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Ugly sweater contest

Let the whole office vote on the ugliest sweater

Photograph every contestant in their sweater, put up to six in one poll, and post the link in Slack, Teams or the party chat. Remote colleagues vote from home, and the winner is on the screen before dessert.

Your poll

Up to 6 sweaters. One link. A clear winner

37/140
Contest ideas:
Who should vote?

Anyone with the link can see these photos. Do not add private or sensitive images

Waiting for your pick

Which image draws more attention to the watch

Two coworkers laughing in ugly Christmas sweaters
Two coworkers laughing in ugly Christmas sweaters · Pexels
Friends in festive sweaters playing cards at a party
Friends in festive sweaters playing cards at a party · Pexels
Guests in holiday sweaters hugging at the door
Guests in holiday sweaters hugging at the door · Pexels

Contest rules you can copy

A rules template for an office ugly sweater contest. Replace the parts in brackets.

[Company] Ugly Sweater Contest

Who can enter: everyone at the party, in the office or on the call. One sweater per person.
What counts: any holiday sweater, store-bought or homemade. Extra decorations welcome.
Categories: [Ugliest Sweater], [Best DIY], [Best Team Look].
Photos: taken on [December 18] at [time], against the same wall. Remote colleagues send a photo to [name] by [time].
Voting: everyone votes at [link] or by scanning the QR code on the screen, from [time] to [time]. One vote per person; please do not vote for yourself.
Winner: the most votes in each category. Prize: [prize].
Keep it kind: the sweaters are the joke, not the people wearing them.

Judging criteria for an ugly sweater contest

With a public vote, people weigh all of this at once. If you also have judges, give each criterion 1 to 5 points, or make each one its own category.

Ugliness

Clashing colors and questionable choices score high.

Creativity

An idea nobody else had.

DIY effort

Handmade additions count for more than store-bought.

Commitment

Matching hat, socks or earrings, or a whole team in theme.

Seen across the room

What people notice first when they walk in.

A party plan that works

  1. Two weeks before

    Announce the contest, the categories and the prize. Say that store-bought and homemade both count.

  2. First hour of the party

    Photograph every sweater against the same wall as people arrive.

  3. Mid party

    Post the link or put the QR code on the screen, and give people 30 minutes.

  4. Before people leave

    Close the vote, show the result on the screen and hand out the prize.

How others run it

Real ugly sweater contests, and how each picked a winner.

City of Euclid, Ohio, 2023

The city posted 12 numbered sweater photos on its website and asked residents to pick the best, or worst. Each visitor could vote for one entry.

Source

Northwestern University, Weinberg College staff, 2023

At the dean's holiday party, staff walked a catwalk in their sweaters and colleagues voted by handing out chocolate coins. First place was a tie, settled by one last vote.

Source

Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, 2023

Staff competed in sweater categories at a holiday party and toy drive, from Ugliest Sweater to duo, trio and whole-squad awards, with 15 winners named.

Source

University of Kent, Canterbury, UK, 2023

For Christmas Jumper Day, five staff teams sent in team photos in festive jumpers and raised money for charity. A deputy director judged the photos and named the tackiest team.

Source

Good for

Where these contests happen

  • Office holiday parties
  • Remote team calls on Zoom or Teams
  • School and staff fundraisers
  • Bars, gyms and community events

How it works

How to run the vote

  1. 1

    Photograph everyone the same way

    Same wall, same light, the whole sweater in the frame. Six fit one poll; with more people, run one poll per team and a final.

  2. 2

    Open the vote at the party

    Post the link in the chat or put the QR code on the screen. Voting takes one tap.

  3. 3

    Let remote people vote too

    The link works in Slack, Teams and Zoom chat, with no account. Remote colleagues can send their photo before the party.

  4. 4

    Crown the winner

    Your author page shows the count live. Close the vote when time is up, show the result and hand out the prize.

Bigger party? The contest pack takes up to 30 sweaters and 3 categories on one link, with your company logo. See the contest pack

Want us to set up the vote for you? Write to us

Photos that keep the vote fair

  • Same wall and same light for everyone, from the knees up.
  • Switch on any battery lights before the photo.
  • Remote colleagues: daylight, facing a window, phone at chest height.
  • Ask before you post the photos anywhere outside the company.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

How do we run it with more than 6 people?

One poll per team or floor, then a final with the winners. Each poll gets its own link. The contest pack takes up to 30 sweaters and 3 categories on one link.

Can remote colleagues vote?

Yes. They only need the link, which opens in any browser, also inside Teams, Slack and Zoom chat, without an account.

Can people vote for themselves?

The poll does not know who is who. The rules can ask everyone to vote for someone else.

What stops one person from voting ten times?

One vote per browser and network, and votes that arrive seconds apart from one link are flagged for you to review. You decide which to remove. It does not check identity, so for a big prize add judges too.

Should people see who is winning while they vote?

By default they see the standings only after voting, so an early leader does not pull votes. You can turn on “Show results before voting”.

Can we show the vote on the big screen?

On your author page open “More options”, then “QR code”: “Print a notice” gives a page with the photos and a code to scan, “Show on a screen” puts the code on a TV or projector.