Ugly sweaters were once a novelty of Christmas wardrobes past, now the seasonal abominations have grown into big business for used-clothing and pop-up retailers. If you aren't fortunate to have one in the back of the closet, an ugly sweater can be purchased for a premium price. No matter how you get your hands on one, one rule remains: the gaudier the better.

Tom Dodge/The Columbus Dispatch/AP
Temporary stores in Ohio outfit their racks with ugly Christmas sweaters for the Christmas season. In this photo, Nicole Musgrave models a ugly lamp shade at Flower Child. in Columbus, Ohio on Nov. 26.