Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Ideas: Contest, Games & DIY
An ugly Christmas sweater party is one of the easiest Christmas parties to host: the dress code is the decoration and the contest is the entertainment. This guide covers invitation wording, 12 contest award categories with a voting ballot, games that use the sweaters themselves, ten no-sew DIY sweater ideas with a supply list, and where to buy a sweater if you are short on time.
Updated October 2026.
How to Host an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party
The party mostly runs itself once guests are in their sweaters. These six steps cover what you need to do beforehand.
Start · 3–4 weeks before
- 1
Pick a date three to four weeks ahead
December weekends fill up quickly, and guests who have to make or order a sweater need time. Send the invitation as soon as you have a date.
- 2
Put the dress code in the invitation
Say that a sweater is the ticket in, that thrifted, borrowed and homemade all count, and name the awards so people know what they are competing for.
- 3
Choose how you will judge
A ballot slip for every guest is the easiest way to run the contest. Decide on your award categories before the party and buy a small prize for each.
- 4
Plan food that works in a crowded room
Finger foods, a hot drinks station and cookies mean nobody needs a plate and a table. Knits get warm fast, so keep cold drinks and water available too.
- 5
Set up a photo spot
A wall of string lights, a tinsel curtain or a plain door with a wreath, plus a basket of props, gives guests somewhere to show off their sweater.
- 6
Run the contest and one or two games
Hand out the ballots when guests arrive, play a mingling game while people eat, then count the votes and announce the winners before guests start leaving.
Finish · party night
Invitation wording to copy
Ugly sweater required. Wear your tackiest Christmas sweater, thrifted, homemade or borrowed from a relative. Prizes for ugliest, most creative and best lights. Cookies and cocoa provided.
You're invited to our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party! The uglier the better. Votes at 8, awards at 9. Bring a friend with equally questionable taste.
No sweater, no entry (we'll lend you tinsel). Ugly Christmas sweater party at our place on December [date], with a contest, games and hot chocolate.
Ugly Sweater Contest: 12 Award Categories
Having several categories means more guests go home with a prize. Pick six to eight from this list so the voting doesn't drag on.
- Ugliest Overall: the sweater nobody can look away from
- Most Creative: the cleverest idea or the funniest pun
- Best DIY: made by the person wearing it
- Best Lights: the brightest glow in the room
- Most Over the Top: more layers, more tinsel, more everything
- Best Thrift Find: the sweater with the best story
- Most Likely to Be Hand-Knit by a Relative: affectionately ugly
- Best Pair or Group: matching couples, families and friend groups
- Best Kid or Pet Sweater: for the youngest and furriest guests
- Most Subtle: the quiet, sneaky ugly one
- Best Prop: a sweater that jingles, lights up or moves
- Judge's Pick: the host's personal favorite
How to run the vote
Give each guest a slip of paper when they arrive. They write their name and one vote for each award, and drop the slip in a bowl. Count the votes during a game, announce the winners one category at a time and keep a tie simple: the two sweaters walk a 10-second runway and the crowd claps for the winner. For a work party, a small panel of two or three judges is quicker.
Sample ballot
- Your name:
- Ugliest Overall:
- Most Creative:
- Best DIY:
- Best Lights:
- Best Pair or Group:
Ugly Christmas Sweater Party Games
8 games · the sweaters are the main event
These eight games use the sweaters as the main event. For general Christmas games, see our guide to 40 Christmas party games.
Game 1
Sweater Bingo
- Players
- any number
- Time
- 20 min, played while mingling
- You need
- printed bingo cards and pens
Make cards with squares like reindeer, snowman, lights, pom-poms, tinsel, glitter, Santa, a pun and a hand-knit look. Guests find sweaters that match each square and write the wearer's name in it. The first to fill a row wins, and the mingling is built in.
Game 2
Real or Made Up?
- Players
- 6 or more
- Time
- 15 min
- You need
- nothing
Each guest has 20 seconds to tell the story of their sweater, and it can be true or invented. The group votes on whether it is real, and a guest scores a point every time they fool a majority.
Game 3
Sweater Runway
- Players
- 8 or more
- Time
- 15 min
- You need
- a speaker and a clear hallway
Clear a runway and play music while each guest walks it. The host reads a made-up designer description, like “inspired by a snowman's midlife crisis,” and the crowd's applause picks the winner.
Game 4
Sweater Twins
- Players
- 6 or more
- Time
- 10 min
- You need
- nothing
Guests find the person whose sweater is closest to theirs in color or pattern. Each pair takes a photo together, and the group votes for the best twin match.
