Beware Idahoans Wearing Ugly Sweaters

I’ve got mixed feelings about ugly sweaters.  When my toddler was a little girl, one of her favorite sweaters had a cartoon bear across the front.  I have a picture of her wearing it and with a big smile on her face.  I love that picture.  On the other hand, she was three at the time.  I’m not sure adults really need to wear these things.  I know people who buy them for one event a year, usually an office party (we can’t say Christmas, can we?)  That’s a big expense for a one-time use.

The same when it comes to Christmas ties.  A business consultant once told me a boss won’t take you seriously if you’re in a holiday tie.  I once wore a tie designed by a seven-year-old cancer victim.  She had drawn smiling suns and it was the theme.  My immediate supervisor told me ownership didn’t like “counter-cultural ties”.  One day, the company president showed up and in a moment where we were alone, I told him about the warning.  He told me his wife had died after being afflicted by cancer.  He told me I could wear the same tie.

Anyhow, back to ugly sweaters.  My dad gifted me with one at Christmas in the early 90s.  It was heavy and very warm.  Living in a cold climate, I wore it socially at a few winter events.  People gave me such a rough time I put it away and never wore it again.  The old man’s heart was in the right place, but it was evidence your parents would continue to embarrass you into adulthood.

Get our free mobile app