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Guide to Hosting the Ultimate Ugly Sweater Party, Jøyus

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

‘Tis the season to be tacky, fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la! I’ve noticed that every year, as my holiday spirit grows, my holiday decor gets just a little more ostentatious. Let’s just say it looks like Santa and his elves came to town and threw up holiday cheer all over my home. The Griswolds have nothing on my family.  I decided to share some tips on hosting the ultimate ugly sweater party.

Time to invite people over and spread some holiday cheer .  If, like me, you’ve decided to dive into the festive madness and throw an ugly sweater party that would make even Santa’s elves jealous, I’ve got you.  Here’s your foolproof guide to ensuring that your party is the talk of the tinsel town.

1. Invitations: Deck the Halls (and Your Guests!)

Craft invites that rival a North Pole scroll. Drop hints about wild sweater competitions, mistletoe shenanigans, and a potential visit from the Abominable Snowman. Remember, the more mysterious, the merrier!

2. Dress Code: Ugly Sweater Game Strong

Encourage guests to unleash their inner holiday fashionista meets chaos coordinator. The uglier, the better. Bonus points for tinsel, jingle bells, and questionable holiday puns. Crown the ugliest sweater wearer with a gaudy tiara or a blinking Rudolph nose!

3. Decor: Go Big or Go North Pole Home

Transform your space into a winter wonderland on steroids. Think inflatable snowmen, tinsel on every surface, and fairy lights rivaling the Milky Way. Bonus: Set up a DIY ugly sweater station with fabric paint, glue guns, and enough sparkly things to blind a yeti.

4. Jingle & Mingle: Playlist Perfection

Craft a playlist that sleighs! From Mariah Carey’s high notes to jazzy renditions of Jingle Bells, curate a mix that keeps the festive energy soaring. Don’t forget the classics — who can resist a little Wham!? Or my personal favorite, Pentatonix Christmas essentials and why not up the holiday ante and do a little Christmas Karaoke?

5. Games: Merriment Olympics

Elevate your party from ho-ho-hum to ho-ho-hilarious with festive games. Ugly sweater contests, pin the nose on Rudolph, and a gingerbread house building competition will have your guests belly laughing between sips of eggnog.

6. Naughty or Nice Libations

Ensure the spirits are as high as Santa’s sleigh. Mix up festive cocktails with names that would make the elves blush. A Christmas Cosmo or Mistletoe Mojito, perhaps? And don’t forget the non-alcoholic options for your designated sleigh-ber driver. And I’m not just talking about those Shirley Temples the kids love, mocktails have come a long way, baby. Think, Bougie not Boozy, Jøyus Sparkling wine for the sophisticated non-drinker. I keep a bottle chilled at all times. Or how about THC infused seltzers or some of the new social tonics like Hiyo? I don’t have time for hangovers this holiday season. 

7. Snack Attack: Noshing in a Winter Wonderland

Craft a snack table that rivals the grandeur of Mrs. Claus’s kitchen. Think candy cane charcuterie, Santa hat cupcakes, and gingerbread everything. Pro tip: Label each dish with a witty holiday-themed tag.

8. Photo Booth Extravaganza

Create a photo booth with more props than Santa’s toy shop. Ugly sweater-themed hats, elf ears, and Grinch masks are a must. Encourage your guests to strike a pose — these pics will be your holiday cards for the next decade.

9. Parting Gifts: Send Them Off with Sleigh Bells Ringing

Thank your guests for gracing your festive fête with small parting gifts. Think mini gingerbread men, a sprig of mistletoe, or even a DIY ornament. It’s the little things that spread the most cheer!

10. Hashtag Magic: Document the Merry Madness

Create a party-specific hashtag to immortalize the hilarity. Whether it’s #SweaterSpectacle or #TackyTidings, make sure every social media Santa and his reindeer use it liberally.

Now, off you go, merry-makers! With these tips, your ugly sweater party will be the stuff of holiday legend. May your sweaters be as ugly as your holiday spirit is bright! Jingle all the way!  Go forth and party like Santa would. 

If you enjoyed this post, found it entertaining or learned something helpful about hosting the ultimate ugly sweater party, please like, comment and follow! Happy holidays! XOXO

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how to throw a party on a budget, how to throw a party, how to throw a holiday party, how to throw an awesome holiday party, how to throw an awesome holiday party on a budget

It’s the holidays and we all love to get together and have fun. Which always leaves me wondering how to throw an awesome holiday party on a budget ? For our family, it starts with Halloween and we party like it’s 1999 through New Year’s Day. Then we rest. The thing is while everyone likes to be at the party, not everyone can afford to host the party of their dreams. Lots of times people will just forgo the whole thing but that doesn’t have to be the case. With a few simple tips, this is how to throw a party on a small budget.

