How do I tell guests the sweater is required?

Say it in the first line and repeat it near the end. "Ugly sweater party" as the title, plus "sweaters required" after the details, leaves no doubt. Add a backup option for guests who don't own one.

What are good prizes for an ugly sweater contest?

Small, funny prizes work best: holiday socks, a mug, a box of chocolates or a homemade trophy. Keep the cost low, since guests care more about winning than about what they win.

Can I put the dress code and contest categories on a Blast invite?

Yes. You add the event details and can include a short note, which is the place for "sweaters required" and the prize categories. Every guest sees the same wording when they open the link, and they reply on that page.

What to Write on an Ugly Sweater Party Invitation

What to include

The dress code, stated as a rule and not a hint.
The date, with a start time and an end time.
The full address and where to park.
Whether there is a contest, and what the prizes are for.
What to bring: a snack, a drink, a wrapped gift, or nothing.
Whether kids and plus ones are invited.
An RSVP deadline. About a week before the party gives you time to shop.

Wording to copy

"Dig out your worst sweater. Ugly sweater party at our place on December 13, at 8 pm, 47 Hazel Court. There is a prize for the ugliest. Please RSVP by December 6."
"The tackier, the better. Ugly sweater night on December 12, from 7 to 11 pm. We have the snacks and drinks, you bring the sweater. Sweaters required."
"Tinsel, pom-poms and bad taste welcome. Join us on December 19, at 7:30 pm, with a snack to share and the loudest sweater you can find."
"Family ugly sweater afternoon! Kids and grown-ups, wear your silliest. December 14, from 3 to 5 pm, with cocoa and a sweater parade at 4."

Dress code lines

Some guests will not own a holiday sweater, and December thrift racks empty quickly. Send the invitation about four weeks ahead so people have time to find or make one, and give them an easy way in so nobody skips the party over an outfit.

Strict: "No sweater, no entry. We are only half joking."
Relaxed: "Sweaters encouraged. Anything festive counts."
Homemade: "Store-bought is fine. Homemade earns extra points."
Backup plan: "No sweater? We will have a box of spares and a glue gun at the door."
Warm house: "It gets warm inside. Wear a T-shirt underneath."

Contest categories

A contest gives people a reason to make an effort. Announce the categories on the invitation so guests can plan around them; three or four prizes are enough.

Ugliest overall.
Best homemade sweater.
Best couple or group effort.
Most lights, bells or moving parts.
Most likely to have been a real gift.

How to run the vote

Keep the voting simple. Hand each guest a slip of paper on arrival, or put a jar for each category on a table and let people drop in a name. Count the votes about an hour before the end time, while most guests are still there.

Prizes can be small and silly: a secondhand trophy, a pair of holiday socks, a candy cane the size of a forearm. The bragging rights matter more than the prize.

Host checklist

A few spare sweaters or decorations for guests who forget.
Voting slips, pens and a jar for each category.
Prizes, wrapped or bagged.
A spot with good light for group photos.
A place for coats. Sweaters come off as the room heats up.
A reminder message two or three days ahead that repeats the categories.

Why a video invitation suits this party

The party only works if every guest reads the dress code, and a rule buried in a group chat gets missed. Blast is an animated video invitation with music that you send as a link by text, WhatsApp or email, so the sweater rule and the contest categories sit in one place that everyone opens. Guests RSVP from the invite without an account, which tells you how many voting slips and spare sweaters to have ready. Blast is free to create and send.