Ugly Christmas sweaters are a fun and easy way to show Christmas spirit. They are enjoyable and amusing to look at. The trend of wearing ugly Christmas sweaters originated in the 1950’s, but back then they were called jingle bell sweaters. However, they never gained much popularity. When the 80’s rolled around, they started to catch on. It started with comedic movies and TV shows, and has ever since evolved into a popular trend for everyone. As the popularity of ugly Christmas sweaters ebbed and flowed, the next peak of popularity happened in 2000, when the world’s first ugly Christmas sweater party was thrown. Since then, they have remained as popular as they are today. Many people take advantage of the winter season to show off their goofy sweaters, and use them to bring joy to others. The easiest places to find ugly Christmas sweaters are probably Walmart or online. That’s not to say that you can’t find them somewhere else, but Walmart is in close proximity and online will have whatever you may be looking for.

   Walmart

   1102 N Massey Blvd

   The students of Nixa High School recently voted on where to get the best sweaters. A Google form was sent out to the students asking about their holiday experiences. 152 students said that the best place to get an ugly Christmas sweater was Walmart. The majority of students voted that Walmart was the prime retailer for ugly Christmas sweaters. The drive over to Walmart was quick and easy, and the sweaters were affordably priced, ranging anywhere between $20 to $40. Their collection of ugly Christmas sweaters was plentiful. They have many different options of all sorts of color, shapes and sizes. Walmart sells many creative and festive sweaters, and there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a full blown light-up sweater, or a toned down winter themed one, Walmart has it. On the other hand, if you don’t feel like going to Walmart and only having access to a limited collection, the next best place to search is online. Online, in my opinion, is the best and easiest way to get an ugly Christmas sweater. You can search up keywords fit to your own wants and needs. Chances are, that one of the first places you’ll be able to get the sweater you’re looking for, is online. You can get one at any time of day, and there’s such a wide variety that you would only find by going to multiple stores. For those who may not have time to spend an abundance of their day searching for the perfect sweater, online shopping is quick and efficient, and you’ll most likely find exactly what you’re looking for.

Goodwill

1551 W South St

   141 of NHS’s students voted for thrift stores as the best place to get ugly Christmas sweaters. Personally I disagree, but depending on what your price range is and what specifically you’re looking for, your opinion may differ. Goodwill has a small selection of ugly Christmas sweaters as well as other Christmas themed knick-knacks. Levina Wallace, the manager at Goodwill, gives insight to their collection of Christmas goods.

   “We get trees, ornaments, shirts, pants, pajamas. We get all sorts of stuff,” Wallace said.

   Most thrift stores only have a small selection of sweaters, but if you look hard enough you can find one. The items  that they do sell are fairly popular with customers, and the most popular items are decorations.

   “We sell Christmas sweaters, yes, but I don’t know if they’re ugly,” Wallace said.

   Goodwill is open from 10AM to 8PM, except for on Sundays, when it closes at 6PM. Goodwill is a nonprofit organization that sells used clothing, housewares and more.

   Family Members Closet

   57 of NHS students voted that the best place to find ugly Christmas sweaters was a family member’s closet. For example, Naomi Peters has a Christmas sweater in her closet, and it shows a dinosaur surrounded by gifts and presents. 

   “I got it from an old lady’s donate basket about two years ago,” Peters said.

   Peters describes how she prefers the ugly Christmas sweaters to the toned down sweaters.

   “It’s the only ugly one I own, and it’s special because it has a dinosaur on it with glasses,” Peters said.

   Although the option to borrow sweaters from family is not available for everyone, if you or a family member has access to an ugly Christmas sweater, it’ll be better than other sweaters you’ll find in most thrift stores.