11 DIY Ugly Christmas Sweaters Ideas That Are Merry and Bright

When it comes to Christmas sweaters, the bolder (read: uglier) the better. But, why spend a ton of money on something that is supposed to be garish and might only be worn once? Instead, grab a plain sweater from your closet, dig through your old holiday decor for materials and DIY your festive fit for a fraction of the cost — and double the fun. (You can even invite some friends over for a sweater-making soiree.) This roundup of DIY ugly Christmas sweaters will give you with all the inspiration you need to create a merry masterpiece that won't bust your holiday budget.

DIY the sweetest sweater with this simple gingerbread-inspired design. Whip it up by adding embellishments with tacky glue, including white rickrack, buttons and red ribbon, to a brown sweater — no baking necessary!

Pro tip: Wash out the adhesive with hot water to un-gingerbread your knitwear.

Green and yellow yarn are all you need to transform a plain red sweater (or sweater vest!) into this festive frock featuring a fluffy and fun Christmas tree. Make the pom-poms, then thread them into the fabric of the sweater with yarn and secure each with a hidden knot. After the holiday cheer has subsided, you can remove the poms by carefully cutting them off of the sweater.

Celebrate everyone's favorite frozen fella with this DIY snowman sweater. Perfect for festive occasions all the way until the spring thaw, it's an easy DIY project. If you can cut simple shapes from felt, you can craft this adorable snowman sweater.

This tinsel coat, made by gluing strands of silver tinsel garland to a thifted collared shirt, is sure to make you the sparkliest guest at the party. Top off the look with a matching tinsel headband, and you are sure to shine.

If a full-fledged tinsel look isn't your style, a little gold tinsel gives a surprisingly chic glow up to a plain sweater. To add some sparkle to a sweater, glue (or stitch, if you want to remove it later) the tinsel along the collar and wrists.

Another sparkling tinsel design: Deck out a plain sweater with a shimmering green tinsel tree. Using only a bit of glittering green garland, a gold bow and a hot glue gun, it's easy to create this bright and cheery Christmas tree on any plain shirt. For an extra bit of whimsy that shines bright, string on some battery-operated fairy lights.

If over-the-top holiday fits aren't your thing, this DIY sweater idea is for you. Felt Christmas tree elbow patches attached with a simple basting stitch add just a touch of wintry whimsy.

'Tis the season for piles of presents, so why not dress as a gift? To turn any cozy sweater into a wrapped wonder, add a bow and a tag with tacky glue, and deliver yourself right to the party.

Any stylish santa would love this "Ho Ho Ho" emblazoned sweater. It only takes a bit of felt and some glue to elevate any shirt from dull to delightful.

Bring double the cheer to any holiday party with these merry matching Mr. and Mrs. Christmas sweaters. Schedule a fun date night to decorate your sweaters with sequins, ribbon, glitter and tinsel.