Sometimes ugly is cool — well, not cool, but fun.
That’s the case for the ugly Christmas sweater. It’s not clear how the ugly sweater trend (fashion; what is popular for people to wear) began, but some say that they reached their height in the 1980s.
Christmas sweaters have probably been around since people started making clothing, but over the years, people have become more creative. Some Christmas sweaters have images of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, reindeer, snowmen, and snowflakes. They are adorned (decorated) with ribbons (long, thin color pieces of fabric, often worn in women’s hair), pom poms (small, round balls of soft material), glitter (very small pieces that shine when light hits them), and even electric lights that light up (shine using electricity).
Some people wear their Christmas sweater in earnest (seriously), bringing Christmas cheer (happiness; joy) to the people around them. Others wear them as a joke to show off a particularly ugly or gaudy (too bright or showy, usually showing bad taste) creation.
That’s the idea behind ugly sweater parties. Instead of costumes or formal wear (such as evening gowns and tuxedos), people are asked to attend the party wearing the ugliest Christmas sweater they can find. Prizes (reward for winning a competition) are given out to the best — or worst — ones.
If you’re in the market for (wanting to buy) an ugly sweater, whether to attend an ugly sweater party or simply to enjoy dressing for the holidays, check out some of the ugly sweaters available on the Internet. Maybe you’ll find inspiration at places like this. Remember that I wear a size small.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone celebrating this holiday season. May all of you be happy, healthy, and full of the holiday spirit (feeling)!
– Lucy
Photo Credit: From www.myuglychristmassweater.com
Hello Everyone
Thank you Lucy, good holidays to all ESLPod’s Team.
I am not celebrating. I am going to spend these days at home reading and listening to the radio.
It is going to be a frugal holiday, as I like it. I have just spent €2,20 for a bag of mixed nuts. that’s it.
I think I set a new record.
Thanks
I just wanted to add that I was about to purchase Hunger by Knut Hamsung on Amazon.com.
It was €12,00. I have found a free copy of it at Project Gutemberg.
Strange coincidence is that I have just finished a book where there were starving people and now this one.
Bye
Hi! It’s Christmas Eve in my country.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all our blog friends who celebrate this day.
Love,
Tania
Hi!
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all our dear ESLPODCAST team.
Love,
Tania
Thank you Dear Lucy, thank you for telling us about this special and strange idea of wearing ugly Christmas sweater.
It is like wearing costumes for halloween parties – ugly and scary. Ugly Christmas sweater are ugly, and, perhaps funny instead of scary.
I knew nothing about this special custom. Might be it is popular only in US and Canada?
Some people have money burning a hole in their pocket, they will certainly find the ugliest Christmas sweater. I would rather give it a miss.
Christmas is a magic moment. It is a holiday in many places around the world. Now that almost the whole world is linked up by internet, it is inevitable almost everyone has friends that celebrate Christmas.
Let’s take this opportunity to slow down and take it easy this Christmas.
Let me wish everyone in the ESLPOD.com team – our teachers Jeff, Lucy and Warren, and all staff, and all our friends here now and in future, a peaceful and joyful Christmas and a very Happy and Healthy New Year 2014!
Betty 🙂
Thanks Tania, Thanks Betty, I wish you all the same.
Now I am going to the bed, it´s raining too heavy.
Very cold days, and tomorrow who knows, some snow?.
Merry Christmas to all our group, teaches and blogers.
Emiliano.
Merry christmas to dear Lucy and Jeff, team and members of ESLPOD… God bless you.
By: me from somewhere in Bahia – BRAZIL
Thanks Emiliano, Tania and many many friends here for your good wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Peace, Hope and Joy for everyone in the world!
A special “THANKS” to Dan for telling us about the “Project Gutenberg”.
This is truly a special Christmas gift to people who don’t know about this project previously.
I have successfully downloaded the Project Gutenberg app and then downloaded the ebook “Birds and Man” By W.H. Hudson.
Many thanks again.
Warmest Wishes to you all.
Betty 😉
Hi every body,
I wish you will get what you wish for.
