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Google hosted its first-ever ‘ugly sweater’ contest and CEO Sundar Pichai wore a pullover that was far from ugly.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai wore this sweater to office and participated in the ‘ugly sweater’ contest. (Image: Instagram/@sundarpichai)
Google embraced the holiday season in style with its first-ever ‘ugly sweater’ contest for employees, and Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and its subsidiary Google, didn’t shy away from participating. He took to Instagram to share pictures from the contest, which was judged by Gemini, and congratulated the winners. While each sweater stood out for its creativity, it was Pichai’s choice of attire that truly stole the spotlight.
“We closed out 2024 with our first-ever Google-wide ugly sweater holiday contest last week. Gemini was the judge, and I have to say, it has good taste. Congrats to the winners, and thanks to everyone for the fun end of the year,” wrote Pichai while sharing several pictures on Instagram.
The photos show the vibrant and creative ‘ugly sweaters’ sported by top Google executives at the office. While most of Pichai’s colleagues opted for bright and quirky designs, his was far from ugly.
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The Google CEO opted for a black pullover that featured a playful design of two cricket bats, a ball, Christmas trees, and snowflakes – a perfect mix of festive spirit and a nod to his love for cricket.
Pichai’s choice of sweater may surprise some, but those familiar with him or his social media presence know of his passion for cricket. While growing up, he even dreamt of becoming a cricketer and idolised cricketing legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. Recently, he even extended an invitation to Elon Musk to join him for a South Africa vs India match.
Take a look at some of the ‘ugly sweaters’ people wore to the Google office:
What is an ‘ugly sweater’ contest?
An ‘ugly sweater’ contest is a popular holiday tradition held around Christmas, where people intentionally wear tacky and over-the-top sweaters. These sweaters are typically adorned with festive decorations such as oversized snowflakes, reindeer, Christmas trees, or even flashing lights. The contest aims to embrace the fun, quirky side of the holiday season and stand out by wearing the most amusing or outlandish sweater. The winner is usually chosen based on the creativity, humour, or absurdity of the sweater.
