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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To dislike the Christmas jumper day

123 replies

wintersbranches · 07/12/2016 16:12

My school are doing it. I know it's optional but let's face it, there's pressure even from adults to conform.

It's to support a local worthy charity but wouldn't it be so much better if we could give £1 to the charity and save however much on buying a stupid jumper?

OP posts:

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 07/12/2016 22:11

A PATCH!!!

allowlsthinkalot · 07/12/2016 22:23

I had to buy bloody jumpers one year. They didn't have a jumper they could pimp. They don't really wear jumpers.

Now I know this is coming I buy early from charity shops. But YANBU.

MsHybridFanGirl · 07/12/2016 22:42

I'm a TA in a school and we're doing Xmas jumper day.

That's fine for me - I have 3 Xmas jumpers (I love them!) and wear them throughout December to various events.

But DD needed a new one this year as had outgrown hers. Bought as large as could but did make me think that some families will really struggle with the cost of them, and no child wants to be left out of course!

December school costs this year - Xmas dinner, Xmas jumper, pantomime, Xmas fair, tombola donation, Xmas present room - how can some families do it?

SVJAA · 07/12/2016 22:49

In our case, DP does a shitload of overtime and we don't buy presents for each other for Christmas in order to be able to afford all the school/nursery stuff.

didireallysaythat · 07/12/2016 23:01

I'd rather put £2 in the box - I don't know anyone who has an Xmas jumper, and I'm not going to buy one especially for DS to wear to school - what a waste of money and resources !

megletthesecond · 07/12/2016 23:09

Yanbu.

My Xmas jumper is from a charity shop, i refuse to spend money on something that will be worn for a month. Several of our local charity shops have been putting out a rail of them over the last few weeks. I'll send mine back after Xmas and get a 'new' second hand one next autumn.

GlitterGlue · 07/12/2016 23:12

That's ridiculous. Our school encourages children to be creative and make their own to make it easier for everyone to participate.

Ohyesiam · 07/12/2016 23:16

It should be renamed sweatshop day.

blueberryporridge · 07/12/2016 23:35

*It should be renamed sweatshop day."

This, exactly. We will be decorating a piece of clothing with a bit of tinsel and if anyone queries it, I will tell them why...

Middleoftheroad · 07/12/2016 23:42

Seen them for £3 in two different charity shops, so that cash can go to a good cause. Sure you can stretch to that

Bananabread123 · 07/12/2016 23:51

I think your head is being outrageous to enforce this.... its not even a Christmas jumper day, but a 'factory manufactured Christmas jumper' day!

Bananabread123 · 07/12/2016 23:53

Middleoftheroad

You've completely missed the OPs point... she's not saying she can't afford a £3 jumper!

Bananabread123 · 07/12/2016 23:55

My children wore jumpers decorated in baubles and tinsel... at least as festive as a shop bought one. I would refuse to buy one on principle even though I could afford it.

AndNowItsSeven · 07/12/2016 23:59

It's not one day though is it , it's the whole month of December and new year, for two years in a row.
Charity shops have lots in atm or pick the up in the sale for next year.

HelenaDove · 08/12/2016 01:07

Tesco have Christmas pins and brooches for about £3 for pack of three. Pin one to a jumper = Christmas jumper.

HelenaDove · 08/12/2016 01:08

I wonder how quickly it would take to get a new word into the English language. Chullying + charity bullying.

HelenaDove · 08/12/2016 01:09

Sorry + should have been =

Original poster

wintersbranches · 08/12/2016 07:17

Okay middle so for arguments sake charity shops are filled with Christmas jumpers and I have two children so that's £6 plus the £1 each to participate - still £8.

However you dress it up that's still not an insignificant amount to some families.

OP posts:

merrymouse · 08/12/2016 07:30

I hadn't realised that the ITV text Santa campaign isn't happening anymore. 'Save the children' seem to be carrying on by themselves, but without a clothing sponsor.

Maybe the penny dropped and people have realised that this kind of fundraising doesn't make sense?

CozumelFox · 08/12/2016 07:55

On many threads many Mumsnetters sneer at waste, 'tat', 'mountains of plastic', boast about their recycling prowess and disgust of landfill, but a Christmas Jumper thread and you're "a miserable mum" who will be scorned and shunned by wealthy mummies who can spunk £10-£12 on each kids disposable jumper. Which will go to landfill. And supports the very sweatshops and child labour exploitation they profess to loathe while they're shopping at their ethical retailers.

2cats2many · 08/12/2016 07:59

I'm with you OP. I see it as 'Sponsor Primark Day'. They seem to be the only ones that win out of it.

Tarla · 08/12/2016 09:10

Plus £10- £12 per child if you're on a limited income at what is already a financially tight time of year is ridiculous.

We're fortunate enough to be in a position where we can afford things like this but not everyone is. This month alone for school we've had

buy your child's costume for the Christmas show because school don't provide them. School sent home a letter saying what you needed, I had to buy two as have two DC in the show, I got one on eBay for £6 and the other in Asda for £14

Christmas Fair. £1 per person entry plus tombola (which we were all asked to donate a prize for), raffle, Santa's grotto and various stalls. I ended up spending around £20 on entrance, Santa and stalls for three DC.

Christmas decorations. Know the decoration every child makes at school every year and they bring home at the end of term to hang on the tree? Well our school makes us buy them instead of just sending them home and of course the DC are super proud of their creation so not buying the is out of the question. They're £2 each, I have two DC in the school and next year will have three

Christmas lunch, £2.50 per child

Christmas trip. One DC went to the local farm to take part in a nativity play in a real stable with real animals and the other DC went to some enchanted forest thing. School put some of the cost but still had to contribute £9 per child

Christmas jumper day has cost me £8 per child

Christmas parties are next week. School buy and prepare the party food but you have to give a donation of £2 per child

Plus as it's the end of term the milk and fruit orders have to be done this week ready for next term. Milk is £11 per term and fruit is £10 per term, per child

My total spend on school stuff this month has been around £129 and this is on top of the £10 a week school dinners (only pay that for one child at the minute as the other is under 7). I know I could say no to some of these things like the school fair and the milk/fruit but when their friends are all having milk/fruit or are wearing a Christmas jumper or are having Christmas lunch, children don't want to be the odd one out. When they've made a cake for the cake stall at the fair they want you to go and buy it, same for the bauble for the tree. It's out of reach for a lot families and is unnecessary pressure. I know school budgets are stretched but there needs to be some give and take somewhere and Christmas jumper day is a step too far.

formerbabe · 08/12/2016 09:12

I can live with the Christmas jumper day so long as the schools are willing to allow homemade ones (ours does which is great).

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