What’s this all about?
Tis the season, and we got so curious…what is the fascination with ugly sweaters? When we Googled “ugly sweaters” more than 22 million hits come up! Ugly sweaters can be found for just about anything – there are even ugly sweater stores to make sure you can represent in style, no matter the season or occasion.
What’s that all about? Musing this over, we ran through a gambit of ideas – which had us giggling and heading down various rabbit holes. After chewing on this a bit, we think the common thread (pun intended) just might be about humanity. Shocker, we know!
Humanity, in ugly sweaters? Yup. The next time you pull out that obnoxious pullover from your drawer, pause for a moment and consider, what does it give you?
Here are some possibilities:
Joy
In so much of life we dress to play the part. It was one of the liberating parts of working from home during the pandemic where the meme of “business on top and party on the bottom” emerged. Folks began to realize how much time and energy “dressing the part” hid who they really were. So, maybe there is joy in unleashing that inner self who loves to be a little quirky and unfiltered. Break out that ugly sweater and wear it joyfully and show the world a new side of you!
Release
It is said that laugher is the best medicine. Perhaps one way to lighten your burden can be dawning a ridiculous sweater and laughing at yourself. The effect might be just what the doctor ordered when it is done with some of your equally dressed buddies. We couldn’t stop laughing when we put ours on for this picture! A recent study, published as a research letter in the journal Circulation noted that blood pressure rose in folks over the past several years. The opportunity in this ritual is to release some of the ugly that took over our lives in the form of stress and anxiety. Perhaps wearing a silly ugly sweater is just the panacea. Can anyone take life seriously when wearing a reindeer sweater with a flashing nose?
Connection
We do not exist in the world alone. Humanity is found at the intersection of our lives with others. Perhaps in the absurdity in dressing up in some garland, glitter and glitz you are able to shed parts of yourself that is kept distanced from others. An ugly sweater can unleash the restrained parts of ourselves and reveal a lot about someone. Get curious. What does your ugly sweater reveal about you? What about the selection made by others? Connect through humor.
National Ugly Sweater Day is Friday, December 17th! If you don’t have your sweater yet, there is still time; You Tube offers some great tips for those with a passion for DIY. Find the joy in being silly. Release with a good laugh. Use the absurd to find connection within yourself and with others. We’d love to see your pictures!
