Monster Hunter Ugly Christmas Sweaters: A New Gaming Holiday Trend

The Popularity of Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Ugly Christmas sweaters have become an iconic part of the holiday season over the past decade. What started out as an ironic trend has turned into a mainstream staple, with major retailers and brands getting in on the ugly sweater fun. Parties dedicated to ugly sweaters have also become popular, where people compete to find the tackiest, most outrageous Christmas sweater.

The Origins of the Ugly Christmas Sweater Trend

Ugly Christmas sweaters first started emerging as a trend in the early 2000s. The sweaters were characterized by their loud colors, clashing patterns, and overload of Christmas imagery like snowflakes, trees, Santa Clauses and reindeer. It's believed the trend began as people started digging out their aunt's or grandma's old holiday knitwear as a source of humor.

The trend really took off thanks to things like ugly Christmas sweater parties, contests, and even full scale bar crawls. Retailers began mass producing new ugly sweaters to cater to the growing demand. Soon what started off ironically became a new holiday tradition people genuinely looked forward to.

The Growth of the Ugly Sweater Industry

These days the ugly Christmas sweater industry rakes in an estimated $500 million globally. Even high end fashion brands like Gucci and Balenciaga have tried capitalizing on the trend by releasing their own expensive ugly sweaters. On Etsy alone there are over 100,000 ugly Christmas sweaters and accessories listed.

Along with parties dedicated to ugly sweaters, there are now entire pop up bars that decorate with ugly Christmas décor and sweaters in the month of December. Some cities even host bar crawls where participants go from bar to bar in their ugly holiday knitwear.

Introducing: Monster Hunter Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Given the popularity of the ugly Christmas sweater trend, it was only a matter of time before franchises from the worlds of video games, TV shows and movies got in on the action. Enter: Monster Hunter ugly Christmas sweaters.

The Monster Hunter Video Game Series

For the uninitiated, Monster Hunter is a hugely popular fantasy action roleplaying game first released in 2004. Players take on the role of hunters who slay or trap large monsters in epic battles. With each monster killed or captured, players can craft new weapons, armor and items that allow them to pursue even bigger, badder beasts.

The franchise features a cast of colorful, imaginative creatures like the tiger-striped Zinogre, the fiery dragon Rathalos, and the frog-like Tetsucabra. Their outlandish, over the top designs make them perfectly suited for tacky ugly Christmas sweater adaptations.

Monster Hunter Ugly Sweater Highlights

There are numerous Monster Hunter ugly Christmas sweaters available for fans of the game. Some of the highlights include:

• A Rathalos ugly sweater featuring a red, green and white wool knit depicting the franchise's fire breathing dragon mascot.
• A Zinogre ugly sweater with a dark blue wool knit background and bright yellow and teal accents. The Zinogre itself is prominently featured in a Christmas hat.
• A Paolumu ugly sweater showing the bat-like creature in a Santa hat against a red and whiteFair Isle style knit.
• A Dodogama ugly sweater featuring the rock-eating wyvern framed in a wreath against a green wool knit.

The designs combine traditional ugly sweater elements like Fair Isle patterns alongside instantly recognizable monsters from the games. This makes them perfect as both gamer apparel and traditional ugly Christmas sweaters.

Where to Buy Monster Hunter Ugly Christmas Sweaters

For Monster Hunter fans looking to pick up an ugly sweater this holiday season, there are a few great places to shop:

• Etsy: As mentioned, Etsy hosts countless ugly Christmas sweater sellers. Fans can find handmade Monster Hunter sweaters here.
• ThinkGeek: The geek culture retailer carries video game themed ugly sweaters including Monster Hunter designs.
• Redbubble: The print on demand site lets artists upload their designs to be sold on sweaters and other products. There are many Monster Hunter ugly sweaters available.
• eBay: Both new and secondhand Monster Hunter ugly Christmas sweaters can be found on eBay.

Prices can range anywhere from $15-$60+ depending on if the sweater is handmade or mass-produced. With Monster Hunter's popularity, more ugly sweater options are sure to release each holiday season.

How to Style Your Monster Hunter Ugly Sweater

The fun of ugly Christmas sweaters comes from leaning into their loud, outrageous designs. However, choosing the right supplementary pieces can take your outfit from tacky to trendy.

Complementary Color Scheme

Pick colors in your sweater and build the rest of your outfit around that color scheme. For example, if your Rathalos sweater features shades of red and green, match those colors with red jeans and green shoes or accessories.

Themed Accessories

Along with your sweater, add other accessories that tie back to the Monster Hunter theme. This could include a Zinogre or Rathalos beanie, Palico or Felyne mittens or earmuffs, and Monster Hunter jewelry.

Ugly Sweater Contests

If you plan to wear your Monster Hunter sweater to an ugly sweater party or contest, go all out with tacky Monster Hunter accessories like a Rathian headpiece or stuffed Nargacuga attached to your shoulder. Face paint and temporary Rathalos or Zinogre tattoos can also up your costume game.

An ugly Christmas sweater is the perfect foundation for an outrageous Monster Hunter-themed outfit. With the right supplementary accessories, you're sure to slay any ugly sweater party or contest you attend this season.

FAQs

Where can I buy an official Monster Hunter ugly Christmas sweater?

There are no official Monster Hunter ugly sweaters sold by Capcom. However, you can find officially licensed designs from gaming apparel brands sold on sites like ThinkGeek, Redbubble and Etsy.

What monsters are typically featured on Monster Hunter ugly sweaters?

Popular creatures featured include Rathalos, Rathian, Zinogre, Nargacuga, Tigrex, Brachydios and more. Flagship monsters like Rathalos tend to be most prominent.

Can I wear a Monster Hunter ugly sweater to an ugly sweater party?

Absolutely! Part of the fun is seeing geek-themed and pop culture ugly sweaters. A Monster Hunter design is perfect for ugly sweater contests and parties.

What's the best way to style a Monster Hunter ugly Christmas sweater?

Match your sweater's color scheme, and complement it with themed accessories like Monster Hunter beanies, mittens, earmuffs or jewelry. Going all-out really suits the outrageous nature of ugly sweaters.