The History of br Ugly Christmas Sweaters:, Explained.br While there isn’t an exact definition of what isbr considered an ugly sweater, the consensusbr is the more embellishments, the uglier the sweater.br However, these types of sweaters br weren’t always considered ugly. .br In the 80s, the Christmas element was addedbr with “jingle bell sweaters” becoming a mass-produced, hot commodity. .br As fashion trends changed, so did the conceptbr of ugly versus stylish, and the sweaters were br quickly considered tacky and in bad taste. .br Vancouver, Canada, claims to be the "Ugly Sweater" concept's birthplace.br Since 2002, the city has held an Original Uglybr Christmas Sweater party at the Commodore Ballroom.br Every guest is required to wear an ugly sweater. .br The co-founders of the event, Chris Boydbr and Jordan Birch, even own the trademarkbr for the phrase, “ugly Christmas sweater.