Having an Ugly Sweater Cookie Party is one of our favorite holiday party ideas. And, hosting a Christmas cookie decorating party is easier than you think!
Prep Time1 hourhr
Cook Time1 hourhr
Total Time2 hourshrs
Course: Parties
Servings: 12
Author: LittleCooksReadingBooks.com
Ingredients
Cookiesor cookie dough to make cookies, plan for 3-4 cookies per person if you are making them
Sweater shaped cookie cutterlarge
Tub Icingcolors of choice, 1-2 containers of each color (amount depends on size of party)
Holiday sprinkles and candiesvariety of choice
Decorating Gels
Paper plates
Small plastic cups with lids
Plastic spoons and knives
Plastic tableclothsor wipe off tablecloths
Paper towels1-2 rolls for each table
Wet wipes1-2 containers for each table
Craft aprons for kidsoptional
Ugly Sweater award ribbonsoptional
Cookie take-home boxesoptional or foil/plastic wrap for guests to wrap their decorated cookies
Instructions
A day before the party, bake cut-out sugar cookies using the sweater cookie cutter. Cool and store.
Scoop different colored icings into plastic cups with lids. Plan on 4 different colors for each attendee. (Use the white icing with food coloring to make colors or any colors you couldn't buy.) Set aside until party.
DAY OF THE PARTY
Prepare tables by covering with plastic or wipe-off holiday tablecloths.
In the middle of each table, place 2 rolls of paper towels and 2 containers of wipes (like Wet Wipes).
At each place setting (one place setting per guest) place: 2 paper plates (stacked on top of each other so they have an extra one if the first one gets messy), 3-4 cookies on each plate, 2 plastic spoons and 2 plastic knives, 4 different colors of icing (in the prepared icing cups with lids), child apron (optional).
In the middle of each table, place a variety of cookie decorating supplies like sprinkles, candies, gels, etc. (You can also place the extra small containers of icings with lids in the middle too, in case they need more.)
Encourage everyone to get creative with their ugly sweater decorating and not to worry about being perfect. If you have a theme (like ugly reindeer sweaters, etc.), make sure everyone knows the theme.
FOR THE COOKIE CONTEST (OPTIONAL)
Buy or make ribbons or awards for different categories.
Have a separate table or counter space for people who want to enter their cookies into a contest. Have those entering the contest write their names on the bottom of the paper plate, but assign a number to each plate. (So the voting is anonymous.)
On styrofoam cups (or whatever you have), write the category on each cup (like Ugliest Ugly Sweater, Best Dressed Sweater, Funniest Sweater, etc.).
Provide slips of paper and pens and have each person vote for each category. For example, if they think the plate with #1 on it is the Best Dressed Sweater, they would write #1 on the slip of paper and put it in the cup for BEST DRESSED SWEATER. Make sure to tell the guests to vote for each category!
Near the end of the party, tally each category and give out awards (and, if you want, small gifts).
TO MAKE IT A COOKIE CONTEST FOR CHARITY:Follow the directions from the FOR THE COOKIE CONTEST section above. Instead of voting with slips of paper, guests will be voting with money. You still give the awards, but all the money collected goes to a charity.
We made sure the guests knew ahead of time to bring change or dollar bills (and included it on our invitation) and announced the charity. (For our party, we really had people getting competitive and giving $5, $10, and even $20 bills so they could win and they knew it was going to a charity. It was awesome!)
Notes
Be sure to have snacks and drinks for your party. Don't forget to play festive Christmas music!We also bought some inexpensive crafts and had a craft table. It gave people who didn't want to decorate cookies something to do and give people a break from decorating. People will just float back and forth between cookie decorating, eating food and hanging out, and craft decorating!