You’ll probably agree that ugly Christmas sweaters aren’t really all that ugly. They’re funky. They’re a bit bizarre. But they evoke a deep sense of coziness, warmth, and comedy, too. Yes, they’re slightly odd, but that’s kind of the point. 

These sweaters make you embrace the holiday and force you to relax because you’re dressing ‘down’ rather than ‘up.’ You’re not worrying about how you look because everyone around you has committed to the heartwarming silliness. And considering how stressed many people are around the holidays, every reminder to slow down and relax is worth its weight in gold.

These sweaters are meant to be cliched and cheesy. The more questionable the design, color, and material choice, the more attention your garb will get

And if your clothes have actual blinking lights or jingling bells on them, then hats off to you—you’ve taken things to a whole other level and know exactly what you’re doing. 

However, ugly Christmas sweaters weren’t always such a big part of pop culture and our holiday social fabric. There were quite a few ups and downs. CNN reports that they first began making an appearance in the 1950s in the United States, as the commercialization of the holiday began growing. Back then, they were known as ‘Jingle Bell Sweaters’... but they were far more tame.

It took a few decades for these sweaters to go mainstream. By the 1980s, the influence of the television and movie industry on the holiday fashion trends was undeniable. Films like ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’ made people embrace weird Christmas sweaters at home, as well as at the office.

However, in the 1990s, the ugly Christmas sweater tradition faded a little bit. The unfashionable clothing choice became, well, actually unfashionable. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that the trend reemerged—reinvigorated with eggnog and Xmas cheer—both in real life and on the silver screen, like in the 2001 flick ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary.’ 

Brian Miller, one of the authors of the ‘Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Book,’ believes that the spread of this phenomenon is remarkable. “It’s hard to say what triggered the change in perspective, but I think that the moment someone wore the garment in a humorous way, people started seeing the comic side of it, and thinking ‘this thing at the back of the closet could be fun, instead of something awful that nobody wants,’” he told CNN.

According to Miller, ugly Christmas sweaters eventually became a new holiday tradition and were considered akin to something like mistletoe—ubiquitous, a holiday staple.

Eventually, these holiday-themed pullovers began popping up in retail stores and vintage outlets alike. Businesses saw an opportunity to capitalize on the trend.

The phenomenon became so big that even fancy brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Givenchy threw their hats into the ring. You’d see celebrities embracing the cringe-worthy knitwear, too, from legendary singer-songwriter Taylor Swift to comedy guru Jimmy Fallon. The latter actually ran a segment named ‘12 Days of Christmas Sweaters.’ It’s still alive and kicking at the time of writing!

We would absolutely love to hear which of these ugly Christmas sweaters you enjoyed the most, dear Pandas. Which ones caught your eye and why? What kind of bizarre Xmas-themed clothes do you have at home? Do you wear them to your workplace around the holidays? Let us know in the comments!

Meanwhile, for some more fabulous fashion inspo that would confuse even Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, take a peek at Bored Panda’s previous articles from seasons past.