Technically here at the Old World Christmas headquarters our calendars say May, and we’re soon flipping them to June. We know Christmas is 6 months away, but we celebrate Christmas all year long, and we think it’s never too early to start planning for the season. Even though our sweater ornament isn’t ugly, it inspired us to come up with a fool-proof plan so you can easily host an ugly Christmas sweater party when we cruise into the holiday season. Growing in popularity, the ugly Christmas sweater party is a festive way to celebrate the tackier side of a usually hallowed holiday. 1) Invitations. First things first, let’s get people there. Weekends can get so busy in December with parties, activities and family obligations. Pick a weekend evening early in December, and make your guest list. Or, pick a week night closer to Christmas and have people stop in for a snack and a drink. Many times there is a free online invitation through Evite or Paperless Post. Some people are still paper people, and receiving a humorous invitation through the mail can generate a lot of excitement and anticipation. There are many free printable options online (we love this one and this one too!), but to save time Zazzle and Etsy have fun and affordable options too. 2) Obviously the attire is an ugly Christmas sweater. People can buy one (anywhere), find one (thrift store? Grandma’s closet?) or make one (Pinterest will give you a million ideas). Greeting your guests at the door and discovering what makes their attire stand out is most of the fun. We appreciate the extra attention given to ugly Christmas shoes like these or these, and all of the creative tutorials with instructions on how to create hilarious sweaters, sweatshirts and other clothing items. 3) People are here, so let’s eat. To keep things simple, instead of serving a full meal your party could be just appetizers or just dessert and a festive holiday drink. We’re impressed with the ugly sweater cake, the Santa crunch popcorn mix and this fun drink station and this cocktail recipe. If your guest list is close family and friends, they will probably be happy to bring a dish or appetizer to share, so don’t feel bad asking. 4) People enjoy parties with one or two planned activities. Over planning can make for a stressful situation when people don’t cooperate with the activities, but having nothing to do might not encourage your guests to stay, relax and enjoy. Hilarious “Minute to Win It” games, a photo booth station and an ugly sweater cookie decoration station can give guests casual tasks to entertain and mingle with each other. 5) The extras can make the party spectacular. You could have a voting system for different categories of sweaters (most lights, most sparkle, tackiest) or just an over-all first, second and third place for the ugliest sweaters. Have a voting system, tally the votes and reward the ugliest sweater wearer with a small prize like Christmas ornaments! Hosting a party takes careful work and planning, but the end result is always fun and the effort is always worth it. An ugly Christmas sweater party is a light-hearted and enjoyable way to connect with friends and family before a joyous holiday. We’ve got you started, and we’re sure your creative spin will make it an unforgettable party.
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