THE UNLIKELY RISE (AND RISE…) OF THE CHRISTMAS JUMPER
Christmas jumpers have long since shrugged off their Gyles Brandreth/Noel Edmonds/ Val Doonican 1970s television presenter vibe and are now imbued with ironic Christmas cool. What changed? Ever since Colin Firth as Mark Darcy wore his reindeer sweater to a Boxing Day party in Bridget Jones’s Diary in 2001, the march of the festive statement knit has been unstoppable. Last year, George at Asda sold more than 600,000 Christmas jumpers and one in five of us wear one on Christmas Day. It’s become such a trend that fashion designers including Jil Sander, Burberry, Ralph Lauren and Dolce & Gabbana have piled into the Christmas jumper game. But truthfully, who really wants a tasteful jumper? The kitsch-me-up sweater is the winter version of the kiss-me-quick hat, so the best ones go big on sparkles, sequins and even music and flashing lights.
In the United States, National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day has become as much a festive tradition as eggnog and candy canes. Here in the UK, Save the Children encourages people to take part in Christmas Jumper Day (slogan: ‘Make the world better with a sweater’), by paying £2 to wear a festive sweater to work or school with the proceeds going to help children in the UK and around the world. This year it’s on 14 December, so put it in the diary and get your anti-static spray ready.