Dabbing Ugly Sweater

“Now watch me whip, now watch me dab dab!” Fine, those are not the original lyrics, but at this point they might as well be. The dab escaped the internet years ago, infiltrated wedding dance floors, crashed at least one royal photo op, and then did what every great meme does: it got stitched onto a Christmas sweater. You have dabbed for years. The question now is whether you are ready to wear the dab itself. We say yes, and we have assembled the loudest dabbing ugly sweaters on the internet to prove it.

Why the Dab Refuses to Die

Every December, some trend forecaster declares the dab officially over, and every December a dabbing Santa sweater walks into an office party and gets the biggest laugh in the room. That is the secret of the dabbing ugly sweater: the move is just dated enough to be funny again. Wearing one says you know it is ridiculous and you have committed anyway, which is exactly the maximum festive chaos an ugly sweater party rewards.

It also photographs like a dream. A reindeer sweater is cute. A sweater where Santa is mid-dab, elbow up, face buried, is a group photo waiting to happen. If you are hosting this year, our guide on How to Throw the Best Ugly Sweater Party Ever pairs nicely with everything on this list.

The Quick List

1. Ugly Sweater and Santa Dab
2. Traditional Design, Untraditional Sweater
3. Dabbing Around the Christmas Tree
4. Have You Seen a Pig Dab?
5. Snowman Dab
6. Elf Dab
7. The Dabbing Gang

Dabbing Santa Sweaters

Santa is the anchor of this entire genre. Something about the big man abandoning all dignity mid-sleigh-route lands every single time. Here are the three we keep coming back to.

1. Ugly Sweater and Santa Dab

A classic ugly sweater layout, snowflake bands and all, with the Claus himself hitting the dab dead center. The design plays it straight everywhere except the one place it matters, which is exactly the right amount of restraint. This is the pick if you want something that reads as a proper Christmas sweater from across the room and only reveals the joke up close. Our cringe-o-meter rates it a solid 8 out of 10, a compliment around here.

2. Traditional Design, Untraditional Sweater

This one is stitched in a very traditional Fair Isle style pattern, the kind your grandmother would approve of, right up until she notices Santa folded into the dab position in the middle of it. The contrast between the old-school knit look and the meme is the whole joke, and it works. It also layers well, so you can wear it to the office party and survive an overheated conference room without losing the punchline.

3. Dabbing Around the Christmas Tree

Ain’t no party like a Christmas party, because a Christmas party is where everyone dabs around the tree. Or at least that is what happens once you show up in this crewneck. It is a printed sweatshirt rather than a true knit, which means the artwork stays crisp, the price stays friendly, and you can throw it in the wash without a prayer circle. A strong choice for anyone building a budget outfit; our roundup of Cheap Ugly Sweaters has more in that lane.

The Dabbing Pig

4. Have You Seen a Pig Dab?

We had not. Now we all have, and honestly the holidays feel more complete for it. A pink pig in a Santa hat, elbow raised, committing to the move harder than most humans do. This is the wildcard pick for the person whose entire party personality is “wait until you see my sweater.” It draws the most questions and the most photos of anything on this list.

Snowmen, Elves, and Other Dabbing Legends

If Santa and a pig can dab, mythical creatures were never going to sit this one out.

5. Snowman Dab

Imagine building a snowman on a quiet winter morning, stepping back to admire your work, and watching it come to life just to hit the dab. Science cannot promise you that moment, but this sweater can. The design is family-friendly enough for school events and grandma’s house alike, and if you are outfitting small people too, our Kids Ugly Sweaters guide has the junior lineup.

6. Elf Dab

If Santa dabs, his workers dab. Sorry, that is how the North Pole org chart works. This elf is putting his whole tiny body into the move, and we respect the hustle. Choose the elf over the boss this season; it is the closest thing the holidays have to supporting small business.

Bonus Entry: The Whole Squad

7. The Dabbing Gang

Rudolph, Santa, a snowman, and a Gingerbread Man (yes, a bit of a party crasher) all dabbing in formation. This is the sweater equivalent of a boy band album cover, and it earns the bonus slot because no other design commits this hard to the bit. If your friend group coordinates outfits, put everyone in one of these and watch the group photo break the family chat.

