Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Schools - Christmas jumper day - wear an Xmas jumper and raise £1 for charity

165 replies

PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 14:58

Aibu to be aggravated with notices from two different schools about Xmas jumper day. I would have to buy two Xmas jumpers in order to send in £1 for charity.

It would cost about £40 to send them in with Xmas jumpers and pay the £1 for the privilege.

AIBU to think it’s a tone deaf request from school when people are under pressure with the inflated cost of living?

OP posts:
Original poster
PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:18

weebarra · 09/12/2024 15:49

We've been running a donation only / Christmas jumper swap as part of the PTA thrift shop. It means that jumpers are reused without people having to spend money, and those who can, donate a wee bit to the PTA, which then gets spent on stuff for the school.
We also gave unwanted jumpers into the school office to pass to families they know are struggling.

I bet a bunch of women volunteers are expected to jump in and run these things and clean and iron and sort. Women are viewed as having nothing better to do.

OP posts:
Theunamedcat · 09/12/2024 16:17

Shinyandnew1 · 09/12/2024 16:15

I have never bought a Christmas jumper and the schools won’t expect you to spend £40 on them either!

Cut a star out of foil/card or a tree out of felt and safety pin it onto the front of a jumper they already own!

Show quote history

In secondary? Your just begging for your kid to be bullied

Theunamedcat · 09/12/2024 16:16

PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:09

it is a royal pain for a lot of SEN kids too, who don’t want to be different and get anxious about the whole thing.

Show quote history

YES my kids dint wear jumpers the only one that will hates the feel of wool makes him retch he goes in a Christmas tshirt his big brother just goes in uniform (because the jumper is to be worn over the uniform in his school) I pay a pound for that privilege

Shinyandnew1 · 09/12/2024 16:15

PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:01

Two jumpers when they are small men’s and ladies’ are likely to be £17 each plus a couple of quid for the charity.

Show quote history

I have never bought a Christmas jumper and the schools won’t expect you to spend £40 on them either!

Cut a star out of foil/card or a tree out of felt and safety pin it onto the front of a jumper they already own!

Itisjustmyopinion · 09/12/2024 16:15

PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:10

Actually it’s a bit late now to sort them out. And I don’t want to spend the cash. I’ve enough to buy for growing kids and funding Christmas without that.

Show quote history

Has nobody you know got a couple of jumpers they can borrow for the day? Most people have 1 or 2 and won’t be wearing both on the same day

Nc546888 · 09/12/2024 16:14

WearyAuldWumman · 09/12/2024 16:12

I just think that being expected to raise money for charity is an unnecessary additional burden on parents, no matter how it's done: I'm not just talking about the money.

I realise that for many people it's a case of "Oh, it doesn't take up that much time!" but for some it's an additional stressor that they don't need.

Oh gawd what are you going to moan about next - world book day needs banning?

recordersaregreat · 09/12/2024 16:13

To my enormous relief, DD's school is having a non uniform day with optional Christmas jumpers.

We can afford one (though I object to the unnecessary expense) but when we've looked, we haven't found any that feel OK for her - she (and I) have significant sensory issues. I'm just very relieved that school uniform feels OK; neither of us have the time or energy to search for a non-itchy Christmas jumper.

WearyAuldWumman · 09/12/2024 16:12

I just think that being expected to raise money for charity is an unnecessary additional burden on parents, no matter how it's done: I'm not just talking about the money.

I realise that for many people it's a case of "Oh, it doesn't take up that much time!" but for some it's an additional stressor that they don't need.

ByMerryKoala · 09/12/2024 16:12

Oh Vinted 🤮 Fine if you don't explode into a red raw eczema ball itchyness from all the many, many unimpenetrable layers of laundry stink.

Original poster
PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:10

Nc546888 · 09/12/2024 16:08

It would have been less time consuming for you to buy one on Vinted than waste your time here on mumsnet moaning about it dontcha think

Show quote history

Actually it’s a bit late now to sort them out. And I don’t want to spend the cash. I’ve enough to buy for growing kids and funding Christmas without that.

OP posts:
Original poster
PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:09

user2848502016 · 09/12/2024 15:26

It really, you could get a jumper from a charity shop or vinted (or primark) for a lot less than £20, get it big enough to do next year too.
It's also not compulsory.... send them in uniform with no £1 or in own clothes and pay £1 anyway (my eldest DD doesn't want a Christmas jumper this year and is just wearing a green hoody she already has)

it is a royal pain for a lot of SEN kids too, who don’t want to be different and get anxious about the whole thing.

OP posts:
Nc546888 · 09/12/2024 16:08

PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:07

When? I work full time. I have kids to look after at the weekends. I don’t want to spend a tenner either on them. I’d rather but something useful and worthwhile with the money I’ve earned.

