CHRISTMAS IN JULY!!

Christmas in July is an event which is unofficially celebrated as a holiday by people. It is especially popular       among the young people. A Christmas in July dinner usually includes Christmas Decorations Christmas Candles, colorful streamers, bonbons, Christmas hats and whistles.
During the summer months in the northern hemisphere, the weather becomes increasingly warm and many people crave for the atmosphere of cooler temperatures, gift giving, and holiday spirit. To satisfy this craving, some people throw parties during the month of July that mimic the holiday of Christmas.

History of Christmas In July

   It's hot, you're sweaty and longing for some relief from the heat. Aren't you? And while thinking about winter, you're probably also dreaming of all those snowy nights of Christmas celebrations? Well well, you can't actually change the season now, but the closest you can get to doing so is reduce the time left for Christmas and celebrate it now, in July. That's what many are doing year after year. An unofficial holiday, Christmas in July imitates the festivities of the actual Christmas and signifies our yearning for the coolness of winter amid the scorching summer months. Do you have any idea when Christmas in July celebrations started popping up? No?

 

   Come July, and there is an air of festivity all over. Everywhere we find people making a mad rush to nearby stores, shops and malls to buy gift items, apparels and all other articles traditionally linked to festal occasions. Those out of the loop may wonder at the reason for this sudden shopping though such people are a rarity. It is hard to come by anyone who has not heard about or celebrated the much talked about occasion - "Christmas In July".

Even Santa needs a little amusement with his buds

But how did this festival originate?

The precise beginnings of the Christmas in July tradition is not very clear, although it is commonly believed that it actually started in Europe, as a way to celebrate Christmas in summer. During the summer months in the northern hemisphere, the weather becomes increasingly warm and many people crave the coolness of winter. Amid the scorching summer months, people miss the gift giving, and holiday spirit of the Christmastime. Though it is not known when it started exactly, it is probably from the 80s that the festival began to be celebrated. The earliest Christmas celebrations in July saw people throwing parties that imitate the actual Christmas festivities in December. The celebrations also included other Christmas traditions like Santa Claus, ice cream and other cold foods, and gifts. It was held that celebrating in the warm season would ensure a strong, happy winter Christmas season.

   This untimely Christmas festival is also often ascribed to a group of Irish tourists who went for a vacation in Sydney's Blue Mountains in the summer months of July in 1980. Away from the summer temperatures in their country, they were overjoyed at the sight of snow there. It is believed that they convinced the proprietor of a local hotel in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales to hold a party called "Yulefest". The idea was an instant hit and caught on the imagination of everyone present there. The proprietor saw a golden opportunity in this and henceforth held a Christmas Party each year in July.

Keeping it real with some of his "little" peeps

   The local businessmen too jumped in to cash in on this unique festival and it continues to this day. Today, the tradition is so well entrenched in Australia that most restaurants, clubs and dining halls, have an official advertised annual catered menu for Christmas in July, and are often booked in advance. Most hotels, restaurants, bars, apparel stores, gift shops offer special discounts for the occasion. During this time, you can find the local gift shops brimming with figurines of Santa and Snowmen. Resorts have special events connected with their Christmas in July celebrations. The whole occasion has come to be utilized as amarketing gimmick as much elsewhere in Australia as in its snowfields where the month of July coincides with the high season in the Australian skiing resorts.

   But the market opportunity is, undoubtedly, the most plausible reason behind "Christmas in July" celebrations. it is commonly said that the occasion was dreamed up by retail merchants in the western countries who wanted to benefit from a holiday in July, which is otherwise a dull season for business and has few marketing opportunities. That makes a lot of sense, specially when we see how so many “holidays” are emerging these days ranging from Boss’ Day to Grandparent’s Day. Many people embrace these special days as they emerge which surely spells a fortune for retail merchants as well as greeting card companies.

