Beyond The Toga: Ugly Sweater Party

You can’t leave school this semester without having at least one holiday party, and there’s no better way to ring in the holiday cheer than with an ugly sweater party. For the frugal college student, or the extravagant party thrower, an ugly sweater party is the perfect event to end the semester. Here’s how to pull it off:

Get Dressed

Ugly sweater parties are great because you don’t need to spend money on finding something ugly. Raid your parents’ closets over Thanksgiving break for any of their old clothes. Sweaters, sweatshirts, vests, jean jackets… you know the drill. Also check for any extra stockings or decorations. You never know what you may find in your own garage. Salvation army is also a great spot, as they tend to have seasonal items, and for about $2 a sweatshirt, it really can’t be beat. If all else fails, wear a colorful sweater and maybe something shiny and call it a day.

Get Prepped

A holiday party isn’t complete without the essentials: Christmas lights, stockings, a festive holiday playlist, and some festive themed finger foods. Someone on campus is bound to have lights hanging up in their dorm room, and most grocery stores start selling items such as chocolate covered popcorn, pigs in a blanket and candy canes right after thanksgiving. For a great playlist that keeps the party going but still stays in the holiday theme, check out some of these songs:

• The Killers: Christmas EP
• Mashup Germany: Top of the Pops 2011
• The Black Eyed Peas: Party All the Time
• LMFAO: Party Rock Anthem
• Pretty Lights: Final Countdown
• Usher: More

Get Set Up

A day before the party, have all of your decorations ready to go. Make some red and green jell-o shots, since they take a few hours to solidify, and make sure you have all ingredients necessary for spiked eggnog or hot chocolate. The day of the party, the most important thing to remember is to stay in the holiday spirit and relax!

Photo: dpstylesâ„¢ at flickr.com