How to Host an Ugly Christmas Sweater Party (Runway, Games and Prizes)
An ugly Christmas sweater party works best when the sweaters are the entertainment, rather than just a dress code. Give everyone a short runway moment, make the judging playful and keep the rest of the evening easy to host. This plan covers the invite, a small-space setup, voting, food and games, with ideas for a few things worth buying if you want to dress it up.
It suits a Friendsmas night, an office party or a mixed-age family gathering. Guests can wear a sweater they already own, borrow one, buy secondhand or add removable decorations to a plain knit. No one needs to spend a lot to take part.
The 20-Minute Party Plan
- Ask guests to wear a festive sweater and mention that homemade and borrowed entries count.
- Clear a short path through the living room for a runway and place a chair at each end.
- Put voting cards, pens and a bowl on a side table; choose two or three lighthearted award categories.
- Set out finger food and drinks before people arrive, then run the contest once everyone has had time to settle in.
- Finish with one group game and a quick photo of the winners.
For more party theme inspiration, see my fun Christmas party themes. This guide is for turning the sweater idea into an actual party.
Invite People Without Making the Outfit Feel Like Homework
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A simple invitation is enough: “Wear your funniest Christmas sweater. Thrifted, borrowed, homemade and last-minute additions all welcome. We’ll do a tiny runway and vote for our favorites.” Add the time, address, any food contribution and whether partners or children are invited.
If this is an office event, let people join the voting even if they do not want to dress up. For a party of friends, invite guests to bring a spare sweater or accessory to lend. A little flexibility makes the room more fun than a strict contest.
Where to Find an Ugly Sweater
A thrift store find is hard to beat, but if you are short on time, these are the ones I’d look at. The Tipsy Elves gingerbread sweater is the one most likely to win a prize. The Walmart cat-and-cocoa sweater is the budget pick, and it runs up to 4XL Tall, so check the size chart if you are buying for someone else. If your family wants to enter as a team, pick one sweater theme and let everyone add their own decorations from the ideas below.
Already own a plain knit? Decorate it instead. Battery fairy lights are the quickest way to make a sweater glow; weave the wire through the stitches and tuck the battery pack in a pocket. Iron-on patches suit a thrifted sweater you are happy to keep altered, while tinsel pom poms can be safety-pinned on and taken off again after the party.
Style the Room Around the Sweaters
Ugly sweaters already bring plenty of color and pattern. Keep the backdrop simple: move a chair, clear a walkway, and hang a short paper chain or a strand of lights behind the finish point. A lamp aimed toward the room is more useful for photos than dim colored lighting. Keep cords away from the walking path.
Make one surface work hard: a tray of drinks, a small bowl for ballots and a couple of pens near the runway. If you want a photo corner, a plain sheet or curtain against the wall gives the sweaters room to stand out. You can use the same corner for the winners’ photo at the end.
What Is Worth Shopping For?
Start with what you own, then add one or two reusable pieces. Curtain lights hung behind the end of the runway give a soft glow without dimming the room, and they go straight back up next December. A tinsel curtain is the cheapest photo wall I know. An instant camera is a lovely extra rather than a must; I’d only buy one if you will use it again, but the winners do love taking a print home. Phone photos are completely fine.
Run a Sweater Contest That Actually Moves Along
When it is time to judge, give each person ten seconds to walk the room. They can show off a detail, strike a pose or tell the story behind the sweater. A playlist helps, but keep the music low enough that people can hear each other. For larger groups, call people in pairs instead of asking everyone to wait through a long parade.
Choose awards with different ways to win. Try Most Inventive, Best Thrifted Find and Most Gloriously Over the Top. For a mixed-age group, add a family team category. Avoid an award that singles someone out for looking bad; the joke should be about the knitwear and the effort, never the person.
Give everyone one vote per category and ask them not to vote for themselves. Fold the ballots into the bowl and count them while guests refill their drinks. For a tiny group, a show of hands works just as well. If there is a tie, let the finalists do one last walk and vote again.
A few small props make the awards feel official. A pack of mini trophies covers every category with plenty to spare, a gold paper crown is perfect for the overall winner, and a clear ballot box keeps the votes honest (and gets used again for raffles).
Prizes That Fit the Mood
A mug, a box of good cookies or the privilege of wearing a paper crown for the rest of the night is plenty. One prize per category prevents the contest from taking over. If you prefer to shop for prizes, choose small things people can actually use after Christmas. A multipack of one-size socks means there is a prize for every category with no sizing worries, a mug and cocoa set suits coworkers as well as family, and a tin of butter cookies is a prize no one minds winning.
Food and Drinks You Can Serve While People Move Around
Aim for food that can be picked up with one hand: sliders, baked bites, cheese and crackers, cookies and sliced fruit. Keep a separate plate for anyone with dietary needs, and make the food easy to reach without crossing the runway. A drink station with sparkling water, cider and a simple seasonal cocktail covers different guests without turning you into a bartender.
A two-tier stand fits twice the food into a small space, and a drink dispenser lets guests help themselves. I’d choose a shatter-resistant one if children are coming. Themed paper plates and napkins are optional, but they tie the table to the party and save the washing up.
Set out napkins and a bin near the food. If you want the table to look dressed for photos, one platter, a bowl of clementines and a small vase of greenery do more work than lots of novelty decorations. For another party format, my Christmas party hosting tips cover the wider planning.
Add One or Two Games After the Runway
The sweater contest is the main event, so choose games that can start without a complicated setup.
- Sweater story: Each person tells a 20-second story about their knit. The others guess which detail is true if they embellish one part.
- Holiday song intro: Play a short opening clip and let small teams name the song. Keep the playlist prepared on your phone.
- Christmas Pictionary: Draw seasonal clues in teams on a notepad or small whiteboard. Award an extra point if the clue relates to someone’s sweater.
- Fashion critic: Guests write one kind, absurdly dramatic review of a sweater. Read the anonymous reviews aloud and guess which outfit each describes.
For Pictionary, a set of mini whiteboards gives every team its own board, and my printable clue cards save you writing a list. A small Bluetooth speaker is worth having for the song intro game, as phone speakers get lost in a noisy room.
If your group likes a more competitive night, browse my Christmas party games for another round. A sweater party also makes an easy addition to a Friendsmas gathering.
Adjust the Plan for Your Crowd
Friends: Make the runway a short moment in a longer evening. A thrifted or DIY category is especially good when everyone has different budgets.
Family: Let children walk with an adult if they want to, and offer a “best team sweater” category. Set the runway before younger guests get tired.
Coworkers: Make participation optional, keep awards neutral and avoid prizes that could feel too personal. A quick contest near the end of lunch is usually enough.
A Realistic Timeline
A week before: Send the invite and ask about food needs. The day before: Set aside ballots, pens, a playlist and prizes. An hour before: Move furniture and prepare the food and drink table. During the party: Let people arrive, eat and chat; then do the runway, count votes and finish with one game. The whole contest can take 20 to 30 minutes.
The best ugly Christmas sweater party feels welcoming and slightly ridiculous in a good way. Make the outfit easy to join in with, keep the runway short, and spend your energy on the people in the room.
Hello, I’m Luci, founder of Mums Make Lists. The site is full of useful and fun ideas for life and seasonal celebrations. Plus a growing selection of instantly downloadable fun printables and party planners. Read more.