Where Else to Hunt for Dabbing Sweaters

The picks above are our favorites, but the dabbing genre is deep. Two more places we send people first: Tipsy Elves runs the loudest novelty sweater catalog in the business and rotates meme designs every season, and UglyChristmasSweater.com is the specialist megastore where searching “dab” returns more results than any reasonable person needs. Amazon fills in the gaps when you need two-day shipping because the party is Saturday and you forgot.

Feeling crafty instead? A dabbing Santa is one of the easier designs to pull off with felt and a hot glue gun. Our Top 10 DIY Ugly Sweater Ideas (With Step-by-Step Instructions) walks you through the build.

How to Pick a Dabbing Sweater That Lands

Print or knit?

Printed sweatshirts give you sharper artwork, lower prices, and easy washing. True knits give you texture, warmth, and that authentic “pulled from a 1987 closet” look that ugly sweater purists love. For a dab design specifically, print usually wins, because the joke lives in the details of the pose and crisp lines sell it better than stitched pixels.

Fit and sizing

Novelty sweaters run unpredictable. Read the size chart every time, and when in doubt size up; a slightly roomy ugly sweater looks intentional, while a tight one just looks like regret. If you plan to layer a shirt underneath for an all-day office event, definitely go up one.

Know your audience

A dabbing Santa is safe for pretty much any crowd, from the school concert to the company party. The same cannot be said for every design in the ugly sweater universe, so match the sweater to the room. Need direction for a specific person? Start with our guides to the Best Men’s Ugly Christmas Sweaters and Women’s Ugly Christmas Sweaters.

From the Ugly Sweaters Shop

The dab was the meme of its moment. If you like your holiday gear meme-forward, our own shop keeps the tradition alive with designs built for the current internet.

The dab of this generation. If you know, you know, and if you do not, ask the nearest twelve-year-old and brace yourself. The Unisex “6 7” Sweatshirt is the fastest way to confuse half the party and delight the other half.

For the friend who answers “what should we get Dad” by opening a chat window. The Most Likely to Ask ChatGPT Sweatshirt is the superlative nobody campaigns for and everybody earns.

And for pure, uncut festive chaos in the same spirit as a dabbing Santa: the Tipsy Elves Santa on a Unicorn in Space. It answers the question “what could upstage a dab” with “interstellar unicorn cavalry.”

Dabbing Ugly Sweater FAQ

Is a dabbing sweater still funny, or is the joke dead?

The joke has entered its second life. The dab is old enough now that wearing it reads as intentional, ironic commitment rather than someone trying to be current, and that is precisely the energy an ugly sweater party calls for. Retro memes age like fruitcake: questionable in theory, beloved in practice.

Are dabbing ugly sweaters unisex?

Almost all of them. Most are printed crewneck sweatshirts or classic-cut knits sold in unisex sizing, so anyone of any gender can wear every pick on this list. Just check the size chart, since unisex sizing typically follows men’s measurements.

What do I wear with a dabbing ugly sweater?

Keep the rest simple: jeans or dark pants, plus a Santa hat if you want extra credit. The sweater is the loudest thing in the room by design. The only mandatory accessory is a willingness to hit the pose on demand, because people will ask, repeatedly, all night.

When should I buy one?

Early. Novelty designs sell through popular sizes by late November, and the week before Christmas is a wasteland of size XS and 4XL. Reading this in October? You get first pick. December 20th? May the shipping gods be kind.

Do dabbing ugly sweaters run true to size?

Mostly, but novelty printing runs unpredictable, so check the size chart on each listing rather than trusting your usual size. Since most of these are unisex crewneck sweatshirts, sizing up one keeps room for the big arm gesture and a layer underneath. A slightly roomy fit photographs better than a tight one anyway.

How should I wash a dabbing ugly sweater?

Cold wash on a gentle cycle, then air dry flat. Turn a printed sweatshirt inside out first so the dab graphic stays crisp, and keep knits out of the dryer to avoid shrinkage. Check the care label, as most of these are cotton-poly or acrylic blends that fade fast under high heat.

The Festive Folks’ Verdict

The dabbing ugly sweater is a perfect storm of holiday nonsense: a dated meme, a sacred tradition, and zero shame, all knitted together. Our top pick overall is the Traditional Design, Untraditional Sweater for the way it hides the joke inside a proper knit pattern, with the Dabbing Gang as the group-outfit champion and the pig as the connoisseur’s choice. Whichever way you go, commit fully. Wear it loud, hit the pose in every photo, and make the holidays funnier, uglier, and more unforgettable, one sweater at a time.