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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed at having to buy 2 nativity costumes when i really cannot afford it?

30 replies

pucca · 16/11/2009 19:05

Dd and ds need nativity costumes, i am really rubbish at making anything like that so i am going to have to buy them.

The cheapest ones i can find are £25 for both which i cannot afford, but what else can i do? i don't want my kids to miss out or stand out in some montrosity i try to make.

I think the school should sort this out personally, its a total nightmare for parents who cannot afford it.

I prob am being unreasonable, but everything getting on top of me at moment, and it feels like it is just one thing after another

OP posts:
NorbertDentressangle · 16/11/2009 19:08

What are the costumes? Maybe someone on here can give you ideas for an effective DIY one, or knows of some extra cheap ones somewhere?

Do the school not keep a stock of costumes?

AKMD · 16/11/2009 19:08

Do you know anyone who is really good at this sort of thing? Then you could supply materials and a box of chocolates rather than paying for ready-made costumes.

If not, what parts do your DC have? How old are they? I doubt the costumes have to be anything elaborate - tea-towel plus dressing gown for DS, party dress and tinsel for DD?

traceybath · 16/11/2009 19:08

Tescos has outfits for £8 a go. What are they?

lambanana · 16/11/2009 19:11

Which characters are they. Do you have a home and bargain near to you because they usually have dress up stuff for about £6.

Do you have a mum or a nana who can knock a couple up for you?

I sympathise because I am awful at sewing or anything like that.

Can you ask school whether they have anything from previous years that you could lend?

Glitterknickaz · 16/11/2009 19:11

ASDA also has cheap outfits.

Sassybeast · 16/11/2009 19:12

Any pound shop has costumes for a lot less than £12. Usually for about £1

hippipotamiHasLost75lbs · 16/11/2009 19:13

Don't ever buy nativity costumes. Part of teh charm of school nativities (for me anyway) is the home made cobbled-togetherness of the costumes.

I am in the middle of making an Artful Dodger outfit for ds's part in teh Year 6 Christmas Play. I am the most un-creative person on teh planet. But am having a whale of a time doing this

What are the costumes, we could give you some inspiration?

Original poster
pucca · 16/11/2009 19:13

The costumes needed are a sheep for dd, and a elf for ds. I prob am overreacting about it all and they prob are easy to make but i am just totally rubbish, but if anyone has any ideas of a easy way i would give it my best shot.

School do not supply at all, they just tell the children what they are/need.

Thankyou for the replies.

OP posts:
bellavita · 16/11/2009 19:14

Pucca, tell us what they are and we will see what we can come up with.

Runoutofideas · 16/11/2009 19:16

I have vivid memories of being a sheep, dressed in a white leotard and white tights with a sheepskin rug strapped to my back with a white belt!

Littlefish · 16/11/2009 19:18

Sheep is dead easy. Go to a charity shop and buy and old cream jumper - they always have them!

Then, just put some elastic through the hem at the bottom to pull it a bit tighter. Then stuff a pillow up inside the front. Make a black pom pom thing to go on the back and that's it! One sheep!

Elf - red tights, long green t-shirt with a red scarf tied round the middle, red bobble hat. Done.

PandaG · 16/11/2009 19:19

sheep - white top, black leggings, card ears on a band round head - cover ears in cotton wool. done

elf - pointy hat (santa hat would do)

old large red or green t-shirt, cut bottom into points, add large belt round middle. Red or green leggings.

cotton wool beard if liked

Adair · 16/11/2009 19:19

Sheep - white thick jumper, maybe some ears if you can be arsed (cardboard triangles/arcs stuck on a hairband)
elf- green tights and green tight top. black belt. make a cone hat (or buy one from a pound shop)
easy!

Agree, nativity costumes have to be home-made and a -bit rubbish

Adair · 16/11/2009 19:21

Ha ha - xpost with PandaG (great minds an' all that... )

Sassybeast · 16/11/2009 19:21

Yep - for the sheep just do a white t shirt/white tights or leggings and some sort of sheepskin rug fabric - doesn't need loads of fur - she can be a shorn sheep Check out charity shops or roll end bins in fabric shops.

