Ugly sweaters have become a staple in the Christmas season and on the third Friday of December we wear them in plenty of social settings. 

The obnoxious and wacky sweaters have been around since the 1950’s where they started making their appearance in the commercialization of the holidays.

Ugly sweaters were initially referred to as “jingle bell sweaters,” but were not as popular as they are today. 

It wasn’t until the 1980s that the sweater hit the majority of mainstream consumers. The shift came thanks to pop culture and comedies, with goofy characters like Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” turning the holiday sweater into an endearing expression of cheer. Offices around the country started wearing them on Christmas day.

It took about ten years for the popularity to die down as in the 1990s the Christmas sweater faded in popularity; it was something only your grandparents with no fashion style would ever give to you.

The turning point for the ugly sweaters craze was in 2012. UK charity, Save the Children, launched Christmas Jumper Day, a fundraising event encouraging people to wear their most cringeworthy sweaters. British newspaper, The Telegraph, described the item as “this season’s must-have,” while the New York Times reported on ugly Christmas sweater-themed runs, pub crawls and specialized e-tailers booming across the States. Concurrently, the knits began showing more tinsel, bells and wacky details.

So whatever you wear during the holidays, never forget that ugly sweater sitting in your closet.