Page 21 - Dec 2022

The Bizzar e Chr ist mas Jumper Cr aze st ar t ed
in Engl and and Has since spr ead l ike a Fungus
acr oss t he Wor l d. Cul t ur e Tipcom expl ains
.
what 's behind t he Br it ish l ove of ghast ly
knit war e

" The point about Christ mas jumpers is t hat
t hey are st riking, bold, and incredibly ugly. If
you would wear it in your day-t o-day life,
t hen it 's not a Christ mas Jumper...

The Christ mas Jumper is also unflat t ering,
expensive, embarrassing, and badly made. So,
why are Brit s obsessed wit h t hem?

Brit s, are a famously st oic and emot ionally
uncommunicat ive bunch; perhaps t he
obsession wit h t he Christ mas Jumper lies in
t he communal power t hat t hey hold. Unlike
normal clot hes, t he Christ mas Jumper is an
easy way for t he wearer- who perhaps usually
sport s a suit or fairly innocuos clot hes- t o
appear human, approachable, and full of
charact er. " Look at me !", t he Christ mas
Jumper says, " I can laugh at myself and at t he
world."

I
wit hin ? ??m wearing t his because I desperat ely
The Jumper imbues t he wearer wit h a fresh miss my recent ly deceased cat .?
and light heart ed ident it y. It allows t he wearer
A philant hropic bunch, buyers of Christ mas
t o be not iced wit hout having t o make a
Jumpers creat e a vehicle for t he Brit ish t o raise
st at ement . For while an individual t hat follow
money for charit y. Taking place on December 15
usual fashion t rends might be ridculed or
t his year, Christ mas Jumper Day is dedicat ed t o
reviled behind his or her back, t he Christ mas
marrying t he best of Brit ish int ent ions wit h t he
Jumper invit es societ y t o laugh wit h, rat her
worst of t heir st yle. No doubt t he cause is
t han at , you. No one piece of clot hing works
noble, but having an excuse t o cut loose and let
harder t o dismant le preconcept ions and break
t he fun side of Brit s come out is definit ely
down social barriers, all wit hout having t o
welcome.
speak t o anyone new.
As such, t he Christ mas Jumper offers a remedy
Similarly, t he jumper offers an easy t alking
t o t he worst of Brit ish t rait s, using a met hod
I

point : ? like your jumper,?a passer-by might
t hat is so crass it couldn? possibly be serious,
t
say, chort ling at your fest ive at t ire. ?Thank
and so a st iff upper lip is st ill preserved."
you,? you may reply, filled wit h Christ mas

cheer and goodwill. In classic Brit ish fashion, That explains t hat . Break out your own
t he jumper enables you t o project a sensibilit y Christ mas Jumper and wear it t o t he Club
wit hout bet raying any of t he real emot ions Pre-Holiday Brunch on December 10t h. No one
will look askance because t hey will likely be
wearing somet hing just as bad.
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