No shame in being budget conscious or simply not having the extra cash and budget to throw a party. It’s a lot of work and they can get expensive. However, don’t ever let being financially strapped keep you from living your best life. I’m serious. A party is not just about what you have and how it looks, it’s more about the people and the atmosphere.

READ ALSO: How to Celebrate Dia de Los Muertos

Remember in college? We threw parties all the time. We didn’t care what it looked like. All we needed was alcohol, good friends and good music. Really, that is all that you need for a great party. The rest is fluff. Believe me when I leave a party, I don’t remember what the decorations looked like or even what the menu was, I remember how I felt. I remember the fun.

You can be broke as a joke and still know how to throw an awesome holiday party on a budget. Just have to be creative. Some people grew up with money and they have exquisite taste when it comes to hosting a party because they’ve been to plenty and probably hosted as many. I, on the other hand, grew up without a lot of money so I had to be creative. My parties had to be known for being interesting and having personality. Bottom line is that to have an awesome party on a small budget, you just need to make sure that people have fun.

Tips on how to throw an awesome holiday party on a budget

Timing

Throw your party on a budget when people aren’t expecting a full meal. Primetime is 2-5 pm, but anything after 7 usually works too. Time it wisely. Happy-hour drinks and apps are cheaper than hosting a meal. Plan on three appetizers per person.

Don’t do cocktails.

Stocking a full bar is expensive. You can save money by having one signature drink. Cheapest option: Only serve beer and wine. The standard one to two drinks per person per hour. Set out pop, juice, and water for guests. If they want something special, BYOB is the perfect hostess gift. The last option is having a dry party but then you run the risk of no one showing up.

Plan early and buy your supplies spread out over time so you are not hit with a big bill all at once. If you are smart and you host an annual party, no time like the day after this year’s party to start buying for next year, especially if its seasonal and you can get next year’s supplies for 75% off.

Don’t be too proud. Let your guests help. When your friends ask what they can bring, never say, “Just bring yourself!” The correct answer is always alcohol or a favorite appetizer/dessert. And be specific, as in “Please bring a bottle of red wine you love” or “Can you bring those meatballs you had at your last party? It was delicious.”

Make the ordinary, extraordinary. Good music and cocktails are 90 percent of a good party. Pinterest got you wanting to aim higher? Use items you have at home (a string of lights, candles) or outside (branches, pinecones). Go ahead and splurge on fresh, in season, flowers to set a celebratory mood. Also, don’t be afraid to upcycle your decorations. Now that’s how to throw a party on a budget

DIY, baby.

Decorations, food, drinks.  You can do it all. It will be so much more budget-friendly than having it catered or buying it already made.

Know your budget. Decide how much you can spend. Add up the cost of drinks, food, and decorations. If you’re over budget, shorten the guest list or recruit a friend to co-host with you to split the cost.

Shop in your budget.

Go to Dollar Tree or Thrift Stores. Avoid party stores and their markups. Dollar tree has so many party supplies that you can easily dress up and they are only $1. And I know it sounds crazy to get party supplies at a thrift store but I’m talking decorations like a punch bowl, serving tray, charcuterie board, vases for flowers or holiday decorations. I mean, if it’s good enough for your Halloween costume why not for other parties. Buy items at a discounted price, clean them up and upcycle.

Have a great playlist

There is nothing more important at a party than the music playlist, aside from the nibbles and drinks. The playlist will set the mood and can electrify the atmosphere. If everybody is feeling good and dancing, you have achieved party success. Start planning this early. Or if you have a friend who is a D.J. ask them to make you a party mix.

READ ALSO: Recipe for the Perfect Thanksgiving

As the host, always introduce your guests to one another.

This sounds like a no-brainer but if you’d be surprised how many people forget to do this. Believe me, it is important. If people don’t know one another and no one introduces people, you may have a room full of people that feels more like a middle school dance than a kick-ass party. So if you really want to know how to throw a party on a budget, simple human interaction is free.

What’s your number one tip for throwing an awesome holiday party on a budget?

If you enjoyed this post, found it entertaining or learned something helpful about hosting an awesome holiday party on a budget, please like, comment and follow!  XOXO

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