Have yourself a MoneySaving Christmas… starting with the best way to bag a cheap, sustainable Christmas jumper from only £3
Jumpers are for life, not just for Christmas, but most of us only wear our most garish festive get-up for one or two days a year, and then feel pressure to buy a new one the following year. That's neither sustainable nor MoneySaving, so what can we do about it? I have a few ideas...
For starters, did you know this is the time of year when charity shops bring out all the Christmas stock that’s been donated throughout the year? Take a stroll down your local high street and you may stumble on second-hand Christmas decorations, trees and (you guessed it) cheap Christmas jumpers! They’ll likely have only been worn a few times. It’s well worth a look at your local charity shop before picking one up new, I managed to snag a sequin Christmas tree jumper originally costing £15 from H&M... that turns into a pizza! Festive, functional, and only £3.
I’ve started with this as it’s the most sustainable option if you’re buying a ‘new’ Christmas jumper (and of course it’s nice that a good cause will benefit as well), but it’s obviously hit-and-miss whether you’ll find what you’re after, and whether it’ll be at the right price. Also have a think whether you could borrow one from a friend, or maybe even find one at a local clothes swap event - see my MSE charity clothes swap blog for inspiration if you fancy setting one up yourself.
Couldn’t find a jumper in the charity shop? Get crafty with an existing jumper – even if you can’t sew
Do you have a Christmas jumper in your wardrobe already? Or even an old jumper that has nothing to do with Christmas, which you could make look a bit festive by getting creative? Well, even if you can’t sew, I’ve some crafty ideas that may help:
- Use safety pins to hang baubles from a regular jumper
- Attach battery-powered lights to a jumper in a tree motif
- Stick shiny festive stickers on your jumper – but remember to peel them off before washing!
- Use fabric paints to write a festive message, such as “Lethal Weapon is a Christmas film” (if it's set at Christmas, it's a Christmas film!)
- Embroider or crochet small snowflakes on a jumper or top (see my attempt below)
- Sew on small beads or sequins (these last two may require a bit of needle-and-thread know-how)
Even the smallest handmade accent can make a statement, and the best part is nobody else will have the same jumper as you! Although if you make the Lethal Weapon jumper, please do send a photo. Bonus points if it’s a family-themed set of matching jumpers, with extra credit if there’s one for the dog.
Here's my Christmas 2020 crochet attempt at making a £3 charity shop jumper Christmassy with crochet snowflakes ❄️
If you really must buy new, here are some cheap places to look…
Finally, if you’ve had no luck in the charity shops and there’s no Christmas miracle in the shape of an old jumper just sat waiting in your wardrobe – I’ve still got you covered. Here are the cheapest Christmas jumpers I could find new, but do remember to help keep things sustainable by donating them to charity if you’re not going to wear them again – or hang onto ‘em and remember my revamping tips above for next year!
- Everything5pounds* has jumpers from £5 (plus £3.95 delivery)
- Aldi has women’s, men’s and kids’ jumpers from £7.99 online (plus £2.95 delivery) and in stores.
- New Look* has women’s, men’s, kids’ jumpers, and even a bow tie for dogs from £8.99 (kids), £11.49 (adults), and £2.99 (dogs).
- B&M Bargains also sells dog jumpers from £4. They also fit some soft toys, eg, manatees if your kids want to dress ‘em up.
Mr Hugh Manatee in his 'small dog' Christmas jumper
Will you be buying a new Christmas jumper this year? Or revamping an old one? Let me know in the comments below, or send us photos of dogs in Christmas jumpers on Twitter.
26 September 2023
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