How and Why do we Celebrate Christmas in July?

July 17, 2019

If you love Christmas, why not celebrate twice a year instead of once? A lot of people feel the same way, which is why Christmas in July has been an unofficial holiday for a long time.

Christmas in July started to get a lot of attention in the 1940s, with the release of a movie of the same name and a promotion for people to send Christmas cards to servicemen in World War II. In the movie, a man is fooled into thinking he has won $25,000 in a contest. He buys presents for family, friends and neighbors and proposes marriage to his girlfriend. The film has a happy ending, which maybe is why the concept has grown.

In the southern hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed, some countries have Christmas in July to enjoy the wintertime feel of traditional Christmas.

But cold isn’t for everyone. Hawaii is a wonderland, but it’s not a winter wonderland. There is no Jack Frost to nip at your nose. Santa Claus might show up on a surfboard or a boat rather than a sleigh. So if you would like to celebrate Christmas in July Hawaiian style, or just warm-weather Christmas, here are a few ways you can get into the spirit.

• Enjoy some Hawaiian-style Christmas music. Mele Kalikmaka by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters and O Holy Night by Uncle Willie K are two popular selections, but there are many more that capture the spirit.
• Play in the water. In Hawaii, some people celebrate Christmas by going for a swim. In other places, in December, they might play outside in the snow. If there’s no beach where you are, go for a swim in a pool. Otherwise, trying to have a snowball fight — using water balloons instead of snowballs.
• Dress for it. It’s too warm for an ugly sweater, so men, try wearing a bright-colored Aloha shirt and a pair of shorts. Women, an Aloha sundress whispers summer.
• Do your shopping. You didn’t win $25,000, but just like the man in the movie, be generous or smart and buy your Christmas gifts early when they’re on sale.
• The holiday season is a time for enjoying sweet treats and building a snowman. Do both by making a snowman out of ice cream. A big scoop on the bottom, a medium scoop in the middle, a small scoop on top. Use M&Ms for eyes and a nose and cinnamon sticks for arms.
• Don’t stop with ice cream. There are many ways to celebrate Christmas in July with food. Bake cookies in the shape of palm trees rather than traditional Christmas trees. Other cookie shapes could be people (dressed in Aloha shirts and leis), surfboards, coconuts and watermelons. On the subject of watermelon, buy the fruit and cut wedges into the shape of trees or snowmen.
• Drinks too. In the wintertime, people drink hot chocolate. In July? Try one of the many recipes on the internet for frozen hot chocolate. Then try eggnog/cocktail combinations such as eggnog margaritas and eggnog martinis. When you’re done, take all those little cocktail umbrellas and form them into a wreath.

These tips make for a memorable Christmas in July.

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