Why you can forget about new Christmas jumpers this year

Would it be Christmas without a good old Christmas jumper? Whether you wear yours with pride or a hefty dose of irony, Christmas jumpers have become an essential over recent years. But you don’t need to dash to the shops to get your Christmas on. 

The reason behind all those Christmas jumpers (aside from looking festive and fabulous) is to donate to Save the Children on Christmas Jumper Day on December 8. Whether you donate 20p or £2, your donation will go even further this year, with the UK government pledging to double your donation. 

The money raised is used to support mums, mum-to-be, babies and children in Kenya by supplying food and medicine. Every year, 74,000 children die before reaching five in Kenya, but with donations reaching 200,000 people, contributing can make a real difference this Christmas. 

Before you head to the shops, you don’t need to buy a new Christmas jumper for your child. It might be fun to, but as young children grow so quickly, you may well find they don’t get a great deal of wear out of it, which could be bad for your wallet as well as the environment. Plus, only the shop you buy from benefits from your purchase, not the charity. 

No new jumper? No problem! 

You could consider using a Christmas jumper passed down by a friend or family member’s older child, set up a Christmas jumper swap with friends, or see if you could find one in a charity shop. 

You could also make an existing outfit more festive by adding stickers, felt, tinsel, pom poms or plastic baubles. If your child is a toddler or pre-schooler, you could create your own Christmas jumpers together. It’s a great way to spend some time together and is guaranteed to get you in the Christmas mood – even more so if you play some carols or Christmas classics in the background! 

You could use felt pieces to glue together a Christmas pudding, robin or snowman, and sew it on to an existing piece of clothing. If you have a green top, you could transform it into a Christmas tree by adding tinsel and baubles. 

If you do decide to buy one, why not consider a Fair Isle jumper or cardigan? They’re festive enough to put you in the spirit but your child can wear them all year round, meaning you get more wear for your money. Vinted is a great way to find a quality, long-wearing jumper that can be worn regularly without spending lots of money. Add a final flourish with some tinsel for some extra sparkle, and you’re good to go.  

Now, can we crack open the mince pies yet?