The holiday season is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with an Ugly Sweater Party? It’s that time of year when we can embrace the weird, the naughty, and the downright funny in our friends and family. So, grab your knitting needles, dust off those eye-catching sweaters, and get ready to host an unforgettable bash that’s as fun as a fashion-challenge!
What is the Ugly Sweater Party?
An Ugly Sweater party is a social gathering where attendees wear intentionally unattractive, unattractive, or otherwise “ugly” holiday-themed sweaters. These sweaters are often characterized by bright colors and bold patterns and sometimes include elements such as holiday-themed decorations, bells, or lights.
The concept of Ugly sweater parties became popular in the late 20th century and has become a fun and lighthearted holiday tradition in many parts of the world. Guests at these parties usually compete to see who can wear the most exquisitely ugly sweater, and prizes may be awarded for the most creatively hideous attire.
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What to Do at an Ugly Sweater Party
I’m excited to share all the festive fun with our recent Ugly Sweater Extravaganza! Let me tell you, it’s a hoot and a half!
First things first, I went all out with the decorations. I’m talking twinkling lights, tinsel garlands, and a tree that practically sings “Jingle Bells” when you drive by! And of course, I have an entire station set up for DIY sweater decorating. Glitter, pom-poms, and even a hot glue gun appeared. The creativity is flowing, let me tell you!
Now let’s talk about sweaters, folks. I raid thrift stores, grandma’s closet, you name it! The wackier, the better! We had sweaters with reindeer, Santas, and snowmen—you name it, we wore it! And let’s not forget the competition for “Most Outrageous Ugly Sweater.” The winner? A sweater with actual jingling bells that speaks of holiday spirit!
The kids also had an absolute blast. We set up a little hot cocoa bar with all the toppings. Mini marshmallows, crushed candy canes, and whipped cream galore! They hopped on the sugar and giggled all night.
And you know we can’t have a party without some good old fashioned games. We played “Pin the Nose on Rudolph” and had a fun round of Ugly Sweater Bingo. Laughter is absolutely contagious, let me tell you!
But the best part of the whole shebang? The memories we made Seeing everyone decked out in their holiday worst, sipping cocoa, and making my mom’s heart so happy. It’s moments like this that remind me why I love this season so much!
Ugly Sweater Contest: The highlight of the night! Encourage your guests to show off their ugliest, most creative sweaters. You can have categories like “Most Tacky,” “Most Festive,” and “DIY Masterpiece.” Give out prizes for winners, like tacky trophies or holiday-themed gifts.
DIY Ugly Sweater Crafting: Set up a crafting station with plain sweaters, fabric paint, glitter, and all kinds of tacky embellishments. Let your guests get creative and make their own ugly sweater designs. It’s a fantastic icebreaker and a great way to keep everyone entertained.
Christmas Karaoke: Prepare a selection of holiday songs and set up a karaoke machine. Encourage your guests to belt out their favorite Christmas tunes in their ugly sweater glory.
Ugly Sweater Trivia: Host a festive trivia game with holiday-themed questions. You can cover a variety of topics, from classic movies to popular Christmas traditions. Offer small prizes for correct answers.
White Elephant Gift Exchange: Organize a White Elephant gift exchange where guests bring unique, funny, or downright unusual gifts. It’s always a hoot to see how it all ends.
Holiday Movie Marathon: Set up a cozy movie-watching spot with comfy blankets and pillows. Play classic holiday movies like “Home Alone,” “Elf,” or “A Christmas Story.”
Ugly Sweater Relay Race: Organize a relay race with guests wearing their ugly sweaters. They will have to complete silly tasks or challenges while wearing their festive and sometimes elaborate costumes.
Secret Santa: If you want to add a gift-giving element to your party, ask guests to participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange. Set a budget and encourage them to choose gifts that are as fun and unique as their ugly sweaters.
Ugly Sweater Party Decorations
Bring your party theme to your decorations with fun Ugly Sweater party decoration ideas.
Ugly Sweater Garland: Start by making or buying an Ugly Sweater themed garland. You can easily make one using felt or paper cutouts of sweater shapes held together with twine. Hang it in the entryway or along the party area for a warm and cozy touch.
