getting a sweatshirt and making one, I think I will try a moose with lights on the antlers, it won’t be ugly but it will be darn cute for the season. Moose Christmas to all!!!
Kelly Sasman
8 years agoJust like any trend, why purchase when I can create it?!? It is all in good fun to laugh at passing fashion and if I were fortunate to have a past sweater from those years, I would certainly wear it with pride!
Ginny Williams
8 years agoI think there is no such thing as an Ugly Sweater. They are all part of the gaiety that goes along with the Christmas season, and for me, there are only two seasons: Christmas and gardening.
Vicki
8 years agoWhat ever happened to nice, pretty sweaters! I’m not overly fond of ugly sweaters and agree, take that selfie and off my list! Although I do enjoy the pictures and a good healthy laugh never hurt anybody. But off MY
gift list!
Susie Mackenberg
8 years agoAnything overdone can become tacky…and we all know what is in good taste and what is over the top…be it a sweater, jewelry, home etc. Also, what was “in style” 5 or 10 years ago, now looks “ugh!” I don’t take any offense at all when I see these sweaters (and howl at the 12 days of Christmas sweaters on the Tonight show) because it is all in good fun. Presents I gave with love 5 years ago look dated today, but still the memory is cherished by my family. I would hope they aren’t feeling that they have to continue to wear their matching sweatshirts! I would say “OMGosh, ugly!”
Forever
8 years agoWhoever edits and pulsibhes these articles really knows what they’re doing.
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8 years agoYou’re a real deep thinker. Thanks for sharing.
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Beth R.
8 years agoSome of the tacky sweaters are so tacky they are endearing – and worthy of becoming an annual tradition!
Cathy
8 years agoLove all my Christmas sweaters. I will admit that I have made a few that absolutely show that they are 20 years old and no longer wear them. Fortunately I’m a school librarian and the children like my sweaters. So I wear a sweater every single day immediately after Thanksgiving.
Joan Shriver
8 years agoWhen my daughter-in-law asked if she could borrow my Christmas sweater for an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, I was kinda hurt! I liked my sweater, but never wore it again. I depend on my daughter-in-law to let me know the newer trends, now. We can all stand to be updated. I guess. Just remember, what goes around, comes around!
Doreen Linehan
8 years agoI think most of them are pretty. Some do cross a line but they’re meant to.
Sara Redner
8 years agoI don’t have any I would call ugly, but I have some cute Christmas sweaters and machine embroidered sweatshirts that I enjoy wearing every day in December.
Bruce
8 years agoI love it! They really make me smile.
Bruce, https://www.printavo.com