Youâre probably already familiar with the phrase âChristmas in July,â and especially aware of it at this time of year. Maybe youâve been to a friendâs party or taken advantage of a company sale that plays along with the theme. It seems like the concept has just always been around, but it had to start somewhere, right?
Letâs take a look at how Christmas in July became such a widely celebrated and recognizable festivity!
How did Christmas in July start?
To answer this question, it makes more sense to learn about where these celebrations started. It was the people of the Southern Hemisphere that introduced the notion of Christmas in July as a result of their opposite seasons.
During official Christmas time, countries below the equator are experiencing summer! Christmas and its traditions are associated with the magic of winter. July is the coldest month for half of the world, and thus the celebration was born. The first known Christmas in July event in America took place at Camp Keystone in North Carolina in 1933, when the leader of a girlsâ camp wanted to add a unique flare to her program.
Why is it still celebrated?
Although Christmas in July is not an official holiday, it has become an established practice in areas that spend their July in the peak of winter. Itâs even sometimes called the âYuletideâ or âMidwinter Christmas.â As we mentioned before, colder months are the best time to carry out the time-honored traditions of Christmas, like eating hearty, roasted foods, drinking hot chocolate, and sitting by the fire.
Aside from its seasonal origins, Christmas in July has simply become a cultural excuse to get together with friends and family and throw a party! There arenât any national holidays after the 4th of July until Labor Day in September, so itâs mostly just a good way to liven up the stretch of time in between.
How do people celebrate?
A lot of people celebrate the midyear Yuletide with the same customs they observe in Decemberâthey eat, drink, and be merry! July celebrations usually donât involve gift exchanges, although they can in some families. In line with the spirit of the original holiday, Christmas in July is about spending time with loved ones and celebrating life.
A lot of stores also have special sales to honor the tradition, and you can find some ticketed festivals and special events in many cities as well. There are even a few TV stations (like Hallmark!) that will play Christmas movies for a few days this time of year.
Itâs no secret that we love Christmas here at Ottoâs, thatâs why weâre celebrating it twice this year with our 12 Days of Christmas in July Sale starting July 14th through the 25th! Be sure to look out for our festive deals both online and in-store offering a unique discount every day on some of our top items.
Treat yourself or your loved ones to a midyear gift or start stocking up for Christmas in December. Browse our unique, eclectic collection today and take advantage of our July Christmas gift to you!