30 Ugly Christmas sweater party ideas
What’s not to love about an ugly Christmas sweater party that encourages you to come cozy up, get toasty, and celebrate the season in a very low-key way? Nothing, if you ask around the Paperless Post office. An ugly sweater party is fair game for your team’s holiday happy hour or Christmas Eve with the family. We’ll dive into our best ugly sweater party ideas, including the newest ugly sweater party invitations, tried-and-true decorations, the down-low on DIY ugly sweaters, and the best ugly sweater party games.
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What is an ugly sweater party?
Guests are encouraged (or required!) to wear ugly sweaters, but it’s more of a spirit than a party prescription. The allure of an ugly Christmas sweater party is that everything is in bad taste—from the dress code to the evening’s activities and the menu. It’s freeing after a season of formal parties, heels, and good behavior. Once guests arrive, what you do next is up to you: karaoke, games, an ugly sweater contest, or even a gift exchange.
When did ugly sweater parties start?
You’re probably wondering how this fascination with ugly Christmas parties started in the first place. As the holiday became more commercialized in the 1950s, people began adding jingle bells to Christmas sweaters. Then came the ugly sweaters of classic 1980s sitcom families like the Huxtables. In 1989 Chevy Chase’s ugly sweaters in “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” walked a fine line between earnest and ironic. Then Colin Firth’s reindeer sweater in “Bridget Jones’ Diary” was unfortunate. The first recorded ugly sweater party took place in 2002 at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver, and it has become a mainstay ever since.
Ugly Christmas sweater party themes
Once you’ve set the date and thought of the perfect ugly sweater invitation, it’s time to think about your party theme. An ugly sweater party theme sets the tone for the rest of the night, and it will help your guests plan ahead for the type of experience you’re hoping they will come away with, whether it’s a night full of Christmas-themed games or a full-blown ugly sweater pageant.
- ‘70s basement party. Think embarrassing family holiday photos and Elton John on the playlist. Pass around disposable cameras or an Instax and take group photos next to the fireplace (or the crackling logs station on Netflix).
- Hygge party. Go in a Danish direction with a hygge vibe complete with tea lights, smørrebrød, ginger cookies, and plenty of aquavit.
- Christmas-themed game night. From Christmas Carol charades to pin the nose on the reindeer, this party theme is sure to keep your guests playing all night long. Need additional game ideas? We’ve got them!
- Christmas movie marathon. Invite all your friends over to watch your holiday favorites wearing on-theme Christmas sweaters. Yes, you need to watch “Home Alone,” and yes, you need to wear a “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals” shirt.
- Ugly sweater beauty pageant. Everyone’s a contestant, and only the best, ugliest sweater will take home the crown.
Create a cozy ambiance with Christmas décor
For an ugly Christmas sweater party, the tackier the décor, the better.
- Santa kitsch items. The more Santa figurines, the better.
- Themed tableware. Get your plates, napkins, and bar items in the Christmas spirit. For an ugly sweater party, it’s all about clashing, so mix and match gaudier options with classic Christmas staples like buffalo check or red and green.
- Play your favorite Christmas movies in the background. Keep the retro vibe going with films like “Die Hard,” “Home Alone,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Scrooged,” or “Bad Santa.”
- Add a photo backdrop to capture ugly memories. Everyone went all out with their Christmas sweaters, so you need to capture the embarrassment forever. Put up a metallic photo backdrop and give your guests props like reindeer antlers and Santa beards to inspire their kookiest poses. Use a Polaroid camera and let guests take photos home as a keepsake.
Ugly Christmas sweater games and activities
- Christmas karaoke.
- Christmas carol Pictionary or charades.
- The ugly sweater game. Hand each guest an (unbreakable) ornament to hang from their sweater when they arrive. If someone says “holiday” or “Christmas,” the person who catches them gets their ornament. The person with the most ornaments at the end of the evening wins.
- Ugly sweater contest. It’s not a party without an ugly sweater contest. Have a few categories on the ballot and let guests place their votes in corresponding bowls. After that, hand out cheesy trophies to the winners for a grand finale.
- Decorate gingerbread men with ugly sweaters of their own.
- Decorate your own ugly sweater. Encourage all those guests who show up in tasteful ugly sweaters to get into the spirit with a craft station set out with glue guns, jingle bells, and tinsel.
- Make your own ornaments. Keep it on theme and challenge your guests to go gaudy or go home.
- Christmas tree hairdo competition. Who can adorn their head with the most outlandish Christmas tree décor without it all toppling down? Anyone who can pull off a beehive is sure to win this one, but we love to watch everyone try.
Food ideas for your ugly sweater party
Now isn’t the time to break out the fine china. Instead, create a menu that gives you an excuse to indulge in classic Christmas party food that feels dated but delicious.
- Order fried chicken or pick up a honey-glazed ham.
- Serve retro apps like shrimp cocktails, Swedish meatballs, Jello mold shots, pretzels in a bucket, or a cheeseball in the shape of a Christmas tree.
- Opt for one on-theme drink you can serve in a punch bowl, like eggnog or rum punch. Then, ladle into a festive Santa cup.
- For dessert, serve classic candy cane, cookies, and chocolate on kitschy napkins.
What do you wear to an ugly sweater party?
Looking for an ugly Christmas sweater idea? The good news is that there is no shortage of ugly sweaters out there.
- Your favorite sports team
- Southwestern sweater
- Silly animals like pizza cats or naughty gingerbread men
- Santa, elves, or snowmen
- Ugly Christmas sweater dress
- Couples sweaters—two Christmas elves, Mr. and Mrs. Claus, naughty and nice, two snowmen, or Christmas pajamas.
- Pop culture references. From a “Party Planning Committee” shirt to a “Wet Bandits Plumbing Company” button-up, your friends will chuckle when they get the reference.
- DIY ugly Christmas sweater. After all, the absolute ugliest Christmas sweaters are DIY. Hit up your closet or a thrift store to start with a mildly ugly sweater, break out the hot glue gun, add ornaments, LED light strands, tinsel garland, bows, and gemstones, or an oversized Christmas stocking that conveniently holds a bottle of wine.
- Add accessories like tinsel hoop earrings or a pair of Christmas ornament earrings
Ugly sweater party invitations
No matter what ugly sweater party idea you choose set the tone with an ugly sweater party invitation. Whether you’re throwing a festive office Christmas party or hosting an ugly sweater contest, give your guests a sneak peek with holiday party invitations to get them excited. Craft your invites with the perfect holiday party invite wording, besides the important details.
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