The History of the Christmas Jumper

Novelty knits. Festive sweaters. The Christmas jumper.

No matter the name, they’re here to stay.

It could be nostalgia, or even irony. All we know is that our enthusiasm for this jolly jersey goes way back. Not only because they were first established on the ski slopes of northern Europe - it was the handcrafted heritage that had us hooked.

The festive jumper was traditionally made using heavy wool in colours influenced by forest landscapes. And although geometric patterns were a popular choice amongst knitters - the handmade process meant that they were fully customisable, making them both fun and functional.

While the reputation of Christmas jumpers had been briefly elevated by affluent skiers of the 20th Century, life hasn’t always been so perfect for this jumper. In particular, during the 80s and 90s when television personalities infamously re-popularised them in households across Britain. The irony of wearing these coarse cliché knits seemed entertaining at the time, but the laughter soon stopped as they re-emerged as an annual gift presented by grandma.

The good news is – with the evolution of time and style - we can now choose something more suited to our taste. And we have something for everyone with loads of cute and classic styles.