Schools across the country have rebranded the annual Christmas Jumper Day as “Winter Jumper Day” in an effort to foster a more inclusive environment.
Every year, the charity Save the Children encourages pupils to wear the jolly knitwear while raising money for children in need, which is set to take place next week.
However, several educational institutions have decided to drop “Christmas” from the occasion, sparking outrage from some who labelled the move as “outrageous” and “utterly ridiculous.”
Among the schools adopting the renamed event is one in north London, which has informed parents that its Winter Jumper Day will include the opportunity to purchase calendars featuring their children wearing “festive jumpers” against a “winter scene backdrop.”
The Conservative leader in the London Assembly, Susan Hall, blasted the move as ‘utterly ridiculous’
She fumed to The Telegraph: “Everyone is so worried about being inclusive and not upsetting anyone. But I am upset about it when they don’t say Christmas!”
The growing erasure of Christmas appears to spread far beyond schools, also blighting retail and banking sectors.
Hardware retailer Screwfix sparked fury among its own workforce after telling them not to hang Christmas decorations in any public-facing parts of its stores.
“It was a decision taken by head office. We don’t understand why. It feels a bit like Scrooge,” one insider said.
ScrewFix has been accused by its workers of blocking them from displaying Christmas decorations
Tesco faced criticism last month after marketing its Christmas trees as “evergreen trees”.
Banking giant HSBC embroiled itself in controversy over blocking staff from wearing Christmas jumpers over the festive period.
The bank issued guidance after concerns emerged that staff wearing seasonal attire might not meet professional standards, particularly during sensitive interactions such as discussing financial difficulties or handling bereavement matters.
