Ugly Christmas Sweater Day

Earlier in the year (maybe around March), someone sent me this image.

I thought it would make a great team bonding event, so I organised an "Ugly Christmas Sweater Day". This was going to bring paired programming to a whole new level. I don't know how the two people in the middle are meant to type, so I think they'll just have to be the commentators.

I was planning to buy a cheap sweater from K-Mart or Target, but then I saw this one, and became determined to buy it. It's somehow both ugly and cool at the same time.

When Shapiro saw me, he said, "What are you wearing?" I responded that it was "Ugly Christmas Sweater Day" in my team. He said, "That's not a sweater, it's more of a dress."

I bought the smallest one they had. What's even scarier is that according to the tag on the sweater, in the US / Canada, this is considered an extra small. It's men's size, but still....

Even MrFodder has no problems wearing it. Oh well, at least it'll be well loved.

And oh boy, did it live up to its name. I don't think they're called sweaters because they make you sweat, but I can understand why ugly Christmas sweaters aren't really a thing in Australia, because our Christmases are in Summer, and nobody is going to want to wear one of these! By the end of the day, I was struggling, and I spent most of the day in the comforts of an air-conditioned office. I couldn't wear it on the way home, it was far too hot outside.

I've always wanted an ugly Christmas sweater. Ever since seeing Bridget Jones' Diary and seeing Mark Darcy in his ugly sweaters (which I don't think are all that ugly).

Unfashionable, maybe, but it's just a reindeer on a green background. What's so ugly about that?

Christmas is so much fun, because it's the one time of the year where you can do nice things for people, and they aren't suspicious of your motives - you can just say it's the Christmas Spirit. I don't particularly like the obligation of gift-giving, but I do like how people just seem happier - though that might be because they have time off work coming up soon. And some people seem super stressed because they haven't finished their Christmas shopping.

Speaking of Christmas shopping, I should really get on that train. I seem to keep alternating between being crazy-prepared and doing shopping at the last minute.