JOYFUL JUMPERS

Christmas Jumper Day 2022 is Thursday December 8 so for anyone who doesn’t already own one, Jacqueline Wake Young has rounded up the pick from the high street

Christmas jumpers are now as much a part of the festive season as mince pies and crackers, and since they were given their own day, they can do an awful lot of good. Christmas Jumper Day is Save the Children’s annual event which raises money for children in the UK and across the world. Since its launch in 2012, millions of people have participated at their workplace, school or with friends “to make a world better with a sweater”.

The idea is that you put on a festive outfit and donate £2 to Save the Children, and the UK Government will match that by also donating £2, with the money raised used to help mums and babies in Kenya.

The charity says you don’t have to be in a group to take part because it’s open to anyone – even dogs have been seen sporting jumpers on their own JustGiving pages.

The charity says it’s “super simple to take part” and urges people not to buy a new Christmas jumper but instead to buy secondhand from a charity shop or its online shop.

For anyone who really, really wants to buy a new one, the high street has lots to offer and some are featured here. Save the Children plans to help 200,000 people with the money raised and has lots of success stories from around the world about families directly helped through Christmas Jumper Day.

Among those is a little boy called Estas who was forced to flee Ukraine with his sisters, leaving behind his mum, who is a paramedic, and his dad who is fighting with the Ukrainian army.

He is now at school in Romania and Save the Children has helped him and his sisters by providing cash to buy food and medicine as well as counselling to help them come to terms with their traumatic experiences.

In Guatemala, Christmas Jumper Day money went towards training local farmer Rebecca to provide healthy, nutritious food to more than 100 schools.

Because of climate change, farming has become much more difficult and so Save the Children provided Rebecca and her fellow farmers with drought and flood-resistant seeds so they can keep producing good food for their community.

To do some good with your Christmas jumper visit the charity’s website at www. savethechildren.org.uk and follow the

prompts.

Men’s navy funnel neck Christmas jumper, £11.99, Threadbare.

Lilo & Stitch Christmas slogan adults’ sweatshirt, £24, George.

Black light-up sequin wreath Christmas jumper, £20, George.

Pink Brussels Sprout sweatshirt, £14, George.

Red Santa print Christmas cardigan, £18, George.

Girls Pink Fluffy Reindeer jumper, £18, M&Co.

Teens’ Snow Way jumper, £22, M&Co.

Fairisle sequin jumper, £35, M&Co.

Kids Game On Santa jumper, £16, M&Co.

SPARKLING: Love Mark Heyes black Fabulous sequin slogan sweatshirt, £45, Freemans.