Show quote history

It would have been less time consuming for you to buy one on Vinted than waste your time here on mumsnet moaning about it dontcha think

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 09/12/2024 16:08

Our school does an old Christmas jumper collection and resale....

Merryoldgoat · 09/12/2024 16:08

Rosti1981 · 09/12/2024 15:04

In general I don't like the potential waste of Xmas jumpers but OTOH if it could be a non uniform/festive day (jumpers expanded to mean red/green/sparkly clothes etc) it isn't too bad. Id probably just interpret like that if we didn't have Xmas jumpers to hand.
I have just got Xmas jumpers from Olio for free and will keep to use each year for stuff like this. Hate the idea of buying them new (though I do often buy Xmas or winter pyjamas - and these are then worn all year, so maybe I'm a hypocrite)

My son’s school did this. ‘Winter Jumper Day’. Wanted to avoid parents feeling the need to buy jumpers they didn’t have.

Then we had some idiotic parents saying that they changed it from ‘Christmas Jumper’ because minorities were offended by Christmas.

Can’t do anything about stupid.

Original poster
PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:07

Nolegusta · 09/12/2024 15:28

Charity shop?
Vinted?

Show quote history

When? I work full time. I have kids to look after at the weekends. I don’t want to spend a tenner either on them. I’d rather but something useful and worthwhile with the money I’ve earned.

OP posts:
Original poster
PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:05

LadyKenya · 09/12/2024 15:46

This. While parents continue to comply with this nonsense, then why would anything change? By all means do the charity side of things, but the children should be encouraged to just add a bit of sparkle to their normal clothes, such as a bit of tinsel around their wrists, in their hair, sparkly nail varnish etc.

Show quote history

Agreed. It doesn’t help that Ofsted expect schools to raise money for charity. This is needless crap. Parents pay taxes and pay enough to the government. They shouldn’t be coerced to give £1 for dress down days and do all of these yellow days for mental health etc. Speaking as a single parent who is working full time, with SEN kids, I have enough shit to do without this.. and kids who don’t want to be the odd one out.

OP posts:
SharpOpalNewt · 09/12/2024 16:04

I didn't buy a Christmas jumper for DDs until they had stopped growing. We all have Christmas jumpers but put them away with the decorations and get them out again with the advent calendars. They also borrow mine and I borrow theirs. The oldest one (mine) is about 12 years old and none have been passed on or thrown away.

ByMerryKoala · 09/12/2024 16:02

Nc546888 · 09/12/2024 15:56

Yeah Christmas is unnecessary hassle!

Show quote history

To be fair, the bar for participating in Christmas festivities at school has gone into overdrive. Christmas play, Christmas Jumper day, Christmas party, Christmas raffle, Christmas movie night, Christmas choir, Christmas fair all with a bring this thing, wear that thing, take this much money.

I'm sure the teachers are even more knackered that the parents but it makes everything unnecessarily difficult. If we could just go back to having toy day on the last day of term then I'm sure everyone would heave a sigh of relief at the festive de-escalation.

LivinInYourBigGlassHouseWithAView · 09/12/2024 16:01

If you don't want to look on FB marketplace, where they're traded or sold for a few pounds a pop, your child can pin a hand drawn Christmas tree/snowflake to his top. Or wrap some tinsel around his neck like a scarf. Sorted.

Original poster
PineappleRox · 09/12/2024 16:01

MumChp · 09/12/2024 15:35

Why £40?

Ask around. We often shared jumpers with cousins, got a second hand or Primark.

Two jumpers when they are small men’s and ladies’ are likely to be £17 each plus a couple of quid for the charity.

OP posts:
Ponderingwindow · 09/12/2024 16:00

I used to just use a random red or green shirt. Some years I would buy a primary level shirt with a cute Christmas graphic. Dc would love wearing it on weekends and on Christmas Day. I never bothered with a proper jumper because they grow too fast.

only now that dc has stopped growing do we invest in more expensive things like Christmas jumpers because we know they can be used year to year.

DreamyDreamy · 09/12/2024 16:00

It is supposed to be fun for the kids… so either they have a Christmas jumper they want to wear or they can take any jumper they own and customise it - anything from basic stickers to needlework. At least this is what they do at my DC’s school.

Nc546888 · 09/12/2024 15:56

Behindthethymes · 09/12/2024 15:55

I hated this nonsense. And I didn’t have time to traipse through multiple charity shops in the hopes of finding something suitable in the right size.
It’s all completely unnecessary hassle.

Yeah Christmas is unnecessary hassle!

Behindthethymes · 09/12/2024 15:55

I hated this nonsense. And I didn’t have time to traipse through multiple charity shops in the hopes of finding something suitable in the right size.
It’s all completely unnecessary hassle.

ByMerryKoala · 09/12/2024 15:53

Christmas jumpers are like a hand-me-down waterfall for the kids in my family. Once they've been worn by all three of my boys then they are passed down to cousins.

Swipe left for the next trending thread