How to celebrate Christmas in July
Start a fun tradition by celebrating Christmas in July! Bring the magic of Christmas time to your house this summer!
Table of Contents
Celebrate Christmas in July
It’s no secret I am a huge fan of Christmas. Every year, my Christmas tree has been making its appearance earlier and earlier in the season. Last year, my tree was up in September because I needed a Halloween themed tree.
At this point, I’ve decided to just dive on in and celebrate Christmas in July. It’s added a layer of excitement and fun to our summer and we are excited to continue this tradition for years to come.
My kids have enjoyed every step of planning our Christmas in July celebration. There has been constant chatter about Santa Clause, presents, and cookies