Whether you view them as fashion forward or a sartorial disgrace, Christmas-themed knitwear has long been a staple of the festive season

And will be again this year?

Undoubtedly, though probably not at office parties as they have been mostly scrubbed from the menu of festive delights on offer. But if you have strayed into a supermarket or shopping centre recently you’ll probably have encountered one or two examples of garishly-decorated knitwear. Elves, reindeer and Santas are traditional, though really anything goes as long as there’s a snowflake design somewhere. And of course you may have your own tucked away in a drawer waiting to be unveiled on Christmas Day. David Beckham does, though his is so awesome he couldn’t wait until December 25: he squeezed into his Spiceworld jumper and posted a photograph of him (and it) on social media platform Instagram. “Now that’s a Christmas jumper, Mr Beckham!” retorted wife Victoria.

Any other famous devotees?

According to a reputable source – hello Wikipedia! – the Christmas jumper was popularised in the 1980s when celebrities such as Gyles Brandreth and Timmy Mallett began wearing them on television. Casting farther back in time, the trailblazers were entertainers such as Val Doonican and Andy Williams, who brought a little pep to Christmas TV specials with a variety of jaw-dropping knits. Once considered the height of naff dressing, the Christmas jumper has achieved something close to fashion credibility in the last decade, to the point where Top Man had a whopping 34 different designs in its 2012 line. Today, they run from the incongruous – with his own eyes your correspondent has seen a Black Sabbath Christmas jumper adorning the back of a supermarket shelf-stacker – to the inconceivably pricey: London-based artist Aidan Liban has made one using gold thread and decorated with diamonds. The price tag for his creation is £30,000, with a portion going to the NHS.

It all sounds fun

Yes and no. A 2019 survey by environmental charity Hubbub, which promotes sustainable fashion, found that 40% of Christmas jumpers are worn only once and a third of people under 35 buy a new one every year. Moreover, 95% of said items contain plastic, one reason they’re so cheap. Now that’s the kind of Christmas present Mother Earth could do without. Under the slogan “Re-style, re-wear, rejoice”, Hubbub is this year promoting the idea of sustainability where Christmas jumpers are concerned.

How?

By suggesting people swap Christmas jumpers, rent them (it’s a thing apparently) or buy them second-hand from charity shops or retro fashion emporiums – who knows, you might even find one like David Beckham’s.