Microsoft's 2019 #WindowsUglySweater campaign brings back those XP feels

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By Daniel Rubino
last updated

It's the time of the year for the latest soft-wear update

Ugly Sweater
Ugly Sweater (Image credit: Windows Central)

Last year, Microsoft jumped on the trend of "ugly holiday sweaters." Going back to classic Americana trends of wearing jumpers of questionable taste doubled-downed by adding corny holiday themes, sweaters are now the hipster December fashion trend.

In 2018, Dona Sarkar, who led the Windows Insider team, sent out sweaters to fans and influencers with the Windows 95 logo, so it only makes sense for 2019 we get Windows XP (we're pretending that whole Windows ME thing never happened).

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2019 #WindowsUglySweater

This time, however, Redmond went even a little further as the sweater comes in a Windows XP box – like the very ones that shipped in 2001 when the OS launched.

Small details like "Pro-ho-ho-fessional", "Version 2019", "Soft-wear Pack 2" and "Get ready to eXPerience the most impressive Windows soft-wear update yet" only add to the tongue-in-cheek cheesiness.

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2019 #WindowsUglySweater

Unfortunately, there are no plans to sell these limited-edition gems, but that doesn't mean we can't all enjoy them.

Many of your favorite Microsoft fans, developers, volunteers, educators, those in media who cover the brand, and people who have used Microsoft tech for good received the early holiday gifts this week. Here are a few who managed to get their hands on one.

Microsoft often gets a wrap for being too suit-and-tie sometimes, but every once in a while they let the hair loose and it sure is fun. We also guess this means that 2020 will have to be Windows 7-themed, which should be fun.

Daniel Rubino
Daniel Rubino
Editor-in-chief

Daniel Rubino is the Editor-in-chief of Windows Central. He is also the head reviewer, podcast co-host, and analyst. He has been covering Microsoft since 2007, when this site was called WMExperts (and later Windows Phone Central). His interests include Windows, laptops, next-gen computing, and watches. He has been reviewing laptops since 2015 and is particularly fond of 2-in-1 convertibles, ARM processors, new form factors, and thin-and-light PCs. Before all this tech stuff, he worked on a Ph.D. in linguistics, watched people sleep (for medical purposes!), and ran the projectors at movie theaters because it was fun.