   These days, Christmas in July seems to be mainly a time for retail sales. In the United States, like all other festivals, this event too has become highly commercialized. is more often used as a marketing tool than as an actual holiday celebrated by ordinary people. But these days, many American families have started celebrating Christmas in July. An unofficial holiday, the event is especially popular among the young people. Restaurants offer special discounts on this time. Many nightclubs host on this time Christmas parties open to the public. Drinks are guzzled and food items eaten up like crazy. Television stations show the recent blockbuster flicks on this occasion or re-run Christmas specials, and many stores throw special "Christmas in July" sales. Many however, choose to spend the time all by themselves or with their families.

Santa and his "Old Lady", on Holiday

   Some families love the concept of Christmas in July, especially if their family members are scattered across the states, because it is easier for them to have a get-together in July, which is a summer month and when the weather is favourable for a vacation, rather than in the freezing winter months when long distance journeys are really hard.
   And then there are others who does not celebrate during this time. They are reluctant to acknowledge the event in July are opposed to having such an occasion. They argue that this untimely celebration of Christmas makes a mockery of the actual festival that is held on December 25th and commemorates Lord Jesus Christ's birth.
   However, the precise date of Christ’s birth is subject to a lot of date. No one really knows when the messiah was really born. Hence, celebrating Christmas in July shouldn’t be a huge issue so long as the holiday doesn’t lose its meaning.
   Despite it's rampant commercialization, Christmas in July remains primarily an occasion to remember the nothern hemisphere's snow blanketed Christmas nights. It is a fun way to satisfy the craving for cooler weather and holiday cheer that many people experience during the hottest month of the year.

 

   Christmas in July is an event which is unofficially celebrated as a holiday by people. It is especially popular among the young people. The event is greatly exploited as a marketing opportunity in the middle of the year to uplift the slack in the market situation. It is celebrated sometime during the month of July. There are many people who does not celebrate during this time and are reluctant to acknowledge the event in July. Even among those who mark this time, it is far less important than The Christmas in December. A Christmas in July dinner usually includes Christmas Decorations Christmas candles, colorful streamers, bonbons, Christmas hats and whistles.
   During the summer months in the northern hemisphere, the weather becomes increasingly warm and many people crave for the atmosphere of cooler temperatures, gift giving, and holiday spirit. To satisfy this craving, some people throw parties during the month of July that mimic the holiday of Christmas.

Watch out for Seagulls!

Celebration of Christmas in July (the whole month)...

   Did you know that most people have a love hate relationship with Christmas?   Read on to know more... They love giving presents but hate the crowds; Love the true meaning but hate the commercialism that seems to engulf it; Love the music, but hate having six weeks of it. They love the food but hate the weight gain.  Is it not funny that, despite all of that, we still hope Christmas comes more than once a year?! And the best part is we have a way to do exactly that - Celebrate it in July and leave the rest behind.. Its not about asking you to give up the late December festivities but adding an extra zing to your holidays and celebrations in the Summer heat. So soak up the sun and celebrate Christmas in July. Surprise your friends, family or mates you really care for with a one night of bonus Christmas celebration in the middle of Summer. Drag out the artificial tree while your love is away for the day or weekend and decorate it. Go to a nursery and find a small potted evergreen to light up, if you get a real one. Bake a couple of your favorite holiday goodies. Put a few presents under the tree. Turn the air conditioner on high and light a crackling fire in the fireplace while listening to your favorite Christmas tunes. And Folks! Its Christmas in July. Ho! Ho! Ho!

Singing a little "Take Me Out To The Ballgame".

   Often nightclubs host parties open to the public. Although its sometimes attributed to an Irish group who enjoyed the winter snow in Sydney's Blue Mountains and decided to party, the precise beginnings of the Christmas in July tradition is not totally clear as it is taken as a simple idea that has been enjoyed by many who remember the northern hemisphere's snow blanketed Christmas nights and wants to just have a jolly good time associated with gift-giving and loads of holiday cheer. Features of Christmas in July include: Santa Claus, ice cream and other cold foods, and gifts.