After slightly going out of fashion, Christmas jumpers are making a comeback as more and more of us saying we love donning the tacky top get into the festive spirit
Brits are going Christmas jumper mad this year — with more than ever saying they love strutting around in a yuletide pullover. Researchers quizzed 2,000 Brits to find out if festive sweaters were still as popular as they used to be in the heyday of 1980s telly.
Funnyman Timmy Mallett and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth were ‘early pioneers’, with Gyles saying he alternates between five different novelty jumpers on Christmas Day itself. In the 1990s and 2000s, the jumpers were ‘looked down on’, with the 2001 movie Bridget Jones’s Diary – in which Colin Firth wears a ‘hideous’ reindeer jersey – cementing their ‘tackiness’.
Despite this, in the past decade, festive jumpers have started creeping back into fashion, with celebs like David Tennant, Emily Atack, Stacey Solomon, Miley Cyrus, and Olly Murs big fans. Some fashionistas now say they are a ‘must have’ for December, with online and high street stores stocking up ahead of an anticipated spike in sales as Brits prepare for the big day.
In 2020, just six-in-ten Brits said they had a Christmas woolly, but now that’s shot up to 87% – a massive rise of 45% in just five years. Among the favourites include images of snowmen, reindeer, snowflakes, Santa, a Christmas tree, or even a Christmas pudding.
Researchers broke down the number of fans by region, so they could crown a winner – with Yorkshire folk most likely to be seen out and about in a Yuletide jumper. Scots, on the other hand, were least likely to don a Chrimbo top, the study Creditspring – an FCA-regulated responsible lender – found.
Gregory Tillman, 44, of Keighley, West Yorks, said he loved wearing Christmas jumpers, but that his wife didn’t let him wear them until December. He said: “I’ve always loved wearing Christmas jumpers, I’ve got a Rudolf the Reindeer one, a snowman one, and one with a massive Christmas pudding on it.
“My wife used to find it funny, but in the last few years she’s told me she doesn’t want me wearing them before December. She won’t even be seen out with me if I’m wearing one, unless it’s on the day itself, which she says is the only day I should be wearing one.”
A spokesman for Creditspring said that although many folk were ‘cutting back’ this Christmas, the festive jumper was ‘here to stay’. Tamsin Powell, Consumer Finance expert at Creditspring, said: “Christmas is full of extra costs – from presents, decorations, and feeding the family.
“So it makes sense to try and save a little bit here and there where you can. With Christmas jumper day around the corner (Dec 11), I’d always encourage people to check what they already have before feeling pressured to buy something new.
“Most of us have an old jumper tucked away that just needs a quick wash or a simple refresh. Even swapping with a friend or adding a homemade decoration can give it a new lease of life for free.”
Christmas Jumper Day is set to be held next Thursday as a charity fundraising drive to raise money for Save the Children. However, organisers have urged that if another day works for those wanting to bring in some much-needed cash, “go for it!”
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