A mother has called on Morrisons to restrict the sales of their Christmas jumpers after her six-year-old was left in tears when she bought him one saying ‘I’m the reason there’s a naughty list’ – not realising he’d be able to read it.
Little Charlie Harding, from Liphook in Hampshire, was so distraught he refused to wear the jumper and is now in fear that Santa Claus won’t bring him presents.
He has been desperately cleaning his room to make sure he is off the list.
His mother Ms Harding, 30, is now urging Morrisons to review their Christmas clothing range even though she bought it for him from the supermarket chain as she thought it was ‘cute and funny’.
Little Charlie Harding, from Liphook in Hampshire, was so distraught he refused to wear the jumper and is now in fear that Santa Claus won’t bring him presents
His mother Ms Harding, 30, is now urging Morrisons to review their Christmas clothing range even though she bought it for him from the supermarket chain as she thought it was ‘cute and funny’
While she has not returned the novelty knitwear as Morrisons is ‘too far away’, Ms Harding believes the supermarket need to reconsider the age group they sell the jumper to and suggests it should only be available for babies and toddlers who cannot read.
She said: ‘When he realised what it said he was very shocked. I was in the kitchen and could hear him trying to read it to himself in the living room.
‘He asked how to read the word ‘naughty’ and when I told him he was horrified. Now hearing him read it back even I feel differently.
‘He got so angry with me and started crying. Seeing how it’s affected him and how upset he became, it should only be available for babies and toddlers.
‘Charlie was way too upset to wear the jumper – he hates it. I haven’t been able to return it because that store is quite far away and I don’t go there often.
‘He is so scared that I found him tidying his room the other day. He’s like ‘I’ve got to prove I’m a good boy’. It didn’t take him long but he’s scared Santa will turn up to check on him.’
The innocent purchase came at the end of Ms Harding’s shop at Morrisons’ Horndean branch and she bought the £3.50 jumper as a joke because she thought it would look ‘cute’.
He has been desperately cleaning his room to make sure he is off the list
After realising how distraught her little boy was, Ms Harding joked she should have bought her husband, Steve, one instead to appease him but nothinghas worked.
Ms Harding said: ‘I was literally walking past and thought it was really funny. It was cheap so I picked it up for him.
‘I just thought it was really cute but actually now I’ve read over it again, it’s not a great thing to give to your kids.
‘Charlie’s scared Santa will put him on the naughty list now that he’s starting to read and can understand the phrase.
‘This is one of the main years for him, at aged six, to enjoy Christmas and he’s a very anxious little boy anyway. He already gets scared at
Christmas because he knows Santa will be coming into the house.
‘He honestly thinks he won’t be coming when it was only meant as a joke. From an adult’s view it might be funny but young children won’t see it like that.
‘I had to be honest and say it was only a joke and maybe I should have got one for daddy instead.
While she has not returned the novelty knitwear as Morrisons is ‘too far away’, Ms Harding believes the supermarket need to reconsider the age group they sell the jumper to and suggests it should only be available for babies and toddlers who cannot read
‘I still don’t think he’s fully over it. I just didn’t expect him to be so upset and he completely blamed it on me. He’ll get over it in time.’
After his initial shock, Charlie, who has just started year one at primary school, visited his grandmother and told her of his mother’s faux-pas.
However, coming to the rescue, his ‘nanny’ Micky Oliver, had bought a replacement which he decided to take, on the condition his mum would return the other.
Ms Harding said: ‘He went to my mum’s house and she’d got him a little t-shirt and he asked: ‘can I take this home because mummy didn’t get me a very nice one?’
After his initial shock, Charlie, who has just started year one at primary school, visited his grandma and told her of his mum’s faux-pas
Ms Harding said: ‘He went to my mum’s house and she’d got him a little t-shirt and he asked: ‘can I take this home because mummy didn’t get me a very nice one?’
A spokesperson for Morrisons said: ‘We are very sorry to hear that this slogan has caused some upset. We offer a wide variety of clothes with slogans for our customers to choose from and this one is intended to be lighthearted’
‘I just said ‘don’t worry Charlie, mummy will return it.’ When I look at it I do feel bad for buying it.
‘I think for ages five and up Morrisons should have different sayings on their jumpers. I think it’s cute for a baby or toddler but not older children. They should review the ages they make them for.
‘Charlie’s already written his Christmas list. He has very big dreams.
‘The main gift he wants is a dirt bike, like a go-kart. Although the dirt-bikes are expensive he’s a grateful child.’
A spokesperson for Morrisons said: ‘We are very sorry to hear that this slogan has caused some upset. We offer a wide variety of clothes with slogans for our customers to choose from and this one is intended to be lighthearted.’