By Karen Shadrach
Summer is, unbelievably, half over. It’s time for a Christmas in July party!
This idea began in 1933 as a celebration at a summer camp (Keystone Camp in Brevard, North Carolina) which set aside July 24 & 25 for Christmas in July.
Your special Christmas in July can be held anytime in July that fits your schedule. It can be a big surprise or a party that the grandchildren help plan. The important thing is to have fun and try to do as many of your favorite holiday traditions as you can fit into one day.
Midsummer Magic
Our favorite traditions include music and tree decorating. So, for one day, (or just certain hours during party time) we play and sing Christmas carols. If you have a smart speaker, tell Alexa to play Christmas classics or children’s Christmas holiday favorites. We don’t decorate our usual tree, but choose an evergreen tree outside in the yard, or bring small tree branches inside.
Decorate with summer items such as seashells (with a starfish on top!) If you have them, bring out a few strings of lights. Have the kids make a tree garland by stringing colorful popcorn or painted dry macaroni to string. One time, we used a pineapple for our tree, decorated it with stars and put sunglasses on it.
Bring out a few favorite Christmas decorations to hang or set on a table for a festive centerpiece. Cover your table with a Christmas-themed tablecloth, and use red and green plastic cups and plates.
For Ohioans, what is Christmas without snow? You can purchase soft, white fake snowballs or bring out your real snowballs from the freezer. Yes, I froze about a dozen of these during the last big snowfall and kept them for our July party. This will be a big surprise for the grandkids. For the younger children, you can whip up homemade snow by mixing three cups of baking soda and a half-cup of hair conditioner (choose coconut to smell like summer). Give the kids a few cars and toy construction equipment to play with in their snow.
Continuing the Christmas theme, wear Christmas-colored red and green clothes and Santa hats, if easily available. Tinsel can be cut into Hawaiian-style leis.
Summer Christmas drinks can include fruit frozen in ice cubes for glasses of lemonade or water. Try using red and green grapes, strawberries and kiwi fruit. We make frozen hot chocolate, too. Mix 1.5 cups of chocolate milk, one cup of dry hot chocolate mix, use three to four cups of ice and blend. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles.
Make sandwiches using holiday cookie cutters to cut bread into trees or stars.
For fun, substitute a Slip-N-Slide for sledding, or play in a pool with an inflatable Santa and reindeer. Watch a holiday movie or bake a batch of Christmas cookies. A small gift exchange can be another kid-pleasing option.
A Christmas in July party may become your family’s new and much-anticipated summer tradition. Ho-ho-ho and Merry Christmas in July!
