Florida Woman's Ugly Christmas Sweater Creations Rule The Day

Editor's note: A holiday favorite, this story about Deb Rottum's ugly Christmas sweaters is a version of one we posted in 2018.

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL — Friday is National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day, when people around the country will proudly show off the handiwork of a Wesley Chapel, Florida, woman whose yearlong pastime is creating the ugliest, gaudiest, tackiest holiday sweaters she can dream up.

Deb Rottum's mantra is "The tackier, the better." She's on the lookout for gaudy baubles, tacky trimmings and gimmicky appliques to incorporate into the ugly Christmas sweaters that she now sells around the world.

Deb's Handmade Ugly Tacky Christmas Sweaters was launched seven years ago when Rottum, a human resources assistant at Moffitt Cancer Institute and Research Center in Tampa, decided to sell three tacky Christmas sweaters that had been languishing in her closet.

"I had them for over 13 years and would wear them every Christmas," Rottum said. "But I got tired of them and decided to sell them on eBay."

To her surprise, the sweaters, priced at $25 each, were quickly snatched up. Obviously, there was a market for ugly sweaters, Rottum thought. So she began designing and making her own hideously festive creations to earn some extra holiday money.

Her ugly sweaters, which she sells on the internet shopping site Etsy, have garnered her international attention.

"I've always been a crafty kind of person, and I have a lot of fun making the sweaters," she said. "But it's also fun to hear people's reactions to them."

Her home workspace overflows with every kind of garish trim, accessory and decoration she can forage at thrift stores, yard sales and discount bins.

Surrounded by these tacky inspirations, Rottum lets her imagination run wild.

"I usually select a theme and then decorate the sweaters with everything from feather boas, ribbons, tinsel, hand-cut letters and beads to stuffed animals," she said.

Whenever possible, she tries to include an annoying feature such as bells, lights and talking characters.

Her biggest seller is her Grinch sweaters.

"People love anything that has the Grinch on it," she said. "I can't make enough of them."

Rottum designs sweaters for all ages, sizes and genders. She's even added dresses, hats, shoes and purses to her offerings for the people who want to show their ugly holiday spirit from head to toe.

Occasionally, she's asked to make a custom sweater.

"One customer asked me if I'd design a sweater with a Pokémon theme for her son," said the mother of three. "I didn't have any Pokémon characters, so I bought one off my 9-year-old son to use."

Rottum says she has no idea why her sweaters are such a hit, but her business has grown every year.

"Ugly Christmas sweaters are really hot," she said. "Families have their portraits taken wearing them. People host ugly sweater parties and give out awards for the ugliest."

She said she hopes it's a fad that never goes away.

"I'm a single parent, so I really rely on the income from my sweater," she said. "I'm a one-girl show. I source the sweaters, make them, model them and ship them."

Her comical photos modeling her sweaters are nearly as popular as the sweaters themselves. One photo of her wearing a "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" sweater caught the attention of the song's author, Randy Brooks.

"He contacted me to tell me that he wrote the song and how much he enjoyed the sweater," said Rottum. "So I made one for him."

Rottum also offers an array of ugly Hanukkah sweaters. Her sweaters range in price from $26.09 to $89.63 and can be purchased on her Etsy site.