‘Tis the season to be warm.

The weather is colder, and Christmas is right on our heels. That means stores have their ugly Christmas sweaters on the racks in hopes that shoppers want sweaters with Santa hats and gingerbread men on them.

These sweaters have been in stores since mid-November—and boy some of them are ugly—but yet they offer a unique style that only certain people truly appreciate.

“Buy me one! I need a new one!” senior Tabby Schrecongost exclaimed about the festive garments.

The Christmas sweater has been around for decades, but according to Wikipedia, their ironic embrace started in the 80’s in England. Apparently, celebrities would wear the sweaters on holiday television programs and slowly people began to pick up on the strange tradition.

These earlier Christmas sweaters weren’t as flashy as the ones on sale today, but they did feature traditional eye-catching designs like elves and reindeer.

“They’re great,” senior Brandon Scheffler said.

The newer Christmas sweaters have ventured further away from the more modest designs of old to way more flashy and outgoing details like including 3D objects and designs: for example, a three-dimensional reindeer on a Christmas tree or putting a bell on a goat so it jingles as you walk. Doesn’t that sound like something stylish?

Sophomore David Newman said, “I like them to an extent. I like that they’re festive, but if they are worn too much they get annoying.”

But it’s hard to make a Grinch understand.

“Ugh, honestly I believe they shouldn’t exist,” commented junior Lexie Leith.

“I believe Christmas sweaters are extremely tacky. I don’t understand the point of buying something that you’ll only wear once,” added senior Cassidy Soto.

It does take a special kind of person to want to wear these holiday fits. Some people see them as tacky, but they turn a festive light on you.

“They’re beautiful,” stated senior Lindsay Malloy.

Exactly. What better way to broadcast your festive spirit to the world than some knitwear that a teacher at North Pole Elementary would wear.

The ugly Christmas sweater tradition is a welcome break from our usual attire and is special to the idea of Christmas as a whole. Whether it is a gag gift to a friend, or you’re wearing it for your own enjoyment, the Christmas sweater offers a little something to everyone.

“I like Christmas sweaters—especially ugly ones; they’re fun,” commented senior Hannah McGinnis.

Now that’s what I call Christmas spirit.