Happy geansaí: Nine ways to wear Christmas jumpers

Thu, 28 Nov, 2024 - 14:15

Ho-ho-ho, yeah! It’s that time of year again.

As the countdown to The Late Late Toy Show begins, expect to see an exponential rise in the number of holiday jumpers doing the rounds.

Whether Fair Isle, fair trade or fair game, prepare to embrace the yuletide spirit. Resistance is futile, folks. Your time starts now.

Let’s start as we mean to go on—full tilt—with a good old kitsch-mas slogan. I’m partial to a pun (‘Fleece Navidad’ gets my vote), but you also can’t go wrong with a classic like ‘Nollaig’ from Irish brand Fukil.

Loud and proud, check out their special edition line of sustainable unisex tees and sweatshirts. Etsy.com is also worth a scroll, especially if you’re partial to a mince pie.

For fans of quiet luxury, heritage prints hold clout without the Christmas commitment.

We Norwegians, for example, take inspiration from modern basics and traditional knitting patterns like the woodworking designs of the national Sámi.

Crafted in Merino wool, their winter knits segue well into the New Year. Wear with knitted trousers and UGGs or pack for après ski with leggings, snow boots and a hot chocolate.

Cornish contender Seasalt’s Fair Isle knits offer similar festive nous. Colourful and cosy, these high-low heroes work equally well with jeans as they do with a leather skirt and kitten heels.

Using responsibly sourced wool and recycled fibre blends, their commitment to people and planet-friendly practices adds to the feelgood factor.

Come Friday, I’ll be wearing my beloved vintage Icelandic cardigan. Perhaps a pair of reindeer slippers, too.