Click Here: Australia Rugby Shop
Here we are again submerged in that gloriously garish color palette that
we wouldn’t be caught wearing at any other time of year. Red and green, the
shades of holly and mistletoe form its foundation, with a dusting of snowy
white scattered with globules of gold. Why does this startling composition
seem so perfect for cozying up in front of It’s A Wonderful Life and
munching on cinnamon-flavored goodies before a roaring fire?
Its deep origins combine history, faith and commerce. It is said that
evergreens reassured people that spring was around the corner when days
were darkest and temperatures coldest, and gold was symbolic of the
upcoming season’s sun and light. The holly bush with it’s cheery red
berries has been associated with the winter solstice since Roman times
while Christians see it as symbolic of Christ’s crown of thorns, while the
gift of gold was presented along with frankincense and myrrh at the first
Christmas, and is associated with church bells. In the mid 19th century
candy canes emerged as popular shepherd’s crook-shaped sugary treats and
the bold red and white stripe combo entered the Christmas lexicon. Fir
trees, poinsettias, flickering candles and roaring fires, tinsel, and the
golden gleam of oven roasted turkeys have all solidified the ubiquitous
palette.
The origin of Santa’s jolly attire
Father Christmas himself, Santa Claus, recognized across the world for
his generously cut fur-trimmed two-piece with matching facial hair didn’t
start off wearing red and white. The genial gift-giver is believed to be an
amalgam of religious, folkloric, and pagan traditions and his look has been
in evolution since as early as the 4th century when he was known as St
Nicholas and wore bishops’ attire. In the early 1800s the portly personage
wore tan or green, then sported a blue and white ensemble more reminiscent
of high summer’s marine-inspired separates associated with East Hampton
yachting parties than with carolers and elves. It was a chic and relatively
understated choice by today’s standards. Then along came Coca Cola in 1931
to deck the hallowed Christmas figure in the colors of their beloved soda
beverage and Santa’s attention-grabbing revamp was definitive. And for New
Yorkers there can be little quite as attention-grabbing as the red menace
of 30,000 drunk Kris Kringles descending on lower Manhattan during its
annual Santa Con.
The rise of the Christmas sweater
In truth, there’s not much that’s tasteful about Christmas fashion,
which is exactly why it’s fun. It’s the one time of year when we don’t have
to pretend to possess sophisticated sensibilities before the judgement of
co-workers at the office party or beady-eyed in-laws at the extended family
dinner. The North Star of tastelessness, the Christmas sweater, also
sometimes referred to as the ugly sweater, took off in the 1980s as a joke
gift, especially effective if the item happened to be knitted by your
grandmother presently sipping sherry at the aforementioned family
gathering. Now even Burberry designs them, and in 2011 Amazon reported that
sales had jumped by 600% as Christmas sweater parties and ugly sweater
contests make them a holiday season staple.
But while Christmas comes but once a year, this much remains abundantly
clear. To experience the most glamorous effect, channel your inner Radio
City Rockette.
Fashion editor Jackie Mallon is also an educator and author of Silk for
the Feed Dogs, a novel set in the international fashion industry.
Photos: Christmas sweaters Sainsbury supermarket 2016 by Philafrenzy;
cartoon by JM Staniforth, The Western Mail launches its annual Christmas
charity appeal, 25 November 1898, source papuraunewyddcymru.llgc.org.uk
Evening Express (Wales), author Joseph Morewood Staniforth; The Rockettes
Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, 2 January 2007 published on
flickr.com, authors Ralph and Jenny, all from Wikimedia Commons.