Christmas Jumper Day 2026: date and how to take part

Every December, Britain's most colourful, kitsch and wonderfully over-the-top Christmas jumpers come out of the wardrobe for a good cause. Christmas Jumper Day is a fundraising day organised by Save the Children, encouraging schools, workplaces, families and groups of friends to wear a Christmas jumper and make a donation.

In 2026, Christmas Jumper Day will take place on Thursday 10 December. You do not have to take part on that exact date, however: schools, workplaces and other groups can choose another day if it works better for them.

Hugely popular across the UK, the tradition is also easy to join if you live in or are visiting London. Here is how to take part in Christmas Jumper Day 2026, how much to donate and what you need to know before digging out your best festive jumper.

When is Christmas Jumper Day 2026?

Christmas Jumper Day 2026 officially takes place on Thursday 10 December 2026.

Despite falling on the same weekday in some years, the event does not have a fixed day of the week. Save the Children chooses a date for each year's campaign.

There is also some flexibility: if 10 December does not work for your school, workplace or group, you can hold your own Christmas Jumper Day on another date.

What is Christmas Jumper Day?

Christmas Jumper Day is an annual fundraising campaign organised by Save the Children.

The idea could hardly be simpler: participants wear a Christmas jumper to school, work, at home or while spending time with friends, and make a donation to the charity.

Deliberately kitsch jumpers are all part of the fun: reindeer, snowmen, tinsel, pom-poms, sequins and wonderfully over-the-top designs are more than welcome.

Behind the festive clothes, however, there is a charitable purpose. The money raised helps Save the Children support children in the UK and around the world.

How can you take part in Christmas Jumper Day 2026?

You do not need to attend a large official event. Christmas Jumper Day can be organised at a school, workplace, club, with friends or at home with your family.

Taking part only requires a few simple steps:

1. choose 10 December 2026 or another date that works for your group;
2. invite everyone to wear a Christmas jumper or festive outfit;
3. organise a fundraiser for Save the Children;
4. send the money raised to the charity afterwards.

Save the Children also provides resources to help schools and workplaces organise their day, including posters, activities and materials for participants.

Can you take part without a school or workplace?

Yes. Anyone can join in, including at home or simply with a few friends. Your employer or school does not need to be officially taking part for you to participate.

For expats living in the UK, it is also one of those British festive traditions that is very easy to join. A quick look around the office or on the Tube on the day itself is usually enough to discover that subtlety is not necessarily the aim when choosing a Christmas jumper.

How much should you donate for Christmas Jumper Day?

Save the Children generally suggests a donation of £2 for adults and £1 for children.

These amounts are only suggestions. You can donate more, donate less, or still take part if you are not in a position to make a donation.

This is particularly important in schools: Christmas Jumper Day should remain inclusive rather than becoming another expense that families are expected to cover.

Do you need to buy a new Christmas jumper?

No — and buying something new just for the day is certainly not necessary. You can easily take part in Christmas Jumper Day without purchasing another piece of clothing.

You can reuse a jumper you already own, borrow one, buy second-hand or transform an existing piece of clothing with a few Christmas decorations.

A plain jumper decorated with removable tinsel, pom-poms or homemade decorations works perfectly well. For children, some schools also choose to decorate an existing uniform or simple T-shirt temporarily.

This approach makes the event accessible without turning a charity day into another expense, while also avoiding buying a garment that may only be worn once.

How can schools organise Christmas Jumper Day?

Schools are among the biggest participants in Christmas Jumper Day. The simplest approach is to let families know in advance and invite pupils to wear a Christmas jumper or festive outfit on the chosen day.

Schools can also add classroom activities, decorate existing jumpers, hold a light-hearted Christmas jumper competition or organise an online fundraiser. Save the Children provides educational resources and materials suitable for different age groups.

There is no need for every child to own an actual Christmas jumper. Decorating an existing item of clothing works just as well and helps make the day accessible to everyone.

How can workplaces organise Christmas Jumper Day?

In British workplaces, Christmas Jumper Day often takes the form of a relaxed day when employees wear festive jumpers and contribute to a shared fundraiser.

A workplace can create an online fundraising page, organise a breakfast, hold a competition for the most outrageous jumper or simply encourage employees to donate. Hybrid and remote teams can take part too.

If your employer has a matched giving scheme, it is also worth checking whether the company can match some or all of the money raised by employees.

How can you donate to Save the Children?

Participants can donate through a fundraiser organised by their school, workplace or group, or make a donation directly to Save the Children.

Donate to Save the Children.

Groups registering for Christmas Jumper Day can also use an online fundraising page to collect donations in one place. This is particularly convenient for workplaces, families and schools that prefer not to handle cash.

When did Christmas Jumper Day start?

Save the Children held the first Christmas Jumper Day on 14 December 2012.

The idea quickly caught on across the UK. Schools, workplaces and families embraced the campaign, and it has since become a familiar part of the festive season.

Since the first event, Christmas Jumper Day has raised more than £42 million for Save the Children. The charity says that the 2025 campaign alone raised around £2.6 million.

Is Christmas Jumper Day only celebrated in the UK?

Save the Children's Christmas Jumper Day is particularly well known in the UK, where it has become a December tradition in many schools and workplaces.

Taking part is not limited to people living in the UK, however. Save the Children encourages people to join the campaign wherever they are.

If you are in London in December, Christmas Jumper Day falls right in the middle of the city's festive season. To plan the rest of your trip, see our complete guide to Christmas in London.

Christmas Jumper Day 2026 FAQ

When is Christmas Jumper Day in 2026?

The official date for Christmas Jumper Day 2026 is Thursday 10 December 2026.

Can you hold Christmas Jumper Day on another date?

Yes. Save the Children allows schools, workplaces and other groups to choose another date if 10 December does not work for them.

How much should you donate for Christmas Jumper Day?

The suggested donation is generally £2 for adults and £1 for children. These amounts are not compulsory, however, and everyone can give according to their means.

Do you have to buy a Christmas jumper?

No. You can reuse a jumper you already own, borrow one, buy second-hand or decorate an existing item of clothing.

Who organises Christmas Jumper Day?

Christmas Jumper Day is organised by Save the Children, which launched the campaign in the UK in 2012.

Can schools take part?

Yes. Schools, nurseries and youth groups can take part, with Save the Children providing dedicated resources to help them organise the day.

Can you take part at work?

Yes. Workplaces and their employees can organise their own Christmas Jumper Day, set up a fundraiser and take part either in the office or remotely.

Can you take part without donating?

Yes. The amounts suggested by Save the Children are recommendations rather than a requirement. The aim is to keep the day accessible to everyone, particularly in schools.

How long has Christmas Jumper Day been running?

The first Christmas Jumper Day organised by Save the Children took place on 14 December 2012. Since then, the campaign has raised more than £42 million.

Summary

Christmas Jumper Day 2026 officially takes place on Thursday 10 December 2026. Organised by Save the Children, the day encourages people to wear a Christmas jumper and make a donation to support the charity's work for children.

The suggested donation is £2 for adults and £1 for children, although everyone is free to contribute according to their means. There is no need to buy a new jumper either: reusing, borrowing or decorating something you already own works perfectly well.

Schools, workplaces, families and groups of friends can take part on 10 December or choose another date that suits them better. Since its launch in 2012, Christmas Jumper Day has raised more than £42 million for Save the Children.