As we hit the halfway point of the summer, you may be looking for a fun alternative to your usual backyard barbecue or neighborhood get together. Most festivals have been canceled and many other venues are still closed so creativity is essential in keeping the summer interesting.
It is believed that Christmas in July started in 1933 at an all-girls’ camp in Brevard, North Carolina called ‘Keystone Camp’. It was one of the camp co-founders, Fannie Holt who came up with the idea during a particularly hot summer as a way to bring cool thoughts to the campers. The festivities included carolers, gifts, a Christmas tree, and even snow made from cotton. 87 years later, it has become somewhat of a national holiday in many areas of the world. Especially in countries in the southern hemisphere where December 25th lands smack dab in the middle of their summer season.
Here in the U.S., it’s become a great way to add an extra celebration to the summer season, as well as put you in ‘chill mode’ during these hot steamy days. There are so many things you can do to celebrate Christmas in July, and we’re sharing some spectacular ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
Put up a tree. If you have an artificial tree, you just need to bring it out and set it up. If your December Christmas includes a real Fir or Balsam, improvise with a wall tree or better yet, decorate a tree in your yard outside. Instead of your standard holiday bulbs and ornaments, use a fun summery motif like pink flamingos, palm trees, beach balls, Santa in swim trunks, and so on.
Make Christmas Cookies. We found tons of great ideas for cute and tasty Christmas in July cookies that will bring your celebration to the next level. Sugar cookies decorated to look like flip flops, Hawaiian shirts, surfboards, and coconuts will make your holiday event super sweet!
Have a snowball fight. It’s going to be pretty hard to find snow this time of year but there is a summer version of the snowball fight that can be just as, if not more fun. Tropical colors are great but if you want to get as close to the real thing as possible, white balloons can be purchased at many online retailers. Not only are you getting some exercise but you’ll also stay refreshed on a hot summer day. Fill them up, divide into teams, and start throwing.
Have a Christmas movie night. Pop some corn, make some chocolate shakes (instead of hot chocolate), Put on your Christmas matching family pajamas, and settle in for your favorite holiday movies. All the popular titles are always available on Netflix or other streaming platforms and if you really want to get into that feel-good spirit, the Hallmark Channel is showing Christmas movies through the end of July. A great twist on this is to set up an outdoor theater with chaise lounges or lawn chairs so you can enjoy nature and the warm summer weather.
Throw a holiday dinner party. Instead of the usual turkey with all the fixings, plan a dinner that revolves around summer fare. A watermelon snowman, reindeer sliders, and a Christmas tree cheese and fruit board are just a few ideas for your menu. And don’t forget the beverages… set up a North Pole drink station to keep everyone cool.
Coordinate a gift exchange. Everyone loves presents, and the holidays are still several months away so a gift exchange is a great way to stay in the giving spirit. Especially this year when people may be feeling a bit down in the dumps, finding the perfect pick-me-up for someone can make all the difference in the world.
And these ideas are just to get you started! The sky’s the limit on what you can do for your mid-year cheer celebration. From a neighborhood Christmas parade to an actual visit from Santa, how you deck the halls is all in what you imagine.
Ho-Ho-Ho!
