22 Easy Ugly Christmas Sweater Ideas You Can DIY
Including no-sew options covered in lights, mirrors and ornaments.
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Wearing an ugly Christmas sweater is a time honored tradition for the holidays. It's hard to go a Christmas season without being invited to an ugly Christmas sweater party or being asked to wear one for work. But let's be real: If you're wearing a cute Christmas sweater, it's totally worth spending the money because you'll use it again and again. For a not-so-cute or more funny look, it's best to go the homemade route.
Luckily, we’ve rounded up a list of the best ugly Christmas sweaters you can easily DIY in a pinch. All you need is a sweater you already own and minimal crafting skills to recreate these looks. Some are even no-sew ideas, so you can still deck your sweater out with lights, mirrors, ornaments and so much more with just a good old-fashioned glue gun.
Even if you don't have a party to attend, designing the ultimate Christmas sweater, just like wearing matching Christmas PJs, can become a fun activity the family can do every year, too. Some of these looks will even work for the family dog, so they’ll never be left out.
So, put on your elf hat and some holiday music because it's time to make one of these fun ideas.
Garland Christmas Sweater
You'll be the brightest at the party in this sweater. And because it's a cardigan, you can wear it over any outfit you want, and easily take if off when you're over it.
Elf Christmas Sweater
We don't think anyone else will be walking around with elf legs on their sweater, so opt for this design for a truly unique look.
Christmas Candy Sweater
For Christmas lovers with a sweet tooth, you can arrange mini candy canes, hard candies and peppermints in the design of a twisting garland for a festive look.
Garland and Bulbs Sweater
Turn yourself into a Christmas tree by recreating this look. All you need is a green pullover, and you can easily glue on your own draped garland and ornaments.
"I'm Dreaming of a Farmhouse Christmas" Print
Here's one of the cuter ideas! And though this design may work better on a thinner sweater than a chunky knit, we still think it'll turn heads at any Christmas party.
Reindeer Apron
Okay, so this isn't quite a sweater, but if you throw it over one of your already festive turtle-necks, it'll definitely add some pizzazz. All you need is a canvas colored apron, fabric paint and reindeer antler headbands!
Matching Pink Evergreen Holiday Sweaters
This may look hard to recreate, but all you need is fabric paint and stencils. Try out the design on a red or green sweater with glitter paint for an even more festive look!
Fa La Llama Sweatshirt
There's something about llamas that people just love, which means once you recreate this sweater, you'll be a shoo-in for any contest.
DIY Crochet Christmas Lights Sweater
Here's a fun DIY Christmas sweater idea: Instead of using real Christmas lights, why not crochet them onto your sweater yourself?
Stranger Things Christmas Sweater
Happy holidays from the Upside Down! Lucky for you, Stranger Things fans, assembling this DIY sweater is as easy as binge-watching your favorite Netflix show: all you need are mini multicolored lights and iron-on letters.
Total Christmas Tree Christmas Sweater
Upon first glance, this sweater appears to be a simple green-and-tinsel deal, but then you put your arms up and bam: It's a genius full-body Christmas tree look.
Wine To-Go Christmas Sweater
DIYing doesn't get much easier than this: Hot-glue a sturdy stocking onto an old sweater, and you've got a built-in pocket for your favorite beverage.
Leg Lamp Christmas Sweater
Fashion your own prized leg lamp out of felt and feathers, and you'll have fans of the holiday classic A Christmas Story giggling all night long.
Holiday Tree-Shirt
This cool design can be created with just a few cuts in a tee or long sleeve. Make sure to choose a material that has some stretch, as you'll need to loop the slashes in the shirt to create the Christmas tree effect.
DIY "Ugly" Tropical Christmas Sweater
Wishing you were celebrating Christmas on a tropical island? Make this DIY tropical-inspired sweater your go-to.
Children's DIY Ugly Christmas Sweater
Kids can get in on the weird sweater game, too, with this easy-to-follow (and very inexpensive) craft project.
Couples' Christmas Sweaters
Bored of going to the movies for date night? Spend your evening of crafting instead. The best part is these tutorials show you how to turn sweaters you already have into festive looks.
Reindeer Christmas Sweater
Use felt and fabric marker to DIY your own holiday reindeer — then use white pom-poms to create a falling snow effect.
Tacky Gingerbread Man Christmas Sweater
Gingerbread cookies are delicious, but gingerbread men on colorfully crocheted sweaters are just silly. On the bright side, it will remind you to eat gingerbread cookies while wearing it.
Crazy Cat Tree Christmas Sweater
When you have a cat, you know that having a Christmas tree is a recipe for disaster. Get everyone LOLing with this hilarious idea.
Cameron (she/her) is a staff writer for Good Housekeeping, where she covers everything from holidays to food. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she received a B.A. in magazine journalism. In her spare-time she can be found scrolling TikTok for the latest cleaning hacks and restaurant openings, binge-watching seasons of Project Runway or online shopping.
Hannah Jeon is an Associate Commerce Editor at Prevention, where she covers expert-driven commerce content for all things health, beauty, and wellness. Previously the Editorial Assistant at Good Housekeeping, she earned her bachelor’s degree in creative writing and psychology from Johns Hopkins University. When she’s not on the hunt for all the best products online, you can often find her trying out new food spots in New York City or clicking away behind a camera.
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