It’s the most wonderful time of the year – when I get to write about all the wild, wacky and wonderful branded merch unveiled during the holiday season. Last year, we solved, once and for all, whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie, and the year before that, I revealed my ambivalence toward stuffing and sang the praises of the Sam Adams’ beer mitten.

This holiday season, brands trotted out some truly deranged – in the best possible way – ugly sweaters, a few homages to classic seasonal films, and a new character designed to knock the smug elf right off his shelf.

So Many Ugly Sweaters

Pearl Milling Company created the “Family Stack Sweater” to celebrate togetherness during the holiday season.

The ugly Christmas sweater has almost become a cliché at this point, so brands really have to up their game if they want to stand out in this arena. Many were up to the challenge. Red Lobster paid homage to its coveted cheddar bay biscuits with a sweater decorated with snowflakes, lobsters and said biscuits. The sweater also included an insulated pocket to keep treats warm. Swiss Miss took it up a notch with a hot cocoa-scented holiday sweater that has an insulated zipper pouch to keep cocoa warm. The sweater is decorated with reversable sequins so that it can either read “I am hot” or “I am sweet.”

Perhaps the most ambitious entry in this category comes from Pearl Milling Company, which created the “Family Stack Sweater.” Available in a two-person, three-person or four-person design, the unique sweater features custom pockets to stow syrup and a spatula.

Taco Bell’s ugly sweater featuring packets of hot sauce and tiny red and yellow flames is positively tame in comparison to these other masterpieces.

Capitalizing on the Classics

Miller High Life created a leg lamp that doubles as a beer tower.

Other brands hitched their wagons to classic holiday films. Miller High Life taps into nostalgia for the 1983 film A Christmas Story, creating a fully functional, battery-powered leg lamp that doubles as a beer tower sized for a six-pack.

“Miller High Life is for nostalgic moments that bring people together, whether it’s having a cold beer in a dive bar or gathering for a holiday movie marathon,” said Rachel Rogers, associate marketing manager for Miller High Life.

The leg lamp beer tower is part of the brand’s celebration of dive bar culture – building on the success of last winter’s gingerbread dive bar kit, which sold out in less than two minutes, according to the company.

Meal-kit company HelloFresh teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products to launch limited-edition Buddy the Elf Spaghetti meal kits, inspired by the dish featured in the holiday film Elf.

“While drawing inspiration from the sweet spaghetti dish seen in the movie Elf, we created a chocolate-forward version that stays true to Buddy the Elf’s dish, incorporating crushed chocolate cereal, various chocolate candies, marshmallows, and of course, syrup,” said Michelle Doll Olson, HelloFresh culinary development manager.

A limited number of the super-sweet kits were available earlier this month.

Launching a New Tradition

Hidden Valley Ranch created a whole new character for the holiday season.

Elf on the Shelf never caught on in my household, mainly because I hate the effort involved and the idea that a creepy little elf boy is watching our every move. However, I’m a sucker for a good rhyme, so Hidden Valley Ranch’s “Ranch on a Branch” tickled my fancy.

“Ranchie” is a limited-edition plushie shaped like a bottle of ranch dressing that comes with a storybook about Ranchie’s quest to become “real.” As with Elf on the Shelf, people are encouraged to move the plush condiment around their houses each day to help him with his quest and as a reminder to spread joy during the holiday season and beyond.

“We were inspired to create Ranch on a Branch by the happiness we see Hidden Valley Ranch bring to ranch fans,” said Deb Crandall, marketing director at Hidden Valley Ranch.

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