To be irrationally enraged by the fact Christmas jumpers have become more or less mandatory?

I just ignored their demands, there is something every single month, last month come dressed up in a costume, I bought a costume the one before Yellow day, dress up in Yellow, next superhero day, I panicked because I have boys, Yellow is not a common colour in their wardrobes, now Christmas jumpers, I am not christian therefore my kids do NOT have a Christmas jumpers and I am not going to buy one for them to wear once either..

Would they ask parents to send kids in wearing saris for divali? No as families who aren't indian don't have Sari's or whatever their dresses are called in their wardrobe naturally...

Kids can learn about other cultures and religions without needing to dress up for each occasion as 'if' they celebrate them in real life, I think its an imposition personally and not really inclusive...

Something with red or green or stars on it?. Or a bit o tinsel added. Its not hard

We were given 12 hours notice for DC's Xmas jumper day at school this year, the assumption obviously being that everyone would already have Xmas jumpers...

Yabu to say you are 'drowning in to do lists' etc.. Scale back your Christmas and stop being a martyr.

When I was teaching some years ago parents were asked to do very little. I remember us teachers staying behind or taking home various items to be put together for nativity/Christmas plays. I was amazed, however, when my own daughter at a different school came home clutching a note requiring me to get together with another unfortunate parent to make a large barrel which our two children could fit into it. All I could think of then was what a cheek! It wasn’t even a request but a direct demand with no guidance as to the actual requirements or given any materials. I was more annoyed as at our school as it was hands on by all the staff and a couple of volunteer mums who came into the school to help.

Our school had a non uniform day with a Christmas twist. 80% of the pupils wore normal clothes and most paid £1 for the privilege. Most of the staff wore the same Christmas jumpers we wear every year and a few kids wore their jumpers or tinsel in their hair etc. Kids who couldn't afford the donation didn't donate and still wore their jumper or own clothes. £860 was raised for the charity but there was no pressure, which is the most important thing.

Oh yes, this sends me nuts. Enough to do at Christmas without all this. Delighted that my neighbours popped over last night with Christmas jumpers from their kids that they’ve outgrown!

I have bought winter jumpers rather than festive so snowflakes and penguins rather than Santa's and elves.

Mine have worn the same one for ages and I've just bought a new one this year as my old one was getting tatty! I always buy big and my children haven't grown that quickly. They wear them loads over December though so not just once at all.

This gives me the rage. Buy a stupid jumper for at least £10 then donate £1 to charity. It should be the other way round!

My DS school is in quite an affluent area. All the kids seemed to have christmas jumpers (or whole outfits) and bring in a donation for charity. DS wears tshirt and shorts all year so I wasn't going to waste money on a jumper he would prob only wear for 5 min. He took some reindeer antlers we already had but then didnt wear them and I got accused of being a bit bah humbug. The thing that I found most annoying was the pitiful amount of money raised for the charity, when most people had clearly spent a lot on the outfits themselves.

My festive jumper was not terribly polite. I don't think work will make me wear one again.

A lot of schools near us were doing Christmas jumper sales in advance of Christmas jumper day this year. So people could bring along old ones/ buy 2nd hand ones v cheaply and raise money for the school at the same time. I thought that was a great idea

We buy them in unisex styles then they can be handed down from child to child, and once they have all outgrown them they get handed on to other people. Surely people don't chuck them out?

And adult ones can be worn year after year. I bought mine in a sale one year and wear it again each year for various events.

But yes, I am wary of schools making this a "thing" unless they make it v clear that there is no pressure to join in/that home made efforts will be welcomed. Our school partly draws from a very deprived catchment and they were quite clear that it was a "wear something festive" (eg tinsel in hair or similar was fine) and that donations were totally optional too.

It's just the fact that its become almost an obligation for kids to wear to school

So if you are expecting it - just keep the one you bought, with growing room in the first place.
Or go in to your local charity shop when the rail comes out in the last week in November and get another, larger one. Or go into your charity shop after Christmas and ask them what they've got then.
I would get 'the rage' if asked to produce some tricky thing at short notice, but it's fairly predictable your dc will be given the opportunity to wear one in 12 months time, and 2 years, and 3 year, etc etc - it's no surprise.
Plus, of course, they don't actually ^have to6 as others have posted, and not too difficult to tack a bit or tinsel on to another top if they really can't be allowed to have one.

YANBU about all the school demands, but really this one is easy enough to get around and avoid the faff and environmental impact. Pin some tinsel or something on a jumper. Job done.

I took three outgrown jumpers into school to be reused this year. We’ve got a box full of them that the children can access if needed. Lots of passing through families too. There are still a good dozen or so floss-like-a-boss ones from a couple of years ago doing the rounds in years three and four.

I will admit I bought a new one for my youngest this year, it has been bought to last though, and should see him through to the end of primary school.

They’re a pain in the arse though.

Can you borrow one? There must be loads of worn once ones hanging around. I borrowed 3 this year for a concert my children played in. Didn't cost me a penny, and the jumpers got more than one outing.

My DS has a long sleeve t-shirt at the moment, but one that can be worn all winter. It's onto it's second year and should fit for a third if he doesn't hit a teenage growth spurt next year. 100% cotton so not a nasty polyester jumper that sheds microplastics or anything.

His school said something 'festive' and lots of kids were still in black adidas!

I agree
The costume thing in particular - why don’t parents donate them for the following year or Do a swap shop?

DD school kept a selection of nativity and animals etc

I hate the kids Xmas jumpers - just another thing to buy - wouldn’t mind it the jumper actually came from the charity they are supposed to support but £1 donation on top of a £10 jumper is madness

YANBU! This drives me mad. Our school is bloody constantly having various dressing up days which require purchasing single use costumes and clothes. We don't have endless money for these and I resent the environmental impact. My son is constantly coming home with environmental messages from school, but it is clear that the school teaches this because they have to and not because they actually have any concern for the environment whatsoever ( or for the budgets of parents).

I’ve worn a Christmas jumper every year and never bought one. Just cut out a green felt tree or a snowman and loosely sew it on a jumper.

Just buy a festive jumper that can be worn all winter. Jumpers can be bought big too, they've usually fit DS for a few years.