Every year my sister-in-law hosts a family Christmas and holiday party for all of the kids in the family. At this party the kids will decorate their own gingerbread houses and she hosts a cookie decorating contest…complete with prizes for all of the kids!
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Last weekend she hosted the party and I wanted to share some photographs of the kids decorating their Ugly Sweater Sugar Cookies. The children had a great time and look forward to this party every year.
To make things a little bit easier she purchases the blank Ugly Sweater Cookies from a local grocery store in their bakery department. She picks up frosting and puts it into decorator frosting bags. If you’re trying to keep costs down…go to your local Dollar Tree Store and pick up all kinds of different candies and cookie decorating supplies.
Here are some of the candies that work well when decorating your cookies:
M&M Candies
Peanut M&M Candies
Candy Corn
Sweet Tarts
Sixlets
Mini Gumballs
Colored Cookie Sprinkles
Colored Cookie Sugars
Lifesavers
Breathmints
Gummy Bears
Gummy Worms
Peppermint Candies
Mike & Ike’s
etc.
Basically she recommends avoiding your traditional chocolate candy bars as they will melt in their hands and typically don’t stick well in the frosting. You can find a huge selection of candy at your “Dollar-type” of stores. While you’re there pick up a box of inexpensive zipper close sandwich size bags. You’ll need these to pack up the finished cookies for the ride home.
You’ll need a few cardboard boxes. Cut the boxes down into manageable sizes and use the flaps, sides and bottoms. Cut them to placemat size. Cover one side with aluminum foil. This will be their work surface and helps to protect your dining room table. Plus, it’s non-stick!
Give each child a tube of frosting in their desired color. Place all of the candy decorating supplies in the center of the table. It’s important to let them be creative and to come up with their own designs. This isn’t about having “Pinterest worthy” photos at all. It’s about the kids having fun!
You can have the adult family members vote on the different designs when they’re done and award little prizes. Example:
Best Cookie Design
Cookie with the Most Candy
Most Colorful Cookie
Most Creative & Unique Design
Best UGLY Cookie Design
She picks up holiday themed pencils, pencil erasers, mini coloring books, small packs of crayons & markers, holiday stickers, candy, etc. at the Dollar Tree and places the goodies into prize bags. Each child receives one no matter what…so you may need to come up with a lot of judging categories depending on how many children are at your party.
You can watch my nephew’s official YouTube video taken at the party. Very cute!!!
As you can see…the kids in our family LOVE decorating their Ugly Sweater Sugar Cookies and look forward to this holiday tradition every year. Got kids in the family? You’ll want to check out my nephew’s brand new YouTube channel. Please hit subscribe when you’re there!
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I can see that this would b a lot of fun for kids. It would be very creative and a lot of fun.
That would be fun. Kids love helping decorate cookies anyway, and these would be a hoot, lol.
What a cute idea. We will have to try that with the Sunday School class this Sunday. The kids will love it. Thank you for the idea.
This sounds like so much fun and what a clever idea. I would love to do something like this in our family thanks for sharing.
Ugly Sweater Cookie decorating is such a cute idea! No doubt the kids look forward to it every year.