Game 5
Ugly Sweater White Elephant
- Players
- 6 or more
- Time
- 30–45 min
- You need
- a wrapped ugly sweater per guest
Everyone brings a wrapped, thrifted or homemade ugly sweater under a set price. Play by white elephant rules: draw numbers, then open a gift or steal one. Whatever you end up with, you wear for the rest of the party.
Game 6
Sweater Scavenger Hunt
- Players
- 6 or more, in teams
- Time
- 15 min
- You need
- a list of features
Give each team a list of things to find among the sweaters: lights, a pet, a pun, a pom-pom, a 3D decoration, a hand-knit label. The first team to find and photograph them all wins.
Game 7
Sweater Relay
- Players
- 8 or more, in teams
- Time
- 10 min
- You need
- two oversized sweaters
Teams line up. The first player pulls an oversized sweater on over their clothes, runs to a marker and back, and passes the sweater to the next teammate. The first team to finish wins.
Game 8
Photo Booth
- Players
- any number
- Time
- all party
- You need
- lights or tinsel and a basket of props
Hang a backdrop of string lights or tinsel and put out Santa hats, antlers and oversized glasses. Take a group photo near the end and one for each category winner.
10 No-Sew DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater Ideas
10 ideas · a sweatshirt, glue and decorations
You don't need to sew or spend much. A plain sweatshirt, some glue and a handful of decorations are enough for an ugly sweater people will remember.
Idea 1 of 10
Pom-Pom Explosion
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 30 min, plus drying
- You need
- a sweatshirt, pom-poms and fabric glue
Glue pom-poms of every size in a cluster or in the shape of a tree. Add a few in the sleeves for an even tackier look. Let the glue dry overnight before wearing.
Idea 2 of 10
Tinsel Garland Tree
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 30 min, plus drying
- You need
- tinsel garland, pom-poms and fabric glue
Glue strips of tinsel garland in a zigzag to form a tree shape, then add pom-poms as ornaments and a felt star on top.
Idea 3 of 10
Puffy Paint Reindeer or Snowman
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 30 min, plus drying
- You need
- puffy fabric paint and a sweatshirt
Draw a simple reindeer, snowman or Christmas tree with puffy paint and let it dry for the time on the bottle. Draw it lightly in chalk first if you want it neat, or skip that for extra ugly.
Idea 4 of 10
Felt Santa Belly
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 30 min
- You need
- a red sweatshirt, black and white felt, and fabric glue
Cut a wide black felt belt and a gold buckle and glue them across the middle. Add white felt trim down the front for Santa's coat.
Idea 5 of 10
Light-Up Tree
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 20 min
- You need
- battery fairy lights and safety pins
Pin a string of battery fairy lights in a tree or reindeer shape and tuck the battery pack into a pocket or a pinned felt pouch. Take them off before washing the sweater.
Idea 6 of 10
Jingle Bell Wreath
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 30 min, plus drying
- You need
- jingle bells and fabric glue
Glue jingle bells in a circle to make a wreath, and finish with a felt bow at the bottom. It jingles with every step, so expect to be heard before you are seen.
Idea 7 of 10
Iron-On Patch Overload
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 20 min
- You need
- Christmas iron-on patches and an iron
Cover the front of a plain sweatshirt with Christmas patches and press them on with an iron following the instructions. It is the quickest DIY here and the least messy.
Idea 8 of 10
Stuffed Felt Presents
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 45 min, plus drying
- You need
- felt, stuffing and fabric glue
Cut small felt squares, glue three sides, stuff them and seal the last side. Glue a ribbon cross and a bow on top of each one, then attach the little presents across the sweater.
Idea 9 of 10
The Wearable Gift
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 20 min
- You need
- ribbon, a big bow and tape
Wrap ribbon across the front like a package and finish with a giant bow at the neck. Add a gift tag with your name on it.
Idea 10 of 10
The Back-of-Sweater Surprise
- Skill
- no sewing
- Time
- 20 min
- You need
- pom-poms, felt and fabric glue
Make the back the main event: a pom-pom reindeer tail, felt antlers on the hood or a “Merry Christmas” message nobody sees until you walk away.
Tips for DIY ugly sweaters
- Start with a sweatshirt: A flat fleece sweatshirt holds glue and paint much better than a bulky knit, and it is easier to decorate flat.
- Put cardboard inside: Slide a piece of cardboard or a few sheets of paper between the layers so glue and paint don't soak through to the back.
- Lay it out before you glue: Arrange everything on the sweatshirt first and take a photo, then glue it piece by piece.
