Christmas in July: the Definitive 2024 Guide
July is 2 weeks away, so that can only mean one thing: two great holidays are coming up!
Wait, you may think, what is there besides Independence Day? Is there another 3-day weekend I don’t know about? No, you don’t get a day off for it, but the best summer holiday of all is just around the corner: Christmas in July. So what is this silly holiday that you seem to be hearing more and more about these days? Where did it come from, and how do you celebrate? Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about Christmas in July.
What is Christmas in July?
Christmas in July is exactly what it sounds like: bringing the trappings of Christmas to the beautiful summer months. Celebrating Christmas in summer has a long history, but is getting more and more attention in recent years. The origins can be attributed to a few different sources:
In 1933, counselors at the Keystone Camp in Brevard, North Carolina threw what is believed to be the first Christmas in July celebration. The all-girls summer camp embraced the holiday with carolers, a gift exchange and an off-season visit from Santa himself. They continued the tradition and eventually it spread throughout the south.
The term “Christmas in July” was further popularized by the 1940 movie of that name (though the plot isn’t about Christmas per se, it is about frivolous spending in the summer!)
The US government got involved in 1944 with a Christmas in July luncheon meant to encourage an early Christmas mailing campaign for the Army and Navy members serving overseas in World War II.
In the United States, the holiday gradually spread throughout the country, encouraged by the many companies who wanted an excuse to offer discounts and drive sales in the summer months. In modern times, companies like the Hallmark Channel provide month-long content around the fun and silly Christmas in July holiday.
The above gives some insight into how the holiday came to be in the United States, but what about the rest of the world? In fact, it’s not just the US that celebrates this fun holiday. It’s actually quite popular in countries as varied as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina and Brazil. One thing you’ll notice about all of these countries: they’re in the southern hemisphere.
While in the US the holiday is a way to bring together the traditions of Christmas with the great summer weather, in the global south it’s the opposite: Christmas in July is a way to celebrate Christmas in the way they’ve seen popularized by those in America and elsewhere who dream of a wintry “White Christmas.” For them, a normal Christmas is actually during their summer, so celebrating the holiday in July makes it a fun winter holiday.
For everyone, Christmas in July is an excuse to celebrate and bring friends, family and colleagues together.
When is Christmas in July?
Officially Xmas in July is on the 25th. This year, Christmas in July is Thursday, July 25th 2024. However, given the somewhat silly nature of the holiday, there are no hard and fast rules: many people celebrate another day in July. In some countries like England, more people actually celebrate in June.
Many wonder: why is it July 25th and not June 25th? If you think of the holiday as a ‘half-way point’ between real Christmases, than June is actually 6 months from December. There seem to be two logical answers:
Tradition. It started as a July tradition at Summer Camp, and so the dates stuck
Weather. The spirit of this great holiday is that you’re eating Christmas cookies, watching Christmas movies, and continuing your favorite traditions during the beautiful summer months. July is typically a warmer month than June, so it better represents the polar opposite (no pun intended) of a Winter holiday. (Though that does make us wonder… does Santa work at the South Pole for Christmas in July?)
How do you Celebrate Christmas in July?
If you’re wondering whether or not you should celebrate Xmas in July, our perspective is: why not?! It’s a fun excuse to throw a themed backyard BBQ, give gifts to loved ones, play some games, or mix up your corporate events at the office.
There’s no wrong way to celebrate Christmas in July, but here are a few ideas to get you started:
Watch some classic Christmas Movies
Do some off-season Christmas Caroling
Throw a Christmas-themed backyard BBQ.
Bake your favorite Christmas Cookies, then make them into a cookie Ice Cream Sandwich
Host a White Elephant gift-exchange with your friends and family, with summer-themed gifts
Have any questions we didn’t answer about Christmas in July? Shoot us a note at hi@whiteelephantonline.com and let us know!