The History of Christmas in July; Why Your Family Can Use the Festive Spirit this Summer

Christmas in July might not feel very festive because of the summer heat, but the unofficial holiday is actually enjoyed in many communities worldwide. Amid a heat wave, this event gives everyone something to look forward to, especially those longing for the coolness of winter.

The origins of Christmas in July in the U.S. could be traced to Keystone Camp, a girl's camp in North Carolina in 1933. The camp's founder, Fannie Holt, organized an event in the middle of the summer and had the girls make fake snow, install a Christmas tree, sing Christmas carols and exchange Christmas gifts, per Southern Living. 

Keystone Camp's Christmas in July was such a cool and innovative concept that it attracted a Hollywood movie idea, "Christmas In July," directed by Preston Sturgess and released in the 1940s. Over the years, the camp's unique celebrations evolved to include Mrs. Santa Claus and more Christmas gimmicks.

Today, however, the tradition has continued, although it has also been modified with summer activities like taking a dip in the nearby lake after the gift exchange or watching a movie outdoors after the Christmas party.

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Christmas in July outside of the U.S.

According to The Holiday Spot, Europeans may have started Christmas in July without having an official term for it. Because the summer heat in the Northern Hemisphere makes people long for winter, they try to put mind over matter by recreating some aspects of Christmas in the summer. This trick delivers a kind of placebo effect for the revelers.

Many Europeans also travel during the summer and visit ski lodges to beat the scorching heat. In one of these lodges, an enterprising hotelier organized a party similar to the Christmas festivities year after year.

In Australia, the July months are colder, while December 25 is right smack in the dead heat of their summer season. Because the Southern Hemisphere's seasons are "upside-down," they tend to celebrate Christmas in July, sans the Christmas rush and stress, and take advantage of the cool weather.

Many Australians are descendants of European families who brought the idea of Christmas during the settlements in the 1800s. In modern times, July 25 is regarded as the second Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere.

Bringing the festive spirit to your home this summer

The easiest way to bring the feel-good festive spirit for Christmas in July is to bake Christmas cookies with the family. According to Better Homes and Gardens, watching a Christmas movie together, with the air conditioning turned up in the room, will also evoke the feeling of a breezy Christmas.

It sounds fun to listen to Christmas songs while the kids create some Christmas arts and crafts. As for gift-giving, Christmas in July does not need to be extravagant. Better yet, host a swap party and exchange used gifts that you know family members will love and use it a lot of things. 

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