For those who celebrate it, the Christmas season involves more traditions than almost any other time of year. Besides Christmas trees, Father Christmas, and advent calendars, almost all families will have their own unique festive traditions – trimming the tree on a certain date, opening presents in a time-honoured order, or deciding when to give Grandma her first glass of sherry. In recent years though, a new tradition has begun to take hold: the Christmas jumper. A ubiquitous sight at offices, parties, and Christmas dinners throughout December, they often feature kitschy depictions of Christmas trees, reindeer, or Santa Claus himself. In this article, however, we suggest five seasonal jumpers for those who want to partake of the festive fun without the loud and gaudy designs that have come to define the traditional Christmas jumper.

Fair Isle Knits

When deciding what to include in this article, we started thinking about what actually defines a Christmas jumper. Something we quickly arrived at is that it needs some kind of pattern, so what better than a classic Fair Isle jumper? These jumpers are knitted using a special technique of the same name which originates from the Shetland Islands off the coast of Scotland.

Heavy Knits & Colour Blocks

Colour is another important element of any Christmas jumper, with blues, greys and whites often being the foundation to which traditional shades of red and green are added. This example uses colour to create a block pattern which, when combined with a heavy-knit texture, creates a stylishly festive feel.

Knitted Snowflakes

Now we’ve established the essential ingredients of a Christmas jumper, we can easily find a number of suitable alternatives. When it comes to patterning in particular, the choices are almost endless, with knitted snowflakes being one of our favourites.

Brushed Scottish Wool

With their cosy feel, textured knits not only add a festive touch to your jumper but are also an excellent choice for the colder months in general. Brushed wool is a particularly good option, as its soft and fluffy texture ensures you stay both warm and comfortable throughout the festivities.

Patterned Zip-Necks

The patterns we’ve selected so far have mostly been different takes on the traditional Fair Isle design. There are, however, a wealth of different patterns that are well suited to the Christmas season and, just like number 3 on our list, this zip-neck model features a snowflake motif. Wear it atop a burgundy flannel shirt for an even more festive look.