True Holiday Confession

I have a confession to make but will only make this declaration after you all promise that you will not laugh  or think that I am a nerd. Its just that I can't help it nor can I change it.....Here goes.......I love to wear the annual "Ugly Holiday Sweater."  Not only that,  I own lots of them....in fact, I collect them!  Ok I said it, I'm proud of it and I am wearing one right now!!  I bet you all secretly have your own obsession with this warm, gaudy, sequiny,  furry work of art and its ok....be proud....you belong to an established American tradition.  Oh, so you  gave yours away, did you??  Go check in the back of your closet....I bet you will find one....See,  I told you!  Does it have snowflakes or a Christmas Tree on it?  It must have a little bling and fur if it is still in your closet....Go put it on and look at yourself in the mirror.....you look cute don't you?.... Yes, it does look cute!....I bet you are thinking that you could probably wear this to a holiday party or an open house that you are invited to this year.  Hey, why not wear it shopping??  "Tis the Season to be  Jolly" after all.  Dress down Friday, pull out the adorable cinnamon colored sweat shirt with a gingerbread man and jingle bells sewn on  it....the bright red V-neck that has the bright green Christmas Tree would look great with jeans..... maybe add a white turtleneck underneath.....and girls, if you decide to wear the black cashmere with white fur and red and purple sequins, pull out those old black leather pants you haven't worn for a awhile.  Guys, going to a football game and you need to be warm.?...the wool, tannish sweater that has a giant green reindeer and snowflakes would make a great statement.  You can cheer for your team and the holidays all in one night!!! You have to admit that a big, cold beer would definitely showcase this outfit!!  Want to be comfortable while you host your own Christmas Party?  Black velvet bell bottoms, a gold lame, red, green and black striped, kind of tight turtleneck would be the perfect outfit!  Don't forget the Christmas ornament earrings!!!  You may even want to wear that red velvet vest with the white snow balls on it.

My love for this fun holiday attire goes way back.  Growing up with three sisters and a mother that sews, each Christmas we all had matching dresses and matching flannel nightgowns.  Not only did our clothes match, but so did our house slippers and haircuts.  When it came time to take pictures, we all lined up in the order of our ages in front of our silver, aluminum Christmas tree with the red ornaments.   This was always a family tradition until one year we were invited over to the Simpsons for their annual open house.  We, girls all had on our matching red and white striped dresses, were greeted at the door by Mrs. Simpson who had on the most beautiful sweater that I had ever seen!!....Red mohair with ivory sequined angels flying across the front of the sweater.  Her husband Jim, was dressed in a dark green turtleneck with a very woolish vest that had snowmen covering the front.  And the kids...they too had  on their annual holiday sweaters covered with Christmas trees, sleighs and Santa's.  I won't go into my feelings about our matching dresses, but let's just say I couldn't wait to get back to our 1919 Bruning Drive house!!

The next year my mom must  have remembered our dislike for last years attire because under the Christmas tree there were four red and white mohair sweaters with giant red and white candy canes. I did not take the sweater off the entire season and I kept it many years thereafter. Over the years I have found many sweaters and sweatshirts that I have loved to wear.  My collection has had angels, snowflakes, ornaments, gingerbread houses, teddybears, reindeer, snowmen, bells, Santa, sequins..... My favorite find of all time however, was in 1988...  White, Red, Green Turtleneck that said "Merry Christmas."  Doesn't sound like much does it?  Well this sweater had a battery pack underneath that I could turn on and when I did, "Merry Christmas" flashed  over my chest ever few seconds!!!  That sweater,  along with my red, leather pants was always the hit at any party I was invited to!   Oh!  And did I tell you that it had shoulder pads?

It is officially the holiday season, so go to your closet or nearest thrift store and find the one, fun sweater that really says  "Wow, this is great!"  Put it on and I guarantee that it will make you happy.  When you are happy,  people around you are too!!! So if you wear your sweater and others see what it is doing for you, more and more people will want to wear these sweaters!!.......Can't find one that you like?  Have you ever thought about "Ugly Holiday Pajamas?"   Lets have some fun this year!!!!  As for me, I just can't wait to put on that special dark green velour top with the red poinsetta's....it still looks great with my shiny gold lame leggings!!!