It has been, to put it mildly, a bit of a year! I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to let a pandemic stop me from wearing my Christmas Jumper on Friday 11th December. The great British tradition of Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day is thankfully one of the things that we can all still come together (albeit in a virtual or safe socially distanced way) to celebrate.
When we launched Christmas Jumper Day in 2012, we jumped on the back of a growing trend to help raise much needed funds to transform children’s lives here in the UK and across the world. As we have become more aware of the impact that ‘fast fashion’ is having on the environment, we have been working hard to make sure that people can still take part in this annual event in a sustainable way, without buying a ‘new’ jumper.
As a lot of us are set to take part in Christmas Jumper Day 2020 from home this year, creating a homemade or customised festive pull-over is a brilliant activity for #Lockdown2. That’s why we’re hoping that people up and down the country get creative and rustle up some oh-so-fabulous Christmas jumpers using whatever they already own - plain jumpers, old Christmas jumpers, decorations, bits and bobs from around the house, basically anything that happens to be lying around and can be attached to a jumper!
We have absolutely loads of fun, crafty ideas in our fundraising packs (that are now downloadable, less waste – woohoo!) but I thought I’d ask the experts for their top tips too. When I say experts, I mean the fabulous team at Save the Children who work on Christmas Jumper Day all year round, so they really do know their novelty knits! Here are their top hints and tips as to how we can all be a bit more sustainable but most of all, come Christmas Jumper Day, be loud and proud of whatever silly knit we all end up wearing!
Isobel, Media Team
Making your own jumper can be a very serious business.
Why not use your lunchbreak to go on a scavenger hunt around your home and see what old Christmas parapehnelia you’ve got that you can attach to a plain jumper? Then gather up those half-used crafting supplies from the first lockdown and let the festive juices flow! The best part is that you can go as big or small as you want! Heck, you could knit yourself a new jumper, attach ALL the baubles to it then add a tinsel collar for good measure!
If subtlety is more your thing, why not have a look at these Baker Ross crafting goodies. There are some lovely bits and pieces that you can easily stick on to a plain jumper, and remove again once the big day is over.
There are some great videos online that you can use for inspiration too, in fact our very own mascot Coach Christmas has had a go at customising his own jumper – check it out here.
Helen, Marketing Team
How’s about organising a jumper swap with friends?
If you’re planning on taking part in Christmas Jumper Day online with colleagues or friends it could be great fun to all swap jumpers beforehand. Like an old-school round robin, just pop your old knit in the post to your designated pal (leaving it quarantined for a few days first of course!). That way everyone gets a ‘new’ jumper to wear, without buying anything new at all!
We also have some large donation bags that can easily be ordered here and used to collect people’s jumpers – either for a jumper swap or to be sent back to us, so that we can sell them online or in our shops.
Victoria, Retail Team
If you’re really desperate for a new knit, don’t forget that our charity shops sell second-hand jumpers – they may be closed at the moment but we have a wonderful selection of novelty knits online including some super kitch vintage numbers and a range of ‘Share the Love’ jumpers which have been printed on vintage sweaters.
We are also one of ASOS Marketplace’s official charity boutique partners – you’ll find an extensive selection of vintage Christmas jumpers on their website to get you in the mood for the big day. And top insider tip: the most naff, 80’s jumpers are always the most loved on the day and will look GREAT on zoom calls!
So this year, don’t just do it for a bit of fun. Do it for the look on your friends and families faces when you reveal your homemade creation. Do it for the planet. And most importantly, do it for children around the world, whose lives will be made so so much better, from the £2 you donate when you take part.
We can’t wait to see what people create!
