Christmas jumper day: What is it and how can I get involved?

Make, buy, or borrow a jumper to help raise money

A woman takes part in an attempt to break the world record for the most people wearing Christmas jumpers on December 13, 2013 in London, England (Dan Dennison/Getty Images)

Scrooges best stay in bed today, as almost 4 million people are preparing to don garish festive knits for Christmas Jumper Day.

But what has possessed millions of people to willingly wear clothes featuring gargantuan Christmas puddings, pompoms and glued-on googly eyes?

I’m bracing myself for a social media jumper-selfie storm, this better be for a good cause…

We suggest you cast aside all cynicism if you want to survive tomorrow, as cheesy puns and eye-aching jumpers will abound. But it's all for a good cause, as Save the Children is encouraging people to ‘make the world better with a sweater’.

I remember when Christmas jumpers knitted by your nan were stuffed in the back of the cupboard, how long has this been going on for?

In the same vein as Movember, the now annual fundraising event is in its third year, and seems to have leapt on the recent trend for people ironically wearing ugly Christmas jumpers.

The tipping point can be traced back to 2011, when Amazon reported a 600 per cent increase in sales from the previous year.

Snowflakes, reindeer and Santa ranked the top three jumper designs, according to a survey by Save the Children, but a fifth of people opt for a scandi-chic style knits they can wear into the New Year.

How do I get involved?

Even if you’re going it alone, or your whole office has fallen for the idea, you can sign up at the Save the Children website, and donate. Those particularly proud of their efforts can use #xmasjumperday to show off online.

The charity hopes that schools, offices and people at home will all get involved, and are asking adults to give £2, and children £1. You can donate by texting JUMPER to 70050 to give £2, going online or on smartphone apps. Groups can donate under a team name, which will be featured on the Woolly Wonderboard of top fundraisers.

Where does the money go to?

All money raised from Christmas Jumper Day will go towards vulnerable children, both in the UK and abroad.

Some 6.6 million children across the world die before their fifth birthday every year, most from easily preventable illnesses like malaria, diarrhoea, malnutrition and pneumonia.

And in the UK alone, 3.5 million children are living in poverty as their families can’t afford nutritious food, heating, household essentials like a cooker, or good quality childcare.

All of the money raised will go towards Save the Children, the charity says.