SCOTTISH stars of sport, literature and the culinary world are taking part in this year’s annual Christmas Jumper Day for Save the Children.

Judy Murray pulls off a jaunty elf hat and red Christmas tree jumper, posing at Gleneagles. Chef Tom Kitchin takes a break before service in his restaurant to show off jumpers featuring a snowman and a reindeer and Ian Rankin brightens up a rainy day on Edinburgh's Queen Street with a custom-made sign over his festive knit.

Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day, now in its eighth year, urges the public to make the world better with a sweater this Friday and donating a suggested £2 for a great cause. Since its launch in 2012, Christmas Jumper Day has raised a whopping £21million to help the charity build a better future for children in Scotland, throughout the UK and around the world.

The National:

Workplaces, schools, nurseries, universities and households in their tens of thousands have signed up in Scotland, making Christmas Jumper Day one of the biggest annual charity fundraisers in the UK – 5 million people are expected to take part this year.

Save the Children’s media and communications manager Beverley Kirk said: “It’s wonderful to see so many people across Scotland preparing to dig out their silliest sweaters to support vulnerable children in Scotland and around the world. Christmas Jumper day is Save the Children’s biggest single fundraising event, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who is planning to support our cause and the children we work with.

"Personally I love the home made efforts that children create and I know we’ll be seeing some real treats over the next few days. If you’ve already registered to take part, or are planning to, then we send out most heartfelt and festive thanks – we hope you have great fun”.