Tacky Tinsel: Go wild with tinsel! Drape tinsel garlands throughout, even on the ceiling for a true holiday feel.
Giant Knit Pillows: Place giant, knitted throw pillows around your living space to create a cozy atmosphere. Bonus points if they resemble oversized sweaters!
Festive Lights: String up twinkling holiday lights throughout the party area. Mix and match colors to create a cozy atmosphere.
DIY Ugly Sweater Photo Booth: Create a photo booth area with an array of ugly sweaters and accessories like oversized glasses, funny hats, and colorful scarves. Provide a Polaroid camera for instant photo enjoyment and memories.
Ugly Sweater Contest Stage: Save space for the Ugly Sweater Contest. Set up a small stage with a backdrop, and get ready for a fashion showdown!
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Ugly Sweater Party Food Ideas
Make sure your Ugly Sweater party is one to remember with these fun food ideas.
Savory Sweater Pie: Make mini pot pies or delicious hand pies and use a sweater-shaped cookie cutter to create a decorative pastry top. They will be a hit!
Ugly Sweater Cookies: Bake sugar cookies and have a decorating station with colorful icing, sprinkles, and edible markers for guests to make their own Ugly Sweater Cookies.
Hot Cocoa Bar: Set up a hot cocoa bar with a variety of toppings like whipped cream, marshmallows, crushed candy canes, and sprinkles. Provide cute mugs and stirring spoons for a festive touch.
Sandwich Shaped Sweaters: Make sandwiches and use sweater-shaped cookie cutters to create fun, bite-sized sandwiches. Fill them with different ingredients to please the guests.
Candy Cane “Striped” Treats: Include candy canes in your treats, such as candy cane-shaped Rice Krispie treats or peppermint-flavored brownies.
Christmas Tree Fruit: Arrange various colorful fruits in the shape of a Christmas tree on a large platter. Provide a yogurt dip for guests to enjoy the fruit.
Sweater-Inspired Cheese Platter: Make a cheese platter in the shape of an ugly sweater. Arrange different types of cheese in a sweater pattern and use cherry tomatoes or olives to decorate it like buttons or ornaments.
Mini Ugly Sweater Pizzas: Serve mini pizzas with sweater-shaped pepperoni or other toppings. You can use a sweater-shaped cookie cutter to make the pepperoni patterns or cut them into holiday shapes.
Ugly Sweater Deviled Egg: Make deviled eggs and decorate the tops with festive and fun designs using paprika, chives, and other colorful spices. Try creating mini sweater patterns for an extra touch.
Tacky Taco Bar: Set up a taco bar with all the fixings and encourage guests to pile their tacos high with ingredients in wild and colorful combinations. Use taco shells with multicolored stripes for extra tackiness.
Ugly Sweater Fruit Salad: Prepare a fruit salad using a variety of colorful fruits such as strawberries, kiwi, blueberries, and pineapple. Arrange fruits to create sweater-like patterns or holiday-themed designs.
Ugly Sweater Cupcake Decorations: Bake a batch of cupcakes and provide a decorating station with colored icing, edible glitter, and Ugly Sweater-themed toppers. Let guests decorate their own cupcakes with tacky flair.
Sweater-Inspired Dip: Make a festive dip, like spinach and artichoke dip or buffalo chicken dip, and use colored bell peppers, shredded cheese, and sour cream to decorate the top in a sweater pattern.
CChristmas Sweater Sushi: If you’re feeling adventurous, serve sushi rolls cut into sweater shapes. Decorate them with colorful sauces and edible seaweed strips to create festive patterns.
Final Note of the Ugly Sweater Party
With these ideas, your Ugly Sweater Party is sure to be a memorable and laugh-filled event that brings out the holiday spirit in everyone. So, gather your friends and family, put on your most amazing sweaters, and let the fun begin!
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About the Author
Jane Sheriff is the founder, creative director, party planner and mother of three. She started Darling Celebrations in 2012 to share easy and beautiful ideas for celebrating life’s special events.
