Getting in the spirit of an unusual holiday
S.F. unintentionally embraces national day for ugly sweaters
That wondrous time of year to wear an ugly sweater in public has finally arrived.
Christmas sweaters, in all their plaid and argyle glory, were making the rounds in downtown San Francisco, and the people wearing them were not apologizing.
“This is the time to get away with it,” said Agnes Boyd, who was ringing the Salvation Army bell in front of Macy’s department store Friday, drawing attention to the bright-red sweater full of sequins that were in the shape of either
a flower or a butterfly or a bird.
“I’m really not sure what it is,” Boyd said. “But I’d rather be out here, wearing it, than staying home and watching soap operas.”
Jessica Benavidez of Livermore was wearing a Christmas sweater, too, full of red and green leaves and rhinestones. It wasn’t really ugly, she said, because her grandmother had given it to her and her grandmother loved it even though, being a sensible woman, she never wore it herself.
“She loved it, but she never had a reason to wear it,” Benavidez said. “So she left the tags on. But she told me she really did love it.”
Taylor Huckaby was strolling down Market Street in an ugly Christmas sweater that was green. Not every ugly Christmas sweater is red, he said.
“Yes, it’s ugly, but it’s not too ugly,” Huckaby said. “It doesn’t look as ugly as something my dad would have dragged out.”
Not only is the entire Christmas
“It looks like ugly sweaters are mainstream. It takes the mystique away ...” Daniel Ryerson, wearer of ugly sweaters
season the time to wear an ugly Christmas sweater, but Dec. 15 is the time to wear one, too. Dec. 15, it turns out, has been designated National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day. It’s always national something-orother day. Ugly sweaters seek only the same recognition that has been afforded Brussels sprouts, static electricity, bubble wrap and rubber ducks, which all have their own days.
And never mind that the National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day seems to be the creation of an online purveyor of — surprise — ugly Christmas sweaters.
“I had no idea it was National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day,” Huckaby said. “It’s a total coincidence.”
Daniel Ryerson of San Francisco, who was walking around Union Square in a sweater depicting reindeer, snowflakes and candy canes, said he didn’t know it was National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, either.
Ugly Christmas sweaters were a lot more fun before somebody tried to cash in on them, he said. Now that they’re officially recognized as ugly, it’s not as special to have one.
“It looks like ugly sweaters are mainstream,” he said. “It takes the mystique away, when something has its own day. It used to be an organic thing. Now ugly sweaters are commercial. That’s America. People try to make money on anything.”
Ryerson said he would keep wearing his ugly Christmas sweater after National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day had come and gone. Looking ugly is important, he said, no matter what day it is.
“Sure, this sweater is hideous,” he said. “I know it’s hideous. That’s the whole point.”