Would Jesus Go To an Ugly Sweater Party?

I realize Apple is making the news with it's new version of ipad textbook apps that has everyone clamoring to voice an opinion or get on board the financial bandwagon of profiting from this technogical innovation, but I'd like to shine the social media spotlight on an equally culture changing innovation that has been in the closet for far too long.  By in the closet, I'm speaking literally.  Who would have thought that finally, we would have a purpose for that one thing we all keep hidden, relegated to the depths of our closets, embarrassed to bring out into the light of day,  yet unwilling to relinquish to the Good Will Bin or the trash can - the ubiquitous ugly sweater.

We all have our rationalizations for hanging onto them: they were a gift from a family member, they were handmade for us by a friend, they're too comfortable to get rid of.  Perhaps we should start a support group for those of us struggling to justify why we hold onto these items, that simply take up needed closet space, and that we keep buried like ugly secrets in the depths of our wardrobes. Judging from the social media invites, ugly Christmas sweater parties were all the rage this year.  Just the invitation alone brings a smile to your face.  Why is that?  Perhaps because ugly sweaters are something we all have in common and something we all feel just a bit foolish for admitting we have.  Maybe because it's therapeutic to confess and to realize that we are not alone, apparently ugly sweaters are a mass pandemic.

The question remains however, what would Jesus do?  Would we find him at an ugly sweater party?  Having recently hosted an ugly sweater party, I can speak from personal experience.  I hosted my ugly sweater party in a part of the country that is statistically the least "churched" state in the nation and where believers are referred to as the "frozen chosen."  With very little promotion, no marketing campaign, and no arm twisting,we had a terrific turn out of people, young and old, children, teenagers, adults and seniors.  Everyone showed up on a cold New England winter night with a hot meal to contribute to the potluck dinner, a smile and an ugly sweater.


 As I sat, proudly wearing my ugly sweater and looked around the room, I realized that the question of would Jesus go to an ugly sweater party was irrelevant.  He was already here.  In our midst.  Emmanuel - God With Us. I saw Him as I watched teenagers talking with seniors and laughing as they swapped stories of their ugly sweaters and compared stories of their lives.  I saw Him in the reminiscent smiles on the Seniors faces as they delighted in the young children dashing under folding tables, giggling as they chased each other around the room.  I heard Him as I listened to the conversations of parents with young children sharing empathetic laughter with parents from a by-gone era the trials of child-rearing and laughing together at the tragedies and the triumphs that come with parenting.

Perhaps finding the courage to bring our ugly sweaters into the light of day, laugh together and realize that we are not alone - is a step towards recognizing that all of us have broken humanity in common and that the same God who wrapped divinity in swaddling clothes in order to reach out to us, is smiling with us as we dare to don our ugly sweaters and share the joys and journeys of our lives.