Watkinson IT’S A STITCH-UP
I HAVE been told by my children, in no uncertain terms, that my missing “Pudsey day” (better known as Children in Need) will not be forgotten in a hurry. In previous, more normal years, while I am doing my weekly shopping, I would mindlessly throw a headband adorned with yellow bear ears and maybe a Pudsey bear tie into my trolley.
But this year is no normal year and doing my food shopping online means I wasn’t in the supermarket to stumble across the stand heaving with charity merchandise, hence my minor transgression. I plan to make amends to the miniature dictators I parent by remembering Christmas Jumper Day, which this year falls on Friday.
Christmas Jumper Day is a charity initiative started by
Save the Children and was created as an excuse for one and all to get into the festive spirit by wearing a silly jumper to school or work and raising money for charity in the process.
The charity aspect has been somewhat diluted over time, with shops using it as an opportunity to cash in, with often not a donation in sight.
Designer Christmas jumpers can even retail for up to £800!
Christmas jumpers are also possibly the least sustainable item of clothing you can buy. Unless you recycle yours year after year, they are the definition of throw away fashion, discarded after just one wear.
Save the Children recognises this, so is now helping by selling pre-loved Christmas jumpers on its website (shop.savethechildren. org.uk) which is a brilliant idea as they are nearly new after all. Check out ebay, Depop and Rokit vintage too.
If novelty jumpers aren’t your style but you would still like to do your bit for charity this Christmas Jumper Day, then check out Fund (fund jumpers. com), who make a donation from the sale of each and every jumper which then funds 100 school meals, in 26 countries, for children living in poverty.
While the cause it supports is very serious, the logos on its luxury cashmere jumpers are anything but.
And if you are feeling really creative you can customise with your own slogan.
What would yours say?