- Give it time to dry: Fabric glue and puffy paint need hours to set. Start at least a day before the party and keep the sweater flat.
- Choose the glue for the job: Fabric glue survives the wash. Hot glue is fine for a single night but can peel off later.
Paint, felt and glue
Tulip puff fabric paint, 20 colorsAmazon →View on Amazon →
Felt sheets, 42 assorted colorsAmazon →View on Amazon →
Aleene's Fabric Fusion glueAmazon →View on Amazon →Decorations to stick on
Pom-poms, 900 assortedAmazon →View on Amazon →
Glitter tinsel garland, 6 colorsAmazon →View on Amazon →
Jingle bells for crafts, 120 packAmazon →View on Amazon →Base and shortcuts
Christmas iron-on patches, 36 packAmazon →View on Amazon →
Battery fairy lights, 20 packAmazon →View on Amazon →
Plain crewneck sweatshirtAmazon →View on Amazon →Where to Buy an Ugly Christmas Sweater
If you are short on time, order a sweater at least a week or two before the party and check the size chart and the delivery date before you buy. A thrift store sweater and a handful of tinsel is also a perfectly good option and often the ugliest one. Prices and sizes change, so check each listing.
Funny and classic sweaters
Funny knit raccoon sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →
Nordic reindeer and snowflake sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →
The Ugly Sweater Co. Santa sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →Light-up sweaters
LED light-up reindeer hoodie sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →
LED light-up Christmas tree sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →
Light-up reindeer sweater, unisexAmazon →View on Amazon →Sweaters for kids and dogs
Kids LED reindeer sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →
Kids festive dog print sweatshirtAmazon →View on Amazon →
Christmas dog sweaterAmazon →View on Amazon →Food and Drinks for an Ugly Sweater Party
- A hot cocoa bar: with marshmallows, crushed candy canes and whipped cream
- Sweater cookies: sugar cookies decorated with icing patterns like a knit sweater, and a good activity for kids
- Finger foods: cheese and crackers, pigs in blankets, meatballs on toothpicks and a snack mix
- A punch bowl: cranberry and ginger ale, with a separate spiked option for adults
For decorations, a full menu and a shopping checklist, see our Christmas party ideas guide.
Ugly Sweater Party Plan
Here is a simple timeline from the invitation to the group photo.
- 3–4 weeks beforePick the date, send invitations with the dress code and name the awards.
- 2 weeks beforeOrder a sweater or start the DIY, and buy prizes for each category.
- 1 week beforePrint ballots and bingo cards, shop for snacks and plan your photo spot.
- 0:00–0:20Guests arrive. Hand out ballots and Sweater Bingo cards.
- 0:20–0:50Food and photos. Guests mingle and fill in their bingo.
- 0:50–1:20A game or two: Real or Made Up, a relay or the Sweater Runway.
- 1:20–1:45Ugly Sweater White Elephant, or another gift exchange.
- 1:45–2:00Collect the ballots, announce the winners, hand out the prizes and take the group photo.
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Start a free Christmas listFrequently Asked Questions
It is a Christmas party where every guest wears the tackiest, silliest or most over-decorated holiday sweater they can find or make. Most hosts add a contest with small prizes for the ugliest or most creative sweater.
Send invitations three to four weeks ahead with the dress code and the award categories, serve easy finger food and a hot drinks station, hand out voting slips when guests arrive and announce the winners near the end. Add a game or two, like Sweater Bingo, and a photo spot.
A thrift store sweater, a sweatshirt decorated with tinsel and pom-poms, or a festive outfit with lights and a Santa hat all work. Many hosts say homemade counts, and some keep a few spare sweaters for guests who forget.
Give every guest a ballot with the award categories and let them vote for one winner in each. Collect the ballots before the end of the party and count them while a game is going on. Break ties with a 10-second runway walk.
Sweater Bingo, Real or Made Up, a sweater runway, sweater twins, a scavenger hunt and an ugly sweater white elephant all use the sweaters themselves. General Christmas party games like charades, trivia and bingo work too.
Start with a plain sweatshirt and glue pom-poms, tinsel, felt shapes or jingle bells to the front with fabric glue, or draw with puffy fabric paint. Iron-on patches and battery fairy lights are quick no-sew options. Let the glue and paint dry for a day.
Small, funny prizes work best: a gold-painted trophy mug, a box of chocolates, a candle, a gift card of a few dollars or a plush reindeer. Having a prize for every category makes more guests feel like winners.
Yes. Make participation optional, keep the sweaters and the humor office-appropriate, and hold the contest during a lunch or an afternoon break. A voting ballot for each guest and a small prize per category keep it simple.
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