Pickles by Brian Crane for December 21, 2021

One day, Sylvia will learn how to shut her mouth.

I love the Ugly Sweater parties. They are a chance to just have fun and not be serious. Instead of being stuck with an ’Oh Good Grief, I have to wear this embarrassment that (fill in the blank made or gave me) sweater, it is nice to know others have even uglier sweaters.

Odd question, but where is Earl’s sweater Opal knitted for him also last Christmas? (Probably in a rag box out in the garage.)

You’d think that Sylvia would have that figured out by now. My father didn’t really want Xmas presents from the kids, but parents thought it important that kids give something. My brother once knitted him a tie. It was… a little bit like a tie. He wore it to the Christmas service, and every Sunday that year. And yeah, I heard him explain it to some of his friends. Who were in awe.

I think it’s nice. Great knitting job.

All of my sweaters are ugly.

Every sweater looks good on a girl. I can still picture the sweater worn by Mary Hanks back in the winter of 1971. A fine and amazingly stretchy sweater.

Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise

… “I love you, Mom.”

For an old lady Opal has pretty good hearing.

“Love Is…” reminding her to take her pills on time….

You know the ‘Love Is’ naked hippie children are getting old when they start to sound like “Pickles.”

Wait until you’re out if earshot, Sylvia!

Worst nightmare of an ugly sweater party is showing up and seeing someone else wearing the same sweater.

Is Opal Canadian??

When it is cold outside I don’t care what something looks like as long as it keeps me warm !

Knitting a sweater is a lot of work so always make sure the recipient wants one, likes the pattern and has okayed the yarn before starting. Also….measure, measure, measure both the person and the sweater in progress.

Best ugly garment party I ever attended was a Halloween ‘wear your ugliest bridesmaid dress’. I was a real contender in the chartreuse a-line with ecru chrocheted ribbon trimmed sleeves (1968), long thank goodness not mini.

That’s a REALLY ugly sweater….

It doesn’t look so ugly to me…

Just wait until you get older and Nelson starts commenting about the stuff you make for him…

Ummm it’s the thought that counts??

I personally think it’s a cute sweater and wow… how much time went into that?!

I cannot knit or crochet to save my life. I get so confused! I can do basic mending with a needle and thread. My 10 year old son, on the other hand, has created so many cute creatures with his crocheting! Some he even has created with no pattern.

I love Christmas Sweaters! There are some I find quite tasteful if they’re not over the top. What gets me is people make fun of Christmas sweaters and then wear jeans that look like they’ve been in a fight with a grizzly bear.

ugly sweaters used to be nice 20 years ago, but now there are companies that make sweaters intentionally ugly that defeats the entire purpose.

Gotta be the height of mixed emotions. A mom being told you love her gift sweater because it won the ugly sweater contest.

Saw that one coming a mile away.

I feel left out. I can’t ever remember having a Christmas sweater. Come to think about it, I don’t remember my Father ever wearing one. We had tons of sweaters, growing up in New England, but not holiday ones. Mom was too practical, – or realized Dad, Brother, and I would refuse to embarrass ourselves by wearing one!

She’s old, not deaf!

Whenever we have an Ugly Sweater day at my school I always wear a sweater from the rival school in the next county. Our librarian lives in that county and it always riles her up. Merry Christmas!

Sylvia didn’t have to mutter that last part. She could have left her mother happy, and still gone to the party.

An aside

The term “ugly sweater” confuses me, so i googled “beautiful sweater”… there are a lot of Ugly sweaters I’d much rather have.

I don’t think they’re ugly. I would call it an artistic sweater party.

Ix-nay on the ark-snay!

I’d love to be invited to an Ugly sweater party…Cheers!! ٩(˘◡˘)۶

OY! That puts the UG in ugly sweater!

Such a sweater would be quite the time investment (to say nothing of labor and materials)

My taste in clothes and decor are very conservative. But Christmas is for bright and shiny! Have a happy and bright holiday!