Reindeer Classic Knitted Christmas Sweater: The Norwegian Reindeer Band
Somebody has to make the reindeer one. The Owl has made her peace with this.
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Reindeer Classic is the sweater everybody pictures when you say Christmas sweater: a band of Norwegian reindeer marching across the chest, cream and crimson and deep pine with gold running between them, snowflakes above, geometry below. It is the most obvious design in the range and the Owl treats it with exactly the same seriousness as the obscure ones, which is a great deal.
She would like it noted that obvious and easy are different words.
The Owl explains the reindeer
The reindeer band is genuine Norwegian charting, not a cartoon deer stretched across a jumper. Each animal is built on a grid, two colours per row, with the legs and antlers reading cleanly at knit scale, which is where most reindeer sweaters fall apart. Get the proportions wrong by two stitches and the reindeer looks like a dog. Get it wrong by three and it looks like a table.
Ours are charted properly. The band repeats evenly so the reindeer meet at the side seam instead of one of them losing a head, and the Owl checks that seam on every size, which is the part of the job she enjoys least and refuses to delegate.
The gold is doing quiet work. It sits between the cream and the pine and stops the whole thing reading as a flag.
The Ugly Rating: 4 out of 10
Middle of the range, and correctly so. This is a recognisable Christmas sweater that people will smile at rather than laugh at, which is a different transaction and one to understand before you buy.
The Chief Festivity Officer gave it a 4 and observed that it is the safest present in the catalogue. If you are buying for somebody whose taste you do not know, this is the one. Nobody has ever opened a properly made reindeer sweater and been disappointed.
What the rest of them made of it
Sitting Duck, Head of Quality Control
Counted the reindeer. Checked the side seam. Checked the side seam on the next size up. Found the herd intact and sat down. The Owl exhaled.
Cool Cat, Head of Morale
Called it “the one your aunt will like”, which was intended as an insult and was received as a market analysis. It is now in the brief.
Deer, Head of Illuminations
Has strong personal feelings about this design and has recused himself from the review. He does own one.
Bull, Head of Careful Handling
Noted that a design with this much cream in it will show everything, and recommended not carrying gravy while wearing it. This was the only practical note anyone made.
Every form Reindeer Classic comes as
Four, all knitted rather than printed.
The knitted crew, $149
The full reindeer band with snowflake and geometric bands above and below. Real jacquard through our custom knit program, two colours per row, ribbing at collar, cuffs and hem. Unisex classic fit, one price at every size, about two weeks on the needles.
The knitted vest, $119
Sleeves off, over a shirt. The same herd marches across the chest, eight reindeer in the same cream, crimson, pine and gold, with snowflake and geometric bands above and below. It is the one that survives an overheated office.
The knitted pet sweater, $75
Reindeer, rescaled for a dog. There is a specific joke in putting reindeer on a dog and the dog remains unaware of it, which improves the joke considerably.
The you-and-your-dog matching set, $199
One for you and one for the dog, $199 together against $224 apart. This is the most photographed thing we sell and the reindeer version is the most photographed of those.
Wearing the most recognisable sweater at the party
The advantage of an obvious design is that it needs no explanation. The risk is looking like a card. Keep everything else plain and modern: dark denim, plain boots, nothing else festive anywhere on you. The sweater is the costume, and one costume is the limit.
It runs true to size in a unisex classic fit. Between sizes, or after a slouchier look, go up one. The sizing and fit guide has the detail.
One practical note. Because this is knitted rather than printed, it survives being worn every December for years instead of cracking after two washes. That is the difference between a costume and a sweater, and it is why the reindeer one deserves doing properly.
When can you get it?
Every knit is made to order and ships standard only, so the Christmas deadline arrives earlier than people expect.
Order by November 15 for delivery before Christmas, worldwide. That covers the crew, the vest, the pet sweater and the matching set. There is no express option on knitwear, because the two weeks on the needles happens before anything ships.
After November 15 the knits stay orderable and arrive after Christmas Day. If you are reading this in December, the all-over-print sweatshirts and badge tees run to December 11 in the USA. All dates are on the shipping and cut-off page.
FAQ
Is this a traditional Norwegian reindeer pattern?
Yes. The reindeer are charted on a proper grid, two colours per row, with an even repeat so the band meets correctly at the side seam rather than cutting an animal in half.
Is it a good present for someone whose taste I do not know?
It is the safest one we make. A well-made reindeer sweater is close to universally liked, which is not true of the louder designs.
Is it knitted or printed?
Knitted. Real jacquard through our custom knit program, made after you order it, about two weeks on the needles.
Does the dog version match?
Same reindeer, same yarns, rescaled for a dog. The $199 matching set is the cheaper way to buy both.
Does the price change by size?
Never. One flat price per form across the whole size range.
When is the last day to order for Christmas?
November 15, worldwide, on every knitted form. Printed items run to December 11 in the USA and November 26 internationally.
The Festive Folks’ Verdict
Buy Reindeer Classic if you want the Christmas sweater everyone pictures, made properly instead of printed badly. It is the safest gift in the range and the one most likely to be worn again next year.
The Deer has recused himself. He owns one. Draw your own conclusions.
Get it
Every form, made to order and shipped with tracking.
Christmas timing: This one ships from the retailer, so check their cutoff at checkout and order early rather than late. Our own cutoffs are November 15 for knits and December 11 for prints, listed on our shipping times page.
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