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It's never too early to start planning your pop culture inspired ugly Christmas sweater. While Pinterest boards are going to be crammed with DIY projects and gift ideas, there will still be plenty of mental space left over to juggle ideas for kitschy knits. While it's customary to either make your own sweater with bows and crudely cut felt pieces, some people don't mind skipping the potential agony of crafting (and hot glue gun burns) and just buying their jumpers. Which is fair enough. But while a drunken looking reindeer is a fun enough choice, take it a step further and wear a pop culture inspired sweater for your holiday party instead.
Those are extra fun because they're cheeky and sometimes a little crass, tapping into old cult classics or something stellar that happened during the year. For example, you can always rock a classic and don a colorful jumper with a quote from Elf, or go a little more 2017 and represent Rick and Morty with Santa hats across your chest. There's something for everyone — ahead are 11 pop culture ugly Christmas sweaters to shop right now.
1"Son Of A Nutcracker" Sweater
Son of a Nutcracker Ugly Christmas Sweater, $30, Party City
Channel Buddy from Elf when he sputters out "Son of a nutcracker" in this cheerfully and kitschy jumper. The movie is as big of a cult classic as Home Alone during the holiday season, so it will hit all your pop culture reference needs.
2"Hotline Bling" Sweater
Sleighbells Ring Sweater, $25+, Etsy
It's been a minute since Drake released "Hotline Bling" but the iconic crouching dance move still reigns supreme. That and swapping out the lyrics "hotline bling" for "sleigh bells ring" is inspired and will be sure to get you a lot of high fives at your bar crawl.
3"Happy Human Holiday" Sweater
Happy Human Holiday Ugly Christmas Sweater, $60, Walmart
What the recent madness over McDonald's limited edition Szechuan sauce teaches us is that anything Rick and Morty is sure to get fans riled up. Celebrate the holiday season by swapping out your Santa sweaters for the alcoholic scientist and his grandson instead.
4"Home Alone" Sweater
Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal Sweater, $49, Amazon
Chances are you've screamed this phrase after a few glasses of eggnog at least once during the holiday season. Make sure that scenario becomes a reality this year by wearing it proudly across your flashy knit. And to cinch the whole festive mood, you also get to rock a pair of reindeer at your elbows. One can't ask for more in an ugly Christmas sweater.
5"Eleven Days of Christmas" Sweater
Eleven Days of Christmas Sweater, $25, Etsy
Before you freak out and let Etsy know there are in fact 12 days of Christmas, this pop culture sweater is a cheeky nod towards Stranger Things and its telekinesis-gifted heroine, Eleven. Especially if you've been to one of the unofficial Stranger Things pop-up bars this summer, then this knit is a must to round out your winter.
6"Wonder Woman" Ugly Christmas Sweater
"Wonder Woman" Ugly Christmas Sweater, $55, Wonder Woman Shop
If you still can't get over the awesomeness that was Wonder Woman this summer, then this DC inspired sweater will be right up your alley. Celebrate the Amazon ass-kicking superhero with a red, white, and yellow pullover complete with stars and pine trees. And feel free to sneak in a pair of gold wrist-cuffs underneath to feel extra powerful.
7"All I Want For Christmas" Sweater
All I Want For Christmas Is The Destruction Of The Patriarchy, $45, Feminist Apparel
Just because it's time to eat gingerbread men and throw tinsel onto the tree doesn't mean a feminist drops her agenda. Ring in the holidays with an extra special request on your wishlist: The end of the patriarchy.
8"Merry Chrithmith" Sweater
Merry Chrithmith Sweater, $21, Walmart
Mike Tyson never gets old, even if The Hangover was released eight years ago.
9"Stormtrooper Elves" Sweater
Stormtrooper Elves Sweater, $50, Walmart
To all the Star Wars mega-fans out there, rock in the end of the year with Darth Vader marching into the party with a pair of Santa-hat wearing Stormtroopers. Sufficiently festive, sufficiently quirky.
10"Ho Ho Hodor" Sweater
"Ho Ho Hodor" Sweater, $30, Etsy
If you're agonizing over how long we have to wait for the final season of Game of Thrones, bring the story a little closer by rocking a "Ho Ho Hodor" sweater to the office party. At the very least it will attract other super-fans at the shindig, and the lot of you can swap theories and analyze plot lines while the drinks pour.
11"Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Muggle" Sweater
"Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Muggle" Sweater, $19, Walmart
Take the Home Alone classic and give it a Harry Potter twist with this fun sweater. For those that cannot and will not give up their obsession with the wizarding world, this one's for you.
With the holiday season right around the corner, stock up on some of these pop culture knits to be the cheekiest one at this year's holiday parties.
