Ugly Sweater Party Ideas: Contest Categories, Games and Food

An ugly sweater party has one rule that does most of the work: wear something wonderfully awful. The theme gives guests something to do before they arrive, gives you a ready-made photo spot and contest, and makes the dress code part of the fun instead of a chore. This guide covers the invitation, the contest, the decor, the games, the food and a few practical details, such as what to do about a hot room full of knitwear. If you want the wider party plan, read how to host a Christmas party, and the free food and drink calculator handles quantities.

Set the Dress Code on the Invitation

Say it plainly: “Ugly sweaters required. The tackier the better.” Then add a line for guests who cannot find one: “No sweater? Wear your most festive top, or borrow a hat from the basket at the door.” That keeps the theme from excluding anyone and gives hosts a graceful way to handle forgetful guests. The invitation wording guide has a ready-made ugly sweater version.

Also mention the contest, if you are running one, because people dress differently when there is a prize. Say whether sweaters can be store-bought or must be handmade, and whether adding lights is allowed. Battery lights are safer than anything that plugs in.

Run a Contest With Ballots

A contest is the centerpiece of this party, and the way to keep it friendly is to give out several awards instead of one.

Pick the categories

Choose four to six, so most guests have a real chance:

• Most festive: the one that looks the most like Christmas.
• Most over the top: the one with the most stuff attached.
• Best handmade: the one that took the most effort.
• Most lights: anything that lights up or blinks.
• Best pattern: the one with the best knitted motif.
• Funniest: the one that makes the room laugh.
• Most cozy: the one you would actually wear every day.

Use a ballot

Give each guest a ballot listing the categories, with a line to write one name per category. Rules that keep it fair: one vote per category per guest, no voting for yourself, and ballots are secret. Ask one trusted guest to collect and count the ballots while everyone eats, then read the winners aloud at the end of the evening. Agree a tie-breaker beforehand, such as a short applause vote or a coin toss.

The Printable Suite includes ugly sweater contest ballots, but a half sheet of paper with the categories works just as well.

Choose small prizes

Prizes work best when they are fun and cheap: a trophy made from a spray-painted ornament, a box of candy canes, a mug, a bottle of something festive for guests of legal drinking age and a non-alcoholic option for everyone else. A small prize for every category keeps the mood light.

Decorations That Match the Theme

You do not need to spend much. The look is bold, a little silly and pattern-heavy.

• A zigzag border. Tape a strip of patterned paper or bunting along the wall behind the food table.
• Garland of paper sweaters. Cut sweater shapes from construction paper, decorate each with a different pattern and string them across a doorway.
• A photo spot. Hang a plain backdrop, add a few props such as tinsel, oversized glasses and a sign, and put a phone stand nearby. Guests will line up to use it.
• Candy cane everything. Candy canes in jars, in drinks as stirrers and on gift tags.
• A winner’s wall. Set aside a space where you will pin the winning ballot categories or take a group photo at the end.

For a full list of ideas and themes, see Christmas party decorations and themes.

Games That Suit the Theme

Pick one or two. Everything on the list below is easy to run with guests in sweaters.

• A sweater walk. Each guest walks a few steps while the group cheers, and you read out a funny caption. It is a cheerful way to start the contest.
• Pin the nose on the sweater. Use a printed sweater poster and a blindfold, in the spirit of the classic party game.
• Two truths and a sweater. Each guest says two true facts and one made-up fact about their sweater, and the group guesses.
• Christmas bingo or trivia. See Christmas party games for adults.
• A gift swap. A white elephant exchange suits the silly mood. The rules guide explains the options.

Food That Is Easy in a Sweater

Heavy knitwear is awkward around sauce, so plan food guests can eat with one hand, standing up.

• Warm bites: meatballs on picks, mini sliders, baked brie with crackers, stuffed mushrooms or small pizza bites.
• Cold bites: a cheese and cracker board, vegetable cups with dip, deviled eggs or skewers.
• Sweets: a cookie table, brownie bites, candy cane bark and a hot chocolate station.
• Drinks: hot cocoa, spiced cider and a sparkling option, plus water. If you serve alcohol, serve it to adults of legal age only and keep an appealing alcohol-free choice on the same table.

For quantities, enter your guest count, the length of the party and whether dinner is served in the calculator. It gives appetizer pieces, desserts, drinks, ice, plates and napkins as planning estimates. Keep napkins at every station, because sweaters and sticky fingers do not mix.

Practical Details Worth Planning

• Heat. A room full of knitwear gets warm, so turn the thermostat down before guests arrive and keep cold water available.
• Coats and sweaters. A rack by the door matters more than usual, because guests will want to keep their sweaters on show and take their coats off.
• Lights and batteries. Keep spare batteries for guests with light-up sweaters, and keep any plug-in lights well away from drinks.
• Allergies. Wool and some glitter or fabric dyes can bother some guests. Keep a space with fresh air and no required contact with other people’s sweaters.
• Photos. Decide who will take the group photo, and take it early before the lights get warm and the hair gets messy.

A Simple Order for the Evening

1. Guests arrive, drop coats, collect a ballot and get a drink.
2. An hour in, run the sweater walk and a short game.
3. Halfway through, serve the sweets while ballots are counted.
4. Announce the winners and hand out prizes.
5. Finish with music and a group photo.

Keep the rules light, the prizes small and the food easy, and an ugly sweater party will run itself on the energy of the sweaters.