Look, it doesn’t matter what season it is, cold beer is cold beer. But there’s just something a little more special about toasting a couple cold ones this time of year with the friends and family that make you the person that you are.
Everyone and their brother has a quirky ugly Christmas sweater these days, often brash and boorish in the interest of drumming up some lively conversation at an otherwise forgettable holiday event. No judgement here, but I long for the days when ridiculous winter sweaters weren’t an outrageous statement piece. They just fit into the season like a well-worn leather chair fits into a cozy living room.
In 2015, Miller Lite started my favorite ugly Christmas sweaters. With the help of London Kaye, they knit a yuletide “It’s Miller Time” billboard in Times Square. Then they released limited edition sweaters, which quickly sold out. Here’s our own Matt Keohan wearing one when Miller Lite came to our old NYC office with a couple case for the holidays:
All of this played up to the brand’s rebrand to vintage white cans and the old school Miller Lite logo, positioning Miller for a genuine nostalgia play – the light domestic beer your old man drank on the night he met your mom at a Bruce Springsteen show.
Last year, in addition to the sweater, they started another fun tradition: The champagne of beer, Miller High Life, in 750ml champagne bottles. The release was super limited edition and tough to get your hands on.. This is what it looked like, old school Miller High Life label and all.
Now they’re taking both the Miller High Life champagne bottles national, so keep your eye out for it this holiday season. It’s pictured in the spread above, with the High Life label we all know and love.
In the meantime, as you can see, I’m a huge fan of their overall holiday duds this year. I think it’s such a sincere marketing play in a world filled with insincerely noise to get you to open your wallet up this time of year. Can’t wait to wear them at my brother-in-law’s annual egg nog party in a few weeks, which has become somewhat of a holiday tradition of my own.
Three years in a row of Miller Lite sweaters as a holiday outfit at the annual holiday function. I wouldn’t do my 30s any other way.
If you’re looking to scoop up for yourself, good luck: These are basically all sold out for the season. Keep your eyes peeled next year.