How to Celebrate Christmas in July
If you’ve ever thought that Christmas in July is just a marketing gimmick, you may want to reconsider that stance. According to some folks, Christmas in July began at a girl’s camp in North Carolina in 1933, complete with a tree, carolers, and Santa Claus. Then, a movie by that name was released in 1940. However, other people relate it to the fact that in the southern hemisphere (think Australia and New Zealand), Christmas occurs during the summer, which makes it hard to have a white Christmas.
By celebrating a second Christmas in July, residents down under can take advantage of the colder weather and enjoy some typical winter holiday traditions. Regardless of the reason, Christmas in July offers the opportunity to “escape” the summer heat. Read on for some suggestions on how to celebrate Christmas in July.
Unpack the Family Pajamas
If you put away the matching Christmas pajamas, thinking they wouldn’t be needed until December, guess again. Depending on where you live and the temperatures at night, you may be able to use the fleece or flannel pajamas you already have. If not, treat everyone to a lightweight set of Christmas PJs. That way, you can observe such traditions as a holiday morning breakfast together without becoming overly warm.
As long as you’ve got everyone in the pajamas, go ahead a take a family portrait; that way, when it’s time to order Christmas cards, you’ll already have your photo ready. If you’re going to include the family fur baby, be sure to get a coordinating dog Christmas bandana (don’t worry—you can use it for your cat, pet pig, or miniature pony, too).
Decorate the Christmas Tree
Although you might not be able to find a freshly cut fir tree, you can still decorate an artificial tree. Given that it’s July, you may want to have a summer theme in mind and incorporate ornament-sized flip-flips, beach balls, starfish, fish, and seashells. If you want to slip in a family Christmas activity, gather everyone around the table to make summer-themed salt dough ornaments. Or, pick up some bulk seashells. You can paint clamshells (don’t forget to sprinkle on some glitter while the paint is wet!), then use ribbon to hang them from your tree. Small cowrie shells can be strung into garlands and draped around the tree.
Hang Up Stockings
Unlike with pajamas, you don’t have to worry if your personalized Christmas stockings will be too warm. So, hang them up as you normally do, then use small, summer-related items as stocking stuffers. Sunscreen, crushable hats, SPF lip balm, and bubbles are just a few things that go with Christmas in July. Other good stocking stuffers include bath bombs, squirt toys, and playing cards. If you had the foresight to pick up Christmas candy on sale after the December event, be sure to add some to the stockings.
Have a “Snowball” Fight
If you need an excuse to have a water balloon fight, Christmas in July is it. Obviously, you can’t have a real snowball fight in the middle of the summer. Instead, fill up a bunch of white balloons with water, choose up sides, and have at it. To make your battle more colorful, throw some red and green balloons into the mix. For safety, some ground rules, such as keeping the face and head off-limits or requiring a minimum distance between people. Once your fight is over, and everyone has dried off with beach towels, spend a few minutes picking up the pieces of broken balloon off the ground so that birds don’t mistake the balloon bits for food.
Watch a Christmas Movie
We all have our favorite Christmas movies, and there’s no rule that says we can only watch them in December. So, gather everyone together and watch a movie…or three. If the evening is cool enough, don your ugly Christmas sweater or cozy up under a holiday fleece throw. Make movie night special by having a popcorn bar with toppings such as salt, butter, cinnamon, powdered cheese, and powdered chocolate. Depending on movie length and bedtimes, you can spread the movies out over a few nights or have a movie marathon! You’ll have fun either way.
Sing Carols
While hearing nonstop Christmas music throughout December can get tiresome, singing carols in July can be fun, if only for the novelty factor. Get in the mood by donning scarves and mittens. Light some Christmas scented candles, then start the music and carol as long as you wish. End your singing with a snack of holiday cookies (baked earlier, of course!) and hot cocoa with marshmallows or whip cream (or both).
It’s easy to make celebrating Christmas in July a fun family tradition. Even if Santa saves his visit for December, you’ll still be able to enjoy some not-quite-seasonal activities. More important, you’ll be able to spend quality time with your loved ones. For many people, that’s what Christmas, whether it be in July or December, is all about.