Students at Morton East claim that they do not wear ugly Christmas sweaters. 

Ugly Christmas sweaters have become a part of some people’s Christmas traditions. The ugly Christmas sweaters first made an appearance during the 1950’s. It wasn’t until the late 1980’s that ugly sweaters actually gained popularity. Therefore, they made an appearance in the popular movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Their popularity went down after that for some time for a while because many people just viewed it as the sweater that one of their old family members would wear. Throughout the early 2000’s is when ugly Christmas sweaters became a holiday staple. People began to see the humorous side of the sweaters. Ugly Christmas sweaters even made it to high end fashion runway shows like Givenchy in 2010. Now at every store that you go to during the holiday season there is a rack full of ugly Christmas sweaters. In a random survey of 100 Morton East students, a majority agree that they do not wear ugly Christmas sweaters.  

“I don’t have anything against them at all and I find some of them to have funny designs. Those designs can also make me feel terrible. Though I’ve never worn an ugly Christmas sweater, I do see it as something that families wear too much and kind of represents their love for one another. It’s like a tradition to wear them and even if it’s not a great one, it still gives the visual of their connection. I think the reason they are ugly is because they are used to stand out, in which many people wish they were weren’t noticeable because of the design and style. It really depends on how it looks for someone to honestly judge the sweater we all have our own interpretation of something being ugly. I also feel like the material makes it look uncomfortable sometimes, in which is one reason I don’t get them. I personally am not a big supporter when it comes to sweaters. I prefer hoodies and jackets to be honest. Like I said I have nothing against them but personally I don’t think it suits me. I am also not into bright colors like those sweaters are made to be,” senior Jason Chirino said.  

While seniors at Morton East agree that ugly Christmas sweaters are unattractive, sophomores agree as well. 

“I do not wear ugly Christmas sweaters because it personally does not suit my style. I hate the material and how uncomfortable it makes me feel. The designs are so horrible that I do not understand how anyone could handle being in those for a whole day. They are so itchy and are ridiculously bad looking. I personally would not be able to handle how ridiculous I would look,” sophomore Isis Ramos said.            

Therefore, even Morton East graduates have the same opinions about ugly Christmas sweaters. 

“Ugly Christmas sweaters are a way to show the festivities there is during the holidays. I do not wear ugly Christmas sweaters, but if I did own one, I would wear it. The bright colors are what make the ugly Christmas sweater an ugly Christmas sweater. They may feel uncomfortable sometimes but that is the biggest part to the sweater. It is ugly for a reason. My family and I wear ugly Christmas sweaters to celebrate and have a fun time with one another. We have great laughs and share moments like these once a year,” Morton East graduate Jennifer Teliz said. 

In addition, adults seem to think differently about ugly Christmas sweaters, despite the fact that it is a better way to enjoy the holidays. 

“I absolutely enjoy the joys that ugly Christmas sweaters bring. My kids and family wear ugly Christmas sweaters every year. We compete against each other to see who could pull off the best ugly Christmas sweater. We cherish every silly moment together and do various activities during the holiday season. The most enjoyable part and that we wear our ugly Christmas sweaters when we do Christmas shopping and at family gatherings,” parent Monica Mozqueda said. 

Not only do parents enjoy the comfort that ugly Christmas sweaters bring, but teachers at Morton East can relate to it too. 

“I believe that ugly Christmas sweaters are a way to help bring my family and I together. My wife and I like going through the adventures of shopping for the best ugly Christmas sweaters we could find. Our son loves the 3D features some of the ugly Christmas sweaters have. Therefore, we all enjoy the insanely detail that some of these sweaters have together,” English teacher Mr. Reid said.