Make December writing fun, creative, and stress-free with this Ugly Christmas Sweater Contest! This resource includes a festive Christmas craft, Christmas opinion writing activity, and a fun ugly Christmas sweater contest all in one!

This project gives students a chance to design their own sweater, plan their ideas, write a strong opinion piece, and compete in a class Christmas writing and design contest. It’s the perfect way to keep students engaged during the busy days leading up to winter break while still reinforcing essential writing skills.

More about this resource:
This hands-on Christmas craftivity turns opinion writing into an exciting holiday challenge students love.

1. First, students will choose from 12 printable Christmas sweater templates (or use the blank option).
2. Then, they brainstorm creative design choices, decorate their sweater, and complete a descriptive web to prepare for writing.
3. Next, students plan and write their opinion piece: Why should my sweater win the contest?
4. After writing, students share their work, vote using class ballots, and celebrate winners with certificates and a festive winter bulletin board display!

This highly engaging Christmas classroom activity works perfectly as a Christmas design project, holiday writing project, December writing prompt, center activity, or early finisher assignment.

Included in this download:

Everything you need for a complete Christmas ELA activity:

✔ 12 Ugly Christmas Sweater templates + a blank version

✔ Sweater Gallery for choosing designs

✔ Brainstorming Page

✔ Descriptive Web (sensory & descriptive details)

✔ Opinion Map (claim, reasons, details, conclusion)

✔ Student Writing Guide

✔ Writing Templates

✔ Cover Page

✔ Entry Form

✔ Student Voting Ballots

✔ Teacher Scorecards (optional)

✔ Vote Tally Sheet

✔ Certificates for multiple award categories

✔ Display Titles & Bulletin Board Ideas

✔ Teacher Directions for sharing, voting, and assembling packets

✔ Table of Contents with copy tips

Everything is print-and-go, making it the perfect printable Christmas activity for Grades 3–5!

⭐ Solve a Common Classroom Problem:

The week before winter break can be filled with excitement, wiggly students, and limited focus. This resource solves that problem by giving you a structured, engaging Christmas literacy activity that keeps your class working, learning, and having fun without chaos! Students stay focused because they love the creative design component AND the friendly competition. No more scrambling for holiday literacy centers or last-minute Christmas crafts! This resource does all the planning for you.

These activities are perfect for…

• Christmas writing activities
• December writing prompts
• Holiday literacy centers
• Christmas craftivity projects
• Morning work
• Early finishers
• Small groups
• Writing centers
• Sub plans
• Holiday party activities
• Winter bulletin board displays
• A fun class-wide Christmas writing contest

The best part?

Everything is NO PREP—just print the pages as student packets, hand out the sweater templates, and your students can complete nearly the entire project independently. Teachers love that it’s high-engagement, low-prep, and meaningful. Students love that it feels like a festive holiday craft and a contest!

⭐ This Ugly Christmas Sweater Design & Opinion Writing Contest is the perfect blend of creativity, writing practice, and festive fun. It’s a no-prep Christmas activity your students will remember and a Christmas writing activity you’ll want to use every year. With detailed planning pages, writing support, printable sweater templates, student voting, and awards, this is the ultimate Christmas craftivity for Grades 3–5!

Supports Common Core Standards (CCSS):

Writing:

• W.3.1, W.3.4, W.3.5, W.3.8
• W.4.1, W.4.4, W.4.5, W.4.8
• W.5.1, W.5.4, W.5.5, W.5.8

Language:

• L.3.1–3, L.3.6
• L.4.1–3, L.4.6
• L.5.1–3, L.5.6

Speaking & Listening:

• SL.3.4, SL.4.4, SL.5.4 (sharing & presenting sweaters/opinions)

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