Thanks,
Parviz
Last night I was thinking at these ugly/funny sweaters and trying to understand what is it that catches our attention.
I mean, has that feeling a name? I am not able to name it, are you guys?
I had the same feeling recently watching several classic Sci-Fi movies from the 50s 60s.
Those movies are so badly made, so ugly with their cheap special effects that you WANT to look at those crappy films.
Here’s a few titles: The Monster that Challenged the World, Reptilicus, Invaders from Mars.
Hey Lucy, yesterday I saw something really gaudy that I wanted to throw up.
That was a parked car with plastic eyelashes over the front light! isn’t that gaudy on steroids?
Thanks
To those interested, recently I looked at a series that makes fun of those badly made movies from the 70s
that I found really funny. That is Garth Merenghi’s Darkplace. Only 7 short episodes unfortunately.
It is a British production, and at the beginning I had some difficulties understanding what they say, but I loved it.
Betty! do not you have hard times understanding certain people when you visit the UK?
Thanks
Merry Christmas to you ESL guys!
It’s really a funny and stupid idea to wear ugly clothes, even if it is not Christmas, to cheer up your friends. I have to do this some times!
Thank you Dr Lucy for the post. Bye!
Hi! Last night I saw the movie “The Sound of the Music”. It is one of my favourite films.
I have realized we all use the same musical notes with the same pronunciation: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, do.
I like very much the music and the message of this movie.
Hi! I think Alan A. Santos and Mostafa are new blog friends.
Glad to meet you both.
Hi Betty,
Your big THANKS is the best gift I have received. You are welcome.
It must be said though, that I have not received anything else this year. What about you?
I have probably been a naughty boy, who knows…
Thanks
hi Tania,
We don’t see you very often.
How have you been?
parviz
Hi! We all have and a good part in us. Sometimes we never show it.
We all deserve to receive gifts.
Merry Christmas, Dan!
Tania
Hi! Dear Parviz, thank you for your wishes.
Best wishes to you.
I don’t know if “I am happy as the ray of sunshine”, but I am happy writing on our blog among such many new friends.
Hi! Dear Betty, as always you are our special friend of the blog.
Thank you for your wishes.
Best wishes to you, too.
Yes Tania, I do think they are new in the blog, so go ahear Mostafa and Alan A., you may give the site
new life and ideas.
Welcome and write which ever thing you like to, it doesn´t matter if short or not, it is just a good
exercise always.
Dan, you have receive the friendship of all us here in the blog, even the miauuu of your tree cats
that are happily close to you. Are you asking my friend for any more?. I don´t think so.
Sure you are pleased with all of these.
emiliano
Hi! A good thought goes to you, dear Emiliano.
Again I don’t know the author of this wonderful poem “A New Day for/ pentru Living”.
“It is a new morning
It is a new future to discover
It is there to be happy
It is for you and for me.”
But the most important thing is “a new day, we are alive”.
Merry Christmas to you and to your family, dear Emiliano!
Thank you Jeff,
Just watched My Fair Lady and I enjoyed it.
Thanks
Dan; Oh, I hope I din`t made you more hungry by my suggestion..lol..it is a hard life, for the man in Hunger, but good written..
hmm..maybe you should try another=)) Growth of the Soil is partly hillarious=)
Wish you all a relaxing and happy time today..
Thanks a lot for all your good wishes=) Nice to know you all=)
Hi Tania
I hope you have everything going for you.
You are particularly special to me.
I never forget your pleasant and kind welcome toward me two-three years ago.
I can’t see you or hear you, of course, but your spirit inspires us in faraway places.
You certainly rival the moon, showing up only one occasion a month.
I hope beside your family and friend, in your beautiful Christmas sweater, you are having a peaceful turn into the year of 2014.
Though I am not christian, I express my sincere “Hope to having a happy life”” to all of my friends here.
I’d like you to know that how grateful I am for your presence here.
Cheers
Merry Christmas,
Parviz
Dear emiliano
I Have a special and warm wish for you, since you are the senior here.
And for Cuca and you to live eternally in happiness and health.
