Nationally, Ugly Sweater Day is celebrated on the third Friday of every December. This year, the holiday will take place on Dec. 20. Junior Marcus Grethen said celebrating Ugly Sweater Day with his family has increased their connection and allows him to think creatively.  

“This year we have started doing a ugly sweater contest where everybody in my family is going to try (to) make the ugliest sweater they can,” Grethen said. “I really enjoy the creativity and thinking that goes into making the ugly sweaters. It really gets me excited for the holiday season and is something fun to do for the whole family.” 

Like Grethen, senior Grace Barnes said she loves participating in Ugly Sweater Day to show off her style and commemorate the holiday season. 

“I love ugly sweaters. I wear them all the time. I even do ugly sweater dresses and I think that it’s a great way to show that you’re festive and to get into the holiday spirit,” Barnes said. “It makes me feel happy to participate because I get to show off what I like to wear and just be silly in my clothing.” 

Grethen and Barnes aren’t alone in their love for Ugly Sweater Day. According to a 2022 study conducted by Statista, 31% of adults said they are very likely to wear ugly sweaters to celebrate the holiday season. Additionally, 18% of those adults reported participating in Ugly Sweater Day creates feelings of belonging and togetherness in communities. 

Meaningful Connections

Barnes said participating in cheesy traditions like Ugly Sweater Day can foster meaningful connections at school and make people feel less awkward than if they were the only ones engaging. 

“Seeing lots of people wear quirky clothing and what they like to wear encourages others to participate and wear what they like to wear, even if it is an ‘ugly sweater’ or something like that,” Barnes said. “It can make people feel like they have the power to dress however they want.” 

Grethen said having people around who partake in silly traditions bolsters a sense of confidence. 

“When we’re all doing something stupid or silly together, such as participating in Ugly Sweater Day, it makes it seem more normal and like a better idea,” Grethen said. “I’m really happy that I have a group of friends and family who can (engage in Ugly Sweater Day) with me and enjoy it with me.” 

Additionally, Grethen said CHS traditions, such as Homecoming spirit week and unofficial traditions like dressing up for ACE week, help students have fun and allow them to get a break from finals and schoolwork. 

“I know a lot of people do spirit days during Homecoming and a lot of people also dress up on ACE days, and I’m looking forward to dressing up for a lot of those too,” Grethen said. “I like dressing up because I feel festive and it’s something easy I can do that doesn’t typically disrupt most of the day. It allows me to enjoy myself, spread joy to others and express creativity.” 

Assistant Principal Amy Skeens-Benton said dressing up for Ugly Sweater Day or the Homecoming spirit days creates a sense of belonging for students and connects them to previous generations.

“Celebrating wacky traditions helps bring generations of people together. Take the Homecoming trike race, for example; it was something I did when I was a student here and I have a picture of my friends and I in the stands watching the trike race,” Skeens-Benton said. “It’s something I can talk to my kids about and it bridges a generational gap by bringing us all together. Knowing your parents or even grandparents participated in the same weird traditions as you helps create connections between generations.” 

Furthermore, Skeens-Benton also said fun traditions like Ugly Sweater Day are open for all students to partake in and allow students to express individuality. 

“(Participating in weird traditions) is non-discriminatory. Anyone can participate and everyone can be a part of it. I think that’s what makes it so great,” Skeens-Benton said. “We have such a diverse school and it’s amazing to me to see people from all different backgrounds embrace these traditions and show off who they are through dressing up.” 

Social Stigma

Although cheesy traditions like Ugly Sweater Day are rising in popularity, Statista also reports 69% of people said they are still reluctant to participate due to social stigma. 

In response to this, Barnes said to ignore the stigma and find friends who will support you in your holiday endeavors.

“I would encourage people scared of looking dumb while participating (in wacky traditions) to find a group of friends that would also dress up with them so that there is at least one person in this school dressing up with them,” Barnes said. “Also, there are 5,000 people in this school so someone’s going to also be dressed up.” 

Grethen said he agreed, and encouraged people to let go of social judgments and have a good time celebrating the holidays with friends and family.  

“(Social stigma) doesn’t matter. You’re in high school, it’s a fun time, the more people you get to celebrate with the better and no one cares what you wear to school,” Grethen said. “Let your holiday spirit shine. Just go for it and don’t let anyone hold you back.” 

In honor of Ugly Sweater Day, Skeens-Benton encourages students to let go of stigmas and to embrace themselves wholly. 

“People need to ease up,” she said. “I think one of the greatest things I’ve ever heard, especially working with teens, is that I want students to take the invisible post-it note that they wear on their foreheads that says, ‘I want you to like me,’ and I want them to put that on their mirror. I think if they do that, they’re going to be okay.”