If you’re sensing a bit more activity on TikTok than usual today, you’re not alone. Somewhere between countless Thanksgiving memes, The Defrosting, and the Christmas media onslaught is TikTok’s newest trend, centered around today’s date—December 3rd. But the “3rd December” (or “December 3rd” or “Heather Day”) phenomenon isn’t as splashy as some of its predecessors; in fact, it’s quite the opposite.
A quiet, cozy, and somewhat nostalgic TikTok movement, December 3rd TikTokers call for one thing, and one thing alone: the temporary use of a cute boy’s sweater.
@surakshyaitani This is your sign to buy Sweater for your girl before 3rd dec 🌸 #3rddecember #trending ♬ Heather – 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐘
What is the December 3rd meme and TikTok trend?
The 3rd of December trend involves TikTokers posting videos asking for their crush’s sweater, remembering a time when their crush or romantic interest gave them a sweater, or holding space for the romantic gesture of receiving a sweater. Commonly, the individual in the video will express needing/wanting/having a sweater by way of lip-synching parts of the Conan Gray song “Heather,” with a wistful or warm tone.
Why is December 3rd important to this trend?
This trend stems from the first lyric of Gray’s song: “I still remember, third of December, me in your sweater. You said it looked better on me than it did you.” The track, which has remained popular on TikTok since its 2020 release, is now strongly associated with December 3, a day when one would likely wear or need a sweater and where one might be in a romantic, nostalgic, or cozy state of mind.
@conehead538 #conangray #fypp ♬ original sound – urlocalconehead
What does this trend mean?
The 3rd December TikTok trend is used communicate users’ personal experience around the lyric of the song, as a call to share or receive a sweater and to express a kind of cozy wistfulness around the gestures of an innocent crush. Still some videos go even further, asking the universe for a crush that might some day share their sweater on a chilly winter’s day.
Both wholesome and innocent, this trend is appealing to viewers because it feeds into this specific time of year: between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when people are perhaps traveling, spending time with loved ones, and indulging in a kind of wintry, romantic nostalgia.
But…is it a real thing?
Although many users participate in this trend, it is unknown whether sweaters are shared between individuals and might just serve as a means to express the tone and memories around that kind of gesture.
Either way, Conan Gray is on board
Gray himself acknowledges the 3rd December trend every year. In a 2024 Instagram post, he wrote: “happy fifth annual heather day. like always, i made a sweater for all of you who didn’t happen to get one from your crush on this 3rd of december,” adding, “unbelievably grateful for another year of screaming this song with y’all :,)) thank you for five years of heather days. it’s nice to know i’m not the only one not getting a sweater this year.”
Gray’s line of “Heather” merch commemorates the song and the day, and is mostly comprised of sweatshirts with the words “your sweater” embroidered on them. So hey, if you can’t borrow a sweater from a boy on December 3rd, you can at least buy yourself a cozy, $70.00 sweatshirt that you’ll never, ever have to return.
@daf_864 3rd of December #fypppppp #fypツ #fypage #viral? #fypシ゚viral #4up #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp #sweater #3rdofdecember #realatable #Repost ♬ Heather – 𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐘
More TikTok trends:
- What is the ‘I Understand It Now’ meme on TikTok?
- The viral ‘We Listen And We Don’t Judge’ TikTok trend is causing savage breakups
- Explaining the ‘Sticking Out Your Tongue For The Picture’ meme and TikTok trend
- A clip of 4-year-old Barron Trump saying ‘I Like My Suitcase’ is now a TikTok meme
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