Debenhams removes Christmas jumper after backlash

Online retailer Debenhams has removed a controversial Christmas jumper from its website after criticism from Christians.

Created by clothing brand Grindstore, he purple sweatshirt featured a print of a rainbow – which is often used as a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community – over a crib and the words ‘A Gay In A Manger’ as a parody of the famous Christmas carol ‘Away In A Manger’.

The jumper was listed for sale on Debenhams for £38.99 along with a £14.99 ‘A Gay In A Manger’ mug. Both were taken down from the retailer’s website after several posts by Christian groups, an even an MP, condemned the products.

Rikki Doolan, a pastor at Spirit Embassy church in Tottenham, posted about the listing on X: “What makes you think @Debenhams that it is OK to insult the Christian faith in such a disgusting way as this? Do you think it’s right to freely mock our faith and God like this? We as British Christians will not tolerate this.”

“The company producing these products should be boycotted,” Andrea Williams from the lobbying group Christian Concern said.

Former Tory MP, and staunch Christian, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg also weighed in on the controversy. He said: “Debenhams would not mock Islam in this way.”

After taking the products off of their website, Debenhams – which is owned by the Boohoo group – released a statement which read: “We are aware that a product line featured on our marketplace has raised some questions. In line with our policies, we are reviewing the products and have temporarily paused them while we investigate.”

Grindstore, the brand that manufactures the products, said that they have also removed the highlighted products and apologised for their creation, adding that they are “always open to listening to feedback” and never intended to “offend or insult anyone”.

This is not the first time a popular brand faced backlash from Christian people and groups in relation to Christmas. Back in 2017, bakery chain Greggs apologised for replacing Jesus in a nativity scene with a sausage roll in an effort to market the baked good during the festive period.