After winning the Townsquare Media National Contest for having the ugliest sweater for 2022, I had to do a litle research to find out more about how, when, and why the "National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day" came to be.

On the third Friday of December all over the U.S. each year, there are a lot of people who wear hilariously ugly sweaters, quite often in a contest with other co-workers or friends. The idea for this to be effective is "The uglier the better"! You can't get away from them! You see them at the office, on the street, and at lots of Christmas holiday parties. This isn’t happening by accident. The third Friday of December is actually a celebration as "National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day."

If you're wondering how this fashion trend actually got started, the ugly sweater first started to become known in the 1980s with The Cosby Show’s Bill Huxtable sporting these ugly sweaters. Then, other popular movies and shows jumped on board like Chevy Chase's character in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Because of the popularity of these well-known leading actors seamingly showing a total lack of fashion sense, the crazy trend caught on, not just for men, but women as well.

Today, there are thousands of ugly sweater parties held all over the nation each year. The only rule is that they take place in mid-December preferable on the specific date that has been designated as National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day which is the third Friday of December (and is quite often is perfect for party planning). Having a day set aside to celebrate the ugly sweater makes it easier to get folks excited about this fun and festive event.

The really fun thing about the ugly sweater is that there are no rules! Some people shop for an ugly sweater in department stores, some search for them at thrift stores, and many make their own at home using sewing kits, glue guns, lights and more.

Find out more about the ugly sweater here!

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