Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

31 replies

thepeopleversuswork · 13/12/2019 10:59

Yes folks, thought I'd find something slightly less controversial for people to have a bunfight over...

I had yet another reminder from my DD's school about having to provide an Xmas jumper for them to wear for the school fair. I'm drowning in Xmas to-do lists/shopping lists as it is with masses of shopping and Xmas prep to fit in around a very stressful day job. I'm lucky enough that a Xmas jumper isn't going to bust my budget but its just another fucking irritating thing to find time for/spend money on.

Totally fair enough if people want to do it. I personally hate them. It's just the fact that its become almost an obligation for kids to wear to school and you're seen as a bad or miserable parent if you don't do it.

Bah bloody humbug.

OP posts:
Havaina · 13/12/2019 11:01

YANBU. 14 million Christmas jumpers will be bought this year, the majority of which are made with plastic and will only be worn once.

Tell the school you are not taking part due to environmental concerns.

ChristaMSieland · 13/12/2019 11:07

I agree that it's particularly wrong of schools to casually impose things that will cause hard-pressed families to incur yet more expense in December. Also ecologically dodgy.

"Bring a garment to upcycle for Christmas" would be a much more appropriate activity for them to organise. It's creative. It's cheap(er) for families and it's greener as a concept.

Original poster
thepeopleversuswork · 13/12/2019 11:09

Havaiana well yes as you point out they are also not the most environmentally friendly things.

OP posts:
livingthegoodlife · 13/12/2019 11:11

My DD wore a t-shirt with a penguin in to her "mandatory" Christmas jumper day. No-one said anything. Have you got something wintery you could customise?

Oysterbabe · 13/12/2019 11:11

Just make one by tacking some tinsel or decorations to a jumper you have. You can then easily take them off again.

Smurfy23 · 13/12/2019 11:12

My school dont do them for this reason- too expensive for families, especially where there are siblings at the school. Complain- doesnt need to be all guns blazing but make your point clearly and calmly so they can have some quiet reflection ahead of next time. Seems to be the done thing today.

Original poster
thepeopleversuswork · 13/12/2019 11:13

livingthegoodlife yeah she did take in something sparkly. It's not so much the cost for me, although I appreciate it is for others.

It's more the fact that schools seem to take as read that there's someone at home with sod all to do all day other than respond to every gimmick of this sort with endless reserves of "creativity". I am a FT working single mum and I struggle to get through most of what I have to do to keep the lights on.

OP posts:
ManiacalLapwing · 13/12/2019 17:00

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.

fedup21 · 13/12/2019 17:02

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.

everythingisopposite · 13/12/2019 17:05

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).

GreenTulips · 13/12/2019 17:11

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

ManiacalLapwing · 13/12/2019 17:11

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!

TellMeWhoTheVilliansAre · 13/12/2019 17:11

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.

Thesispieces · 13/12/2019 17:20

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

IncyWincyGrownUp · 13/12/2019 17:29

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.

lazylinguist · 13/12/2019 17:33

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.

BackforGood · 13/12/2019 17:43

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.

NeverTwerkNaked · 13/12/2019 18:25

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.

NeverTwerkNaked · 13/12/2019 18:27

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

Dazedandconfused10 · 13/12/2019 18:36

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

Skinnychip · 13/12/2019 18:44

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.

dayswithaY · 13/12/2019 18:45

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!

circleorsquare · 13/12/2019 18:49

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.

NewNameIsNew · 14/12/2019 09:30

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

Mammylamb · 14/12/2019 09:35

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!