Naughty Nice Six-Seven Ugly Christmas shirt

The anticipation for Christmas always used to feel like a slow burn, a cozy anticipation that started sometime around mid-November, maybe even a little earlier if the seasonal aisles at Target were anything to go by. I’d start making mental lists of gifts, even if I was just window shopping, mentally cataloging possibilities for my nephews, my sister, maybe even a silly gag gift for my dad. It was a time of year where the air felt charged with something good, some kind of magic that made the cold a little more bearable, the darkness less daunting. I loved that feeling, the promise of twinkling lights and carols, the smell of pine needles, the thrill of opening presents, even if, sometimes, things got a little… complicated.

Naughty Nice Six-Seven Ugly Christmas shirt: Embrace Your Uniqueness

That year, for instance, my sister decided to host Christmas. Now, she’s a fantastic person, truly, but she also has a penchant for elaborate, Pinterest-worthy decorations. I knew, as soon as she announced it, that my simple, comfortable Christmas was probably not going to be simple or comfortable. And, sure enough, it wasn’t. The first thing she did was email a detailed dress code, which I thought was a bit much. The email included the infamous Naughty Nice Six-Seven Ugly Christmas shirt directive. I remember thinking, “Oh, great, another thing to buy.” The shirt itself felt like a mandatory accessory.

The hunt for a suitable shirt was, frankly, embarrassing. I didn’t want to spend a fortune, but I also didn’t want to show up wearing something that looked like a crime against fashion. After a few desperate trips to different stores, I found this truly hideous one, with a reindeer wearing sunglasses and a Santa hat, plastered across the front. It was so bad, it was almost good. The irony was the appeal. I had to get it. When I showed it to my mom over the phone she started laughing so hard she almost choked.

The day of the party, everything was in hyper-drive; my nieces and nephews were running around hyped up on sugar and anticipation. It was a glorious chaos. I remember my dad was trying to assemble some new contraption that he said was a “self-watering plant thingamajigger.” It didn’t work. My sister, meanwhile, looked flawless, as she always did, managing to look perfectly put together while coordinating the food, the games, and the general flow of the party. The Naughty Nice Six-Seven Ugly Christmas shirt was a required piece of the ensemble.

How I can buy this Naughty Nice Six-Seven Ugly Christmas shirt

Then, there was the moment of truth. During the opening of presents, we had a contest for the ugliest shirt. I knew my reindeer was a contender. There were some strong rivals though; a shirt with a blinking Christmas tree, and one that had a glittery Santa face that seemed to stare directly into your soul. When they called out the winner, I didn’t win, but I think I came close. At the end of the day, it didn’t really matter who won or lost, it was about being together.

I wouldn’t say everything went off without a hitch. There were a few minor meltdowns, a spilled glass of eggnog, and a slightly overcooked turkey, but it’s always like that. The important thing was that we were all there, together, laughing, even in our ridiculous Naughty Nice Six-Seven Ugly Christmas shirts. And even though my sister’s Christmas was never really simple, this was what it was all about: messy, chaotic, and completely unforgettable, and definitely, a memorable Christmas.