To despise what world book day has become

[Whoinvented]

Currently searching for an outfit for my child who hates fancy dress but loves books. Why can’t schools just ask kids to bring their favourite book in? Why the expensive ridiculous need for a costumer every sodding year!!! We don’t have the money to waste, I’m crap at making stuff, my kids hate it. World book day has lost its meaning and can get fucked 😂

My older kids school eventually stopped it as the competitivenss got out of hand. There was one couple who would start planning, constructing and sewing over Christmas. Their kids had to win best costume each year. They switched to literary activities which is far better imo. Busy working parents haven't got time for this nonsense, so I just drop a tenner on a costume off amazon (after recently having to do the same for victorian day) which is wasteful and against the spirit but the children get swept up in having to dress up so you have to do it. They should convert it into bring your favourite book in and do literary themes at school across the board imo.

I dressed up at primary school for WBD not long after it started, so its not new. What is new is social media parents who spend loads to get the perfect picture to post on insta. There are plenty of book characters who wear 'normal' clothes, just choose one of them.

Not if the child is insistent on an expensive outfit to fit in with their peers. Not a spoilt/ungrateful child either. Their wieshes/tears are rooted in wanting to fit in with their friends.

So whilst a great idea in theory, not realistic for everyone. We are not purchasing said outfit, but have a very unhappy child as a result.

I just treat my kids to a themed t shirt or jumper eg a Mr Men one for the dc in nursery, or Paddington etc. This year I got a Gruffalo one on vinted but you can get them at sainsburys too.

They'll wear them loads because they like those characters anyway. Job done.

Luna lovegood??? What kind of kids character book is that?!!!!!

It's a Harry Potter character...! Did you think it was a p-rn star or something.

I recommend the books, they are some of the most popular children's books in the world. Your kids might like them

The schools don't help if they make it a competition. Mine has annoyed me by doing this this year - it's our third year here and they have suddenly announced 2 prizes per class for best-dressed. It's actually really out of character for what is a very inclusive school in the main.

I hate world dressing up day with every fibre of my being. It's not about books, its about who can buy the most elaborate and expensive costume that'll only ever get worn once.

Thankfully my youngest also shares my hatred of dressing up. World book day- nope. Theme days- forget about it. Mufti days- not a chance. As far as they are concerned you wear uniform to school and that's final.

Not sure when it was invented but it's been around since mine were at primary in the early 2000s. They hated dressing up. So I didn't make them, they went to school in their uniform. It didn't impact their education, both avid readers and they weren't the only ones in plain clothes.

DD's school do this. Fortunately she is as on board (or possibly cynical) as me, and having won for her number day costume (which she did deserve as she spent hours making it herself) realises she's unlikely to be picked again, and has chosen a character who wears normal clothes. They do at least try and pick winners where the kids have had some involvement in making their costume, as opposed to the very impressive one's clearly made entirely by parents.

Yes, I'm aware - I'm one of those parents you describe. I don't want things banned because of my circumstances.

World Book Day can be as elaborate or as expensive as you have the time, money and energy for, no need to spoil it for other kids by 'banning' it. IME the people that bang on about getting rid of it are the ones that can't be arsed but feel guilty about it.

Harry Potter

Many years ago, my much younger sister landed on me (at about 7PM) that they were going to Victorian School the next day. My mother was in hospital. I found up her corduroy smock dress, thick tights, she thankfully had ankle boots and I ( whose sewing skills extend to buttons) somehow made a pinafore out of an old Laura Ashley petticoat and found a ribbon for her plait. She overheard a teacher say she looked "very authentic" and it was honestly one of the proudest moments of my life 😂

I really don't know how parents do such things regularly with possibly multiple kids and so many calls on their time, like work. It would drive me mad.

This year we’ve just been asked to send children in with a prop that’s vaguely relevant to the book they’re taking in. Way easier!

Our school has gone one better and has come up with a theme so tenuous that it's not actually about books at all - books from other cultures, but not expressed by actually representing any book, just 'your cultural dress or the colours of a flag from any culture'.
So pointless. Especially as we have days properly celebrating the children's cultures anyway. And the flag thing will probably bring out the local idiots as well.

My daughter's school are asking for a vegetable turned into a book character as well as dressing up!

How...? You have to carve a carrot into the shape of Gandalf or something?

I will probably just get the craft box out and turn a carrot into the stick man!

It’s completely the opposite sentiment at our school. The bigger, the better. When they didn’t do dress up for a couple of years parents were up in arms about it. I’m a Governor, and had parents literally basing a change of primary schools on this matter. Others were devastated, said it was a tradition from when they were children, many completely hand make the costume each year, others said there was no expense spared when purchasing outfits.

So it’s now been reinstated at our school, with loads of extra linked activities too- parents are coming in to read books together and there’s an art and craft character competition.

It’s comeback has been the issue our parents have been the most positive about by far in years.

The teachers are trolling you at this point surely...!

many completely hand make the costume each year

Honestly, some people have far too much time on their hands and could be contributing to society in better ways than hand making world book day costumes

“Despise” is a bit strong but yes, it’s a load of bollocks. Basically a fancy dress day to come as any character or person you like.

It would be ok if it was the only special event of its kind in the school year. Not all the other things busy parents are expected to spend money or time on, unlike World Book Day without plenty of notice.

I was silently thinking to myself at this point ‘was I the only one planning on raiding our existing dress up at home?!’ 😂 but thought this will not go down well with this lot! 🙈😂