Microsoft Reboots World’s ‘Most-Viewed’ Picture As An Ugly Holiday Sweater
Images via Xbox Gear Shop
Microsoft is once again knitting the threads of nostalgia, holiday traditions, and technology with the 2023 edition of the Windows Ugly Sweater, and this time, it’s paying homage to an iconic piece of digital history—the Windows XP Bliss wallpaper.
Drawing inspiration from the classic landscape that greeted PC users since 2001, the holiday outerwear reimagines its lush, HD green hill and tranquil, cloudy blue sky in knitted form.
Image via Xbox Gear Shop
“It looks good on a monitor, but better on you,” the company proclaims. The item also incorporates design elements harking back to the days of Windows XP, including the bright-blue taskbar, which is echoed in the sweater’s blue hemming. The entire look literally clicks together with a mouse pointer hovering over the hill.
Image via Xbox Gear Shop
The muse, synonymous with the computing era of the early 2000s, holds a special place in the digital world. It was captured by photographer Charles O’Rear in 1996, and was sold as a stock photo. Microsoft later purchased it in 2000 and made it the default desktop wallpaper for the operating system.
The Bliss wallpaper holds the distinction of being one of the most viewed photographs in the world, and it stands as a symbol of nostalgia for the digital generation.
Image via Xbox Gear Shop
Microsoft’s ugly Christmas sweatshirts from past years honored tech relics like Clippy and Minesweeper. Now, it’s saving Bliss to its menu.
The garment’s warming qualities don’t stop with its cozy cotton and acrylic material. Proceeds from the sale of the Bliss Edition will go to The Nature Conservancy, an organization dedicated to conserving lands and waters.
Alongside this pullover, Microsoft has also unleashed a series of wallpapers inspired by Bliss. These artsy backgrounds can be downloaded for desktops or mobile devices, allowing fans to carry this slice of the past back into the digital realm.
Images via Xbox Gear Shop
The “Blissmas” sweater is priced at US$69.99 and comes in sizes ranging from SM to 3XL. You can get it from the Xbox Gear Shop, while supplies last.
Images via Xbox Gear Shop
[via PCMag, Tom’s Hardware, Ars Technica, Windows Central, images via Xbox Gear Shop]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.
