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Original poster

To wish schools would scrap Christmas jumper day?

408 replies

Notspeakingup · 04/12/2021 17:59

DC2 has a couple of little classmates with difficult home lives, one in particular without much money. There are some Christmas jumper days coming up and I have been thinking about how tough it must be to always be the child with no jumper.

I know as children grow up you can't avoid the inequalities but it would be great if we could at least stop it being an issue at primary school. (And of course there are the families who buy jumpers when they can't really afford them).

OP posts:
AdventStar · 04/12/2021 20:06

@Kljnmw3459

I'm so glad our school doesn't do it this year. My DC still remembers his class mates laughing at his make do jumper that he had decorated himself with christmassy stickers etc because we couldn't afford to buy him one and charity shop didn't have any. That happened couple of years ago when he was in infants and he still refuses to partake in it now.
That makes me so sad Sad
ronniz · 04/12/2021 20:07

We have a 2nd hand xmas jumper day & uniform stall at the fair before the actual xmas day. Parents often share too

Original poster
Notspeakingup · 04/12/2021 20:08

It's really sad and I think many posters are missing this point.

OP posts:
ronniz · 04/12/2021 20:08

uniform/jumpers cost 50p

GreenLunchBox · 04/12/2021 20:08

I was saying this. Gotta pay £20 for a jumper my kid will never wear again (I'll have to wear it so it doesn't go to waste) and pay a pound for the privilege.

Seems silly to spend £20 on a useless item so we can pay £1 to the charity Confused

TwiggletLover · 04/12/2021 20:09

I completely agree with you. Our school does loads of things like this. They always state please don't feel like you have to buy anything new but I am really not talented enough to make a Victorian costume( or whatever it is ) from scratch.

Meowenstein · 04/12/2021 20:09

@EmbarrassingHadrosaurus it’s without a question a great country to live in especially if you have children. The benefits are amazing. Even all medicine, dentists, doctor’s etc is entirely free for children up to 18 or 23. Parents, no matter on what income, get government benefits of £100 a month for each child that can go towards clothes, food etc.

dementedma · 04/12/2021 20:10

Just refuse to buy one. They are made in sweat shops and crap. Decorate an ordinary jumper and yes, that's what I'll be doing for our Christmas Jumper day at work.

Tiredalwaystired · 04/12/2021 20:10

At our school it’s a Christmas jumper or a brightly coloured jumper.

ronniz · 04/12/2021 20:10

Do you think it’s fair to charge two people different prices for the same service though?

Do you think they shouldn't have xmas jumper day? I would never pay £20 for one so just buy it 2nd hand & they donate back.

Restart10 · 04/12/2021 20:12

It's really sad and I think many posters are missing this point.

Agree. For those who feel why should the majority miss out, shame on them. And those kids who come in with tinsel stuck on, they know the difference from the nicer jumpers. It's just so unecessary.

Ivchangedmynameforthis · 04/12/2021 20:13

My school provides plain white tshirts for every single child to decorate and wear on the day due to us being in quite a deprived area. I think this is an absolutely fantastic idea.

liveforsummer · 04/12/2021 20:15

@EnidFrighten

It's dd's first year of it as she's in reception. I could afford to buy one, but I don't bloody want to! And getting a charity shop one still requires trawling around to find one. Couldn't they wear red or green or something else instead?
A red or green jumper is fine. Doesn't need to have Santa or a snowman on. eBay, vinted or marketplace handy if you don't have time to shop. In reception you can buy a couple of ages bigger and it will last 3-4 years too.
thedefinitionofmadness · 04/12/2021 20:15

@Ivchangedmynameforthis

My school provides plain white tshirts for every single child to decorate and wear on the day due to us being in quite a deprived area. I think this is an absolutely fantastic idea.
The school I was working in pre lockdown did this for WBD (or lets boost Amazon's profits day) . Everyone was a dalmation, the Head came as Cruella.
JudgeJ · 04/12/2021 20:16

@Dozer

Yes, schools could do much better on things like this.
I would be willing to bet that a very large number of teachers would happily give Christmas, and all it's attendant extra work, a miss. Do you seriously think that all teachers enjoy this kind of thing? I recall being on supply in a primary school and as a part of the Christmas entertainment the staff were forced up in frint of the kids to do something called Agidoo, having never heard of it I felt a bit left out!
ronniz · 04/12/2021 20:16

I’m not in the UK, but here schools can’t do stuff that requires families to pay for stuff, not even ask them to bring an apple for an outing. School lunches up to age 18 are also free. We don’t have school uniforms either, they can wear what they want. It works well.

People are very anti non uniform here but I like the idea.

JustLyra · 04/12/2021 20:16

[quote Notspeakingup]@JustLyra she sounds great.
They all seem to go down the "you can't take away differences" - which is true. But as she says - there's no need for kids to be slapped in the face with them in a place they have to spend a huge chunk of time. Yes![/quote]
She is. I love her.
I worked in schools for many years and she's one of the best HT's I've ever known.

Sadly I think some of the parents (in particular the one who owns the local uniform shop) and the LA will eventually drive her out with the constant getting on at her.

Underthestairsbears · 04/12/2021 20:17

I picked up a long sleeved Christmas top for DS for £1.80 in Primark. It's just not going to get the use so I didn't want to buy an expensive one.

DD's school is always fab with things like this and has already said it's Christmas jumper day but don't buy a jumper, just wear non uniform if you like. They're like this with everything, they were going to change the rule from Trainers to school shoes and scrapped it this year because they knew people couldn't afford it.

JudgeJ · 04/12/2021 20:21

@AnOldCynic

I'm lucky. My son has always refused to wear them 😊
You've taught him well, good for you!
CasparBloomberg · 04/12/2021 20:26

Our school is doing Christmas jumper or accessory day on the day of the Christmas lunch. Can wear a festive headband, socks, jumper, scarf, or whatever you like - but only one.
Makes it much easier.

RedToothBrush · 04/12/2021 20:26

I buy a Christmas jumper at least 2 sizes too big, so you get at least 2 years out of it. As soon as its 1st December it 'get that jumper on' as soon as DS gets home from school and Christmas jumpers CAN be worn well in January. Cos I say so!

I think we got 4 Christmases out of one jumper (it was getting on the small side!) believe it or not.

I then always pass them onto my friend who always either uses them for her son or she has friends who use. They are never just worn once or binned.

Fancy dress is the same. I deliberately buy costumes that can be repurposed or i know DS will play with a lot at home.

I make a point of ensuring that I can justify buying a Christmas jumper, just on principle.

Fwiw i wear Christmas socks all year round. I am slightly odd mind.

Meowenstein · 04/12/2021 20:29

@Ronniz

People are very anti non uniform here but I like the idea.

Yeah I know, but it does work really well. Small children usually just wear really comfy clothing they can crawl, run, climb and play in.

ronniz · 04/12/2021 20:32

Yep I have french family & it works well. I used to be very jealous!

Meowenstein · 04/12/2021 20:34

@ronniz and most parents when picking up their children at nursery/pre-school seem quite happy with their children’s outdoor clothes being unrecognizable covered in mud and sand or being wet, because it means they’ve been outdoors playing most of the day. I like it!

Original poster
Notspeakingup · 04/12/2021 20:35

@Meowenstein I expect that it is a much more equal country probably makes the difference with regards to non uniform. It does sound lovely.

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