Clippy wishes you Happy Holidays on this years' Windows Ugly Sweater

(Image credit: Microsoft)

As we sweep our Halloween decorations to the curb, the smell of Christmas starts to permeate the air. Of course, it just doesn't feel like it's really coming up on the festive season until Microsoft releases its annual ugly sweater. This years efforts in over-priced nerdy knitwear features everyone's favourite digital office companion, Clippy, and it's definitely got a vibe to it.

Where last year's Microsoft Windows sweater was dedicated to Minesweeper, with a Christmas tree shaped gameboard complete with bombs and emoji Santa hat, this time we ring in the holidays with everyone's favourite, word processing software. Our main man Clippy, the mascot many of us remember from our earlier days using programs like Microsoft Word, is proudly front and centre, standing on a stack of paper.

As a kid I'd mostly just click on them for the animations, but they'd pop up tips in a speech bubble from time to time. You could also click on them to get options. I think most adults generally turned them off due to being a huge distracting cartoon that sat over the top of their work, interrupting them from time to time. What a concept.

Window shopping

(Image credit: Microsoft)

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In the terms of this sweater, Clippy has a message for you, just like he did in the good old days. A familiar speech bubble with "Happy Holidays!" cements call back, and the only option being a very unexcited seeming "Ok" is just even better. This paired with the fairly bland colour scheme and a theme that overall reminds us of work makes this a winner of an ugly sweater at almost every level. Though still not as good as some of these gamer sweaters.

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Windows Clippy Sweater — (Image credit: Microsoft)

Windows Ugly Sweater: Clippy Edition

Sadly as per usual the Microsoft sweater is devilishly expensive for what it is, and is already selling out fast. At time of writing the only options left are the 2XL and 3XL sizes, and shipping to countries outside of the United States can really add to the cost.

For now I'll just remember that the holiday spirit is inside of me all along, rather than on the outside in sweater form. I will try to keep the spirit of Clippy alive in my own way this holiday season, and reply to any offerings of "Happy Holidays!" or the likes with a firm "Ok".

Hope’s been writing about games for about a decade, starting out way back when on the Australian Nintendo fan site Vooks.net. Since then, she’s talked far too much about games and tech for publications such as Techlife, Byteside, IGN, and GameSpot. Of course there’s also here at PC Gamer, where she gets to indulge her inner hardware nerd with news and reviews. You can usually find Hope fawning over some art, tech, or likely a wonderful combination of them both and where relevant she’ll share them with you here. When she’s not writing about the amazing creations of others, she’s working on what she hopes will one day be her own. You can find her fictional chill out ambient far future sci-fi radio show/album/listening experience podcast right here.

No, she’s not kidding.