How to bag a cheap, sustainable Christmas jumper... from only £3

Search your local charity shops – I found a Christmas tree jumper for just £3  

It's this time of year that charity shops bring out the Christmas stock that’s been donated throughout the year. Especially with Christmas Jumper Day, which raises money for Save the Children, falling on Thursday 12 December.

So have a browse 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. 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, at the right price. 

However, many charity shops have a dedicated rail of jumpers or festive fashions you can choose from. Think laterally - while a Christmas jumper, traditionally, has a Christmas themed pattern or decoration on it, something bright red, or green might just do the trick. Or indeed, something sequinned and sparkly. Read more charity shopping tips in MSE Jenny H's blog about her 30 years of shopping in charity shops.

Try Vinted or Ebay

Vinted and Ebay are awash with festive jumpers (and other seasonal fashion) this time of year. Use keywords to narrow down your search, for example 'Christmas jumper with sequins' if you want a sparkly one, or 'Christmas jumper red robins' and so on. Read more in our Vinted and Ebay guides.

Be wary that some orders might not arrive in time for Christmas Jumper Day or for Christmas if you order too close to the big day. However, you can always ask a seller if they'll post promptly before you commit to your purchase.

Top tip: When I checked online, Lidl Christmas jumpers were selling for up to £18.99 on eBay, so if you can find one of this year's jumpers in a store (find your nearest) then you might be able to buy it, wear it, wash it (please!), and then sell it on and get your money back.

You could even go rummaging at a car boot sale to find a Christmas jumper and other festive outfits or accessories - read more car boot sale tips and tricks before you go.

Can friends (or local clothes swaps) help?

If you've friends or family members who have a massive back catalogue of jumpers from Christmases past, check whether you could borrow one.

Or, failing that, maybe even find one at a local clothes swap event – you can find these on Eventbrite, or try an internet or Facebook search to see if one is listed in your area. See my MSE charity clothes swap blog for inspiration if you fancy setting one up yourself.

Get crafty with an existing jumper

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 (or glue) 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.

Will you be buying a new Christmas jumper this year? Or revamping an old one? Come find us on Facebook and share your pics.