The 12th of December is Christmas Jumper Day and the message and fundraising goal behind it is amazing and really supporting those who need it. So what actually is it?
It’s an annual event organised by the charity Save the Children to encourage people to sport their most fun and colourful Christmas jumpers, typically covered with reindeer, snowflakes, Santa and more. It is always a cheerful day that gets people into the Christmas spirit. The whole idea behind the event is to raise awareness and money for Children In Need and since 2012 it has become a huge staple of the holiday season, celebrated in schools, offices and communities across the UK! I always loved to wear my Christmas jumper to school and so did my friends and teachers, although I didn’t really understand why l paid my £1 (the amount we donated to wear the Christmas jumper) I now recognise that all those pounds added up. Christmas Jumper Day has raised over £30 million for children in the UK and l really encourage you to join in with this fundraising. Especially because you're not limited to just donating and wearing your jumper on the specific day, you can take part at any point in the month.
Going out to buy a new Christmas jumper shouldn’t be part of your shopping list just because the one from last year is shoved at the back of your wardrobe! Christmas jumpers is one of the worst fast fashion habits people have developed, with two-fifths of festive tops typically being worn only once during the Christmas period. It is estimated that UK shoppers will buy 12 million festive jumpers this year, despite already owning 65 million from previous years, and that is an insane amount of Christmas jumpers, far, far more than you could ever wear in a lifetime. The problem isn't just the mass amount that is bought either, they are all entirely or at least partially made from plastic materials, especially if they are from high-street stores which is understandably what you would go for price wise if you need something cheap last minute. Fast fashion is a big enough environmental issue without bringing the festive season into it. This shouldn’t put a dampener on Christmas either but 350 tonnes of clothing is destined to landfill every year, that amount of clothing could produce a 100 million pounds if sold, I think that really puts into perspective how concerning this issue really is.
Let us help you with some sustainable, and cheaper ideas:
”Shwopping not Shopping”
First is ‘shwop’ don't shop, this eliminates any cost, however it only works if you already have a Christmas jumper. If you want something new and fun without spending a penny, you could swap your Christmas jumper with friends or family, therefore multiple people get a new and fun Christmas jumper whilst being completely sustainable.
Upcycle something you already have!
Are you crafty? You could make your own! If you have any tinsel, buttons, random festive bits and bobs or some craft bits, you could customise a plain jumper that you already have, Even safety pin it on for a cheap and cheerful way to have a festive jumper and your original jumper won't be ruined.If you want it to last a bit longer whilst it wouldn’t stay if you washed it hot glue is always one of my faves. If you want something more permanent fabric glue is the way to go. This one would be great to do, especially if you have children, as it's a super fun way that's creative and will get you into the festive spirit especially if you put some Michael Bublé or Nativity on in the background (2 of my personal faves).
Think outside the Christmas box
There's nothing saying you have to wear a proper Christmas jumper to get involved though, you could have a themed group idea instead, the same way people all dress up to a theme on Halloween. The theme could be decided within the group, but you could dress up as “Santa’s helpers” or even Christmas movie characters with things you already have in your wardrobe. I think this is a great idea and quite fun and unique, it could be a really great tradition to start.
& if you really want to hit the shops…
Now the final option, this one does mean pulling out your wallet though (or your Apple Pay if you're me). Charity shop hunting, there are plenty of charity shops up and down the high-street, there's probably one within half a mile of a Primark, which will be selling them at a more expensive price and costing the environment too. Whilst I will never bad mouth Primark, they are just not the best place to get your unique Christmas jumper. If you have a look in a charity shop around Christmas, I'm sure you could find one for a fraction of the price. If you don’t have time for some thrifting though, there are online locations you can get them from, for example Vinted or eBay from my personal experience. Use filters to narrow down your search to find your perfect item in a short amount of time. This gives you more options to get a ‘new’ Christmas jumper whilst lessening the environmental impact.
Once you're done with your jumper, you can donate it to a charity shop or sell it, either way still giving it another life (rather than landfill), or you could even cut it up to craft with and turn it into something completely new.
We hope you love our sustainable and cheaper ideas!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Blog post by Emma Bott