There are two fun traditions that play a big role in our Christmas celebrations. Each made the National Calendar list for December 20th. The first is National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day.
Though the celebration began in 2011, the concept of ugly Christmas sweaters has been around since 1896. “An 1896 advertisement in The Boston Globe promoted Christmas sweaters “For Ladies, Men and Boys” (sorry, girls) in a “great variety of colors and striped effects.” In 1900, a West Virginia store advertised “Boys’ Christmas Sweaters in Fancy Stripes or Plain.”
“It didn’t take long for the designs to transcend bright colors and basic patterns. The 1930s saw the rise of “jingle bell sweaters,” which turned the wearer into a walking, talking tintinnabulation. But there was nothing funny about them: Ad sketches showed elegant ladies and equally chic little girls flaunting tops with bells embroidered in dainty designs down the front. At most, a jingle bell sweater on a child might be considered cute; one in 1950, for example, depicted Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with a tinkly jingle-bell collar.”1
Each year, it seems that the designs become more horrific – I mean, amazing! And some of us find great pleasure in wearing these unfashionable fashions, especially while participating in the other celebration recognized on this day.
December 20th of each year recognizes something that has actually decreased in popularity – Christmas Caroling. December 20th is also National Christmas Caroling Day. It’s a time to go around the neighborhood, striking up a festive or contemplative Christmas song outside a neighbor’s door while wearing your stocking hats and ugly sweaters.
“A Pew Research Center study that was published in 2013 reveals that nearly 80% of Americans put up Christmas trees and 65% of Americans send Christmas cards—yet only 16% of Americans go Christmas caroling. Honestly, that number has probably decreased in the past 11 years, especially due to COVID-19 and a variety of other factors…
“According to Yesterday’s America, Christmas caroling—in its original form—wasn’t connected to Christmas or caroling. Rather, it was called “wassailing” and entailed groups of well-wishers going to various homes to spread cheer during chilly months of the year.
“The significant connection between wassailing and singing songs about Christmas wasn’t made until Saint Francis of Assisi started to incorporate the same kinds of cheerful sayings—but also cheerful songs—into church Christmas services. He believed in the importance of embracing music during the Christmas season, and people who heard the songs at church took them home to sing with their families.”2
About the only Biblical support I can find for the ugly Christmas sweaters is found in Proverbs 17:22 which says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” Those hideous sweaters have a way of making us smile. I really enjoy our ugly Christmas sweater night at church, usually coupled with a cookie fellowship afterwards. It’s just simple fun.
Music, though, can definitely find great support in Scripture. Ephesians 5:19-20 says, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 
(20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Colossians 3:16-17 supplies similar instruction. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17) And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Taking those songs up and down the sidewalks of your neighborhood or into nursing homes or hospitals can be an enjoyable activity. And, though the practice has diminished through the years, it’s still a viable way to spread the love of Christ in this holiday season.
So, sing for the Lord. Where those ugly sweaters if for no other reason than to put a smile on the faces of others. And, enjoy these two Christmas traditions.
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalms 28:7)
1https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/ugly-christmas-sweater-history
2https://wholeheartedquiettime.com/blogs/blog/the-tradition-of-christmas-caroling-and-why-it-mattersBottom of Form
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