Looking for a stylish seasonal knit? Such a thing exists, you know .

Festive sweaters have come a long way in recent years. No longer just a gewgaw item to be worn once to the office party, de-fuzzed and then ritually condemned to 11 months in sartorial Siberia, they’ve been embraced by menswear’s leading lights such as Thom Browne and Beams Plus and, pleasingly, lost their novelty value.

At MR PORTER, we take our knitwear very seriously. If it’s worth a place in our wardrobe, it should get more than one outing a year. And that’s how we feel about festive sweaters. Why? Well it’s got a lot to do with the rise of hygge, the Scandinavian concept of winter cosiness that’s got both sides of the Atlantic gripped as winter arrives (*stops typing to take bite of cinnamon bun and sip of hot chocolate*). 

So to get into the holiday spirit, just in time for Thanksgiving, the MR PORTER team shares the seven sweaters you won’t want to take off this winter.

When I think about Christmas jumpers, the image of Bridget Jones’ Mr Darcy pops into my head. Showing up anywhere with a Santa embroidered on your top is never a good idea, but neither is being a boring old Grinch. So this year, I decided to defy any embarrassment by wearing this wool and mohair-blend sweater from Mr Thom Browne. Yes, it features Hector, the designer’s beloved dachshund pup, but the fitted silhouette it will create is just stylish enough, especially when paired with blue chinos and suede trainers. I just hope Gino, my Jack Russell, won’t be jealous.

I’m not going to pretend that a glittery mohair Fair Isle jumper has a million different uses in the modern world. But if any time is perfect for wearing this example from Saint Laurent, it’s the holidays, at which point it will absolutely outdo any of the sadly un-be-sequined rival varieties that friends and well-wishers are bound to be sporting. I’d wear this with a pair of slim black jeans from Frame, a pair of suede desert boots from Heschung, and a giant smile on my face, in full knowledge that I am bound to be the most Christmas tree-like person in the room, wherever I happen to be this December.

We may be past Peak Irony, but I still prefer the longer lasting warm “hygge” hug of a chunky winter woollen over the throwaway laugh of cheap novelty polyester. This navy and white intarsia knit from Beams Plus has the throwback look of a vintage ski poster and would go very well with heavy-duty jeans and Thorogood’s insulated, shock absorbing Goodyear-welted winter boots. With a jumper this thick, you probably don’t need a bulky coat, so I’d complete the look with The Workers Club’s weatherproof navy and burgundy jacket, made from water and wind repellent H20 Protector cotton-canvas. Trust me, that’ll be much more effective in battling the elements when waiting for the last train home than some flashing reindeer antlers and a skinful of gluhwein.

What could possibly sweeten the mood more than a sweater that resembles the glaze on top of a Christmas pudding? This Neil Barrett sweater pays tribute to a classic Fair Isle knit across the hem and sleeves while staying true to the brand’s beloved monochrome colour palette – I’m dreaming of a black and white Christmas? – and punchy use of graphics. To top off the whole alternative festive look, I’d pair it with some with dark denim and black velvet sneakers.

Like dogs, Fair Isle sweaters are soft, cuddly and need to be taken for regular walks. And unlike other forms of festive attire – novelty antlers, paper crowns and (shudder) mistletoe-garnished underpants – they are also for life, and not just for Christmas. Thankfully, you don’t need to be safely ensconced indoors, on the sofa, in a brandy-butter-induced coma, to get away with this one by Belgian brand Howlin’. Made in Scotland from mélange wool, it’s seasonal enough to swerve the Scrooge comparisons, but subtle enough to be worked into your everyday wardrobe. For one day only (the big day), you could team it with similarly jovial socks and a bobble hat, but I wouldn’t recommend it all-year round (it would get a bit toasty in July, for example).

I don’t like Christmas – bah, humbug! ­– and so my sweater of choice has a very nuanced festive feel to it. I will ban pattern and any form of joy from my pick, but will agree to a sweater in the colour green (a nod to holly and pine trees). This one from Prada is a very flattering hue, and a nice short-ish fit which makes legs look longer.