Every year for the last three years I have hosted a Tacky Holiday Sweater Christmas Party.

The first year it was held, 2006, most invitees wore store-bought sweaters...  tacky, but not necessarily original.  Just the types of outfits your grandma bought you for Christmas when you were a kid and had no choice but to wear the eye-sores.  One stand out participant made a sweater out of a vinyl Christmas table-cloth.  She glued cotton to the sleeves and bottom hem, and she won the award that year for Tackiest Holiday Sweater.

After that first year, the bar was raised.  Last year's guests went crazy with the hot glue, the tinsel, the puff paint, and the battery-operated lights.  The first place winner was my best friend who puff-painted a menorah on his sweater and stuck lights through it where the candles would be lit.  Being the brightest at the party; he was known from then on as "Menorah" Mike.

This year's party, which took place on Dec. 20th was by far the biggest and best Tacky Sweater Party to date.  Having created categories this time around, we had winners for "Most Original Sweater," "Best Use of Hot Glue," and "Best Outfit/Ensemble."  The attached pictures will show just how creative everyone got.  We even had guest take the "Best Outfit/Ensemble" to the extreme when SHE dressed up like Jesus!  ...Tacky?  I'd say so!  But it worked and we all had a lot of fun.

The first year I held this party I had about 20 people attend.  Then the second we had about thirty.  But for 2008 we had over 55 people show up!  I'm looking forward to continuing this tradition every year - seeing what crazy ugly tacky creations my friends and family can come up with.  It's a great opportunity to have a unique get-together where people really have fun and get into the Christmas Spirit.  (Plus there is always a lot to drink!)

-Jacob Carter