And Dan,
Granted you are the best student here, On my part.
You are attentive and hardworking, though a little mysterious.
I don’t have a thing for you, but you didn’t give me the secret link.
Merry christmas,
Parviz
Hey Lucy,
Although you talk about “ugly” today, I get the sense of “beautiful” here.
‘Cuz I see the new faces showing up here.
To newcomers and old friends,
I’m one of the ones who wish you warm wishes and the best of the best ever.
And an another new year is just around the corner.
My New Year’s resolution is to try not to miss out on my friends’ comments here! 😉
Truly Yours,
Myo ko ko
Hi! Thank you , dear Parviz , for your kind words and wishes.
Parviz, you are incredible nice with Cuca and me, now she is at my right with her pc., the same like me, if I just turn to the
right I could touch her as we are really close sitting in the living.
Usually I talk with her about the Blog, Jeff, Lucy, Warren and all of you, so she knows every one of you really quite well and
she follows our talk in the Blog through me along years.
Yes, you are right, I could remember that the first post of our ESL Blog Emiliano wrote something I couldn´t remember now
what about it could be. Emiliano thought then what he was writing about in the blog as it was the first time he was doing
that.
Also Tania is one of the seniors I think, may be she is here just from the begining or close to that date, that´s true isn´t it
Tania?
Thank you Parviz for your nice words, If I was younger and more healthy it is sure I could travel more and I would go to
see each of you dear friends.
A trip to Romania to see Tania, another to Italy to see Dan, but also to Hong Kong to see my dear Betty, and of course
to Brazil, to France, to Corea, or China and of course a trip to Iran where there are several friends I have met along
all these years.
One of the first was Ali, I think this was his name, I have lot of talks with him, first he was in USA but afterward he returned
to Iran, Are you there Ali?. I would like to know you are O.K., so if you read this please tell me.
Obviously I would like also to go to beautiful L.A. and say the professors He how are you?, Lucy, Warren, Jeff, how are you, here
it is Emiliano….and Cuca, but that is really impossible as Cuca in not o.k., but dreaming is free, don´t you think so Parviz?.
My best wishes to all of you friends. emiliano
Sorry, Myo ko ko, I would like to travel to Miamar, also to see you my dear.
emi
Buone Feste Natalizie Dan and Feliz Navidad dear Emiliano .hope you both and my other friends here have a cool yule and happy holidays. Wish you all a thoroughly healthy life with peace of mind.
lilian
Dear Betty
Merry Christmas with best wishes for you .Hope your father will be in good health this year and never get ill again.I have never seen my father Betty but I know how important is his presence .
warm greetings
lilian
Hi emiliano,
You possess such a kind heart.
As they say “every great was at first a dream. “it is just of us making the effort to make dreams come true”.
You are a real dreamer, as I see you getting into this blog first person, and with your delectable, lengthy posts motivate us
to get moving.
He who has a young heart never gets old, and that’s true for You and Cuca both.
Cheers,
Parviz
Hi Everyone,
A big thanks to all ESL Podcast Team and especially to Lucy, Warren and Jeff. I wish the best for all of you!
What you do everyday for all of us is the best gift.
I’m sorry for the delay, I was sick since the Merry Christmas day (24/12/13). I had a fever, it was a flu. I feel much better now, it’s a pleasure to write to you.
Thanks again.
See you soon
Lassana
Hi Everyone
Flu or cold now is very hard Lassana, having pass it last month I could say that.
Be healthy as soon as it could be possible dear friend and have a nice good New Year.
***
Parviz, thank you so much, you really give my heart warm and your words motivate
me even more to be here always if I can.
I have translate your words to Cuca that is here close to me, thank you indeed
may be you know me inside as my heart is open when I am here writing, who knows?
I think reading the friend´s posts, Jeff, Lucy and Warren stories, make us more good
than we really are.
ESL blog it is great, and now it gaves us healthy air to continue a year more.
Your words Parc¡viz are incredible nice to me, thanks a lot dear, the same to all of you
that have given me so much along these years.
THANK YOU.
emiliano