The Ugly Holiday Sweater has a long and storied history spanning many cultures.

People often think ironically ugly holiday sweaters are a recent development in yuppie culture, but in truth many cultures across several continents have used some version of the holiday sweater for centuries:

• The Gaels of ancient Ireland decorated their chests with a rudimentary paint made from the sap of trees, drawing reindeer-like shapes.
• Mixtec Indian tribes carved ornate wooden vests depicting large, fierce white bears and sleds carrying large warriors clothed in red. It is believed the vests were a type of ceremonial armor used on the eve of battles.
• Norse elders acquired intricate tattoos of snowflakes, yetis, and moose as they achieved notoriety on the battlefield and respect in their villages.
• Bactrians wove delicate shawls and scarves depicting fanciful images from far away lands they traded with, such as men made of snow and red-nosed deer flying through the sky.

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