Elf - green T shirt, brown trousers.shorts (or tights if he'll wear them) and a novelty santa hat, decorate with a bit of tinsel, tie a couple of Christmas baubles to his shoes and some tinsel around his waist.

Bathsheba · 16/11/2009 19:21

Tescos definately have sheep - no idea about elves though...

NorbertDentressangle · 16/11/2009 19:22

DD was a sheep one year.

The costume consisted of black trousers/leggings with a black top and gloves. Then, over that, she wore a very simple short tabbard of white sheep-like fur (it was basically 2 rectangles sewed together with holes for the arms and head). Hardly any sewing involved.

Oh and she had an alice band with furry ears on

Original poster
pucca · 16/11/2009 19:22

Right i will get my arse into gear and have a rummage around to see what i have, thanks for this. I will definetly give it my best shot to make something...i know it will prob be easy i just need to get my head in artistic mode lol.

Thanks everyone! i still think its annoying that the school don't help sort it out though

OP posts:
NorbertDentressangle · 16/11/2009 19:27

Maybe you could suggest to the school that they keep a selection of outfits.

At the DCs school they have lots of nativity ones that have been made over the years, mainly by one of the TAs.

Its great as all you have to usually provide is whatever they need to wear underneath to complete the look eg. black trousers, white top

Romanarama · 16/11/2009 19:28

DS was a sheep once, and I cut a hole in the middle of a baby pushchair sheepskin and put it over his head. He wore chinos at the bottom and I sellotaped paper ears on a hair band. The other sheep had a t-shirt with a whole pack of cotton wall balls stuck on. They were both cool.

Elf just needs green clothes and paper cone hat. Maybe green face paint too to be more costumey.

MERLYPUSS · 16/11/2009 19:33

Do have a look in charity shops for a cream fleece or fleece lined coat that you can turn inside out. If they sheep doesn't have a 'baa-ing' part you could even get a mask.

Original poster
pucca · 16/11/2009 19:36

Yes i may speak to someone at school, as it just seems daft to me. I have a small sheep costume, that i bought for my dd when she was in pre-school (she is yr 1 now) i would gladly chuck into a school nativity box, and there must be other parents in similar circumstances, if we all gave in our old ones there would be lots.

OP posts:
PurpleHeffalump · 16/11/2009 19:47

You've got lots of great suggestions on here from others, so just thought that (as a teacher) give the school's point of view.

To be honest most people in school - teachers, TAs, head teacher would LOVE it if we didn't have to put on a Christmas Nativity (or any other show). It is SUCH a hassle, takes time away from teaching, is such hard work - especially with very little ones, etc. But we do it because 1) it's expected and 2) the parents would be up in arms if we didn't. Not sure how many children are involved in the Nativity but I think it would be very unreasonable to expect the school to sort out costumes for all children. It would be taking money away from school funds that could be used towards the children's learning. Also, it would be very difficult for the school to say that they would help with costumes for parents who couldn't afford - how would they work that?

I do feel for you as I am completely useless at any kind of fancy dress costumes, but please remember that the school are doing this so that your children can be involved in a school production and to put on something for the parents. Plus, I'm sure that if you absolutely couldn't afford a costume and spoke to the school, then they would try to help you. (Although I don't for one minute live under the delusion that all schools/teachers are helpful.)

One last point- the school have also given you quite a lot of notice for this. I think you'd be right to have a problem if they'd asked you to do this with just a week or a few days notice.

Hope all goes well and you enjoy watching the end product!

PurpleHeffalump · 16/11/2009 19:49

or end production!

woahwoah · 16/11/2009 20:09

I was going to say pretty much what Purpleheffalump has said.
As a teacher the nativity play is a huge amount of work, and certainly at this stage of term I wonder if it's worth it. I had a complaint today from a parent that her child shouldn't have to come to rehearsals (in school time!) as they are boring!
But to return to the point. There are about 75 children in our play, I cannot imagine providing outfits for them all. We don't have a stock of costumes as we have never had the money to buy any. So every year we have to ask parents to come up with a costume.
Most parents are very helpful and we certainly don't mind if it's a very simple outfit (leggings and t shirt cover lots of characters!). A few don't bother at all
However when the play comes round it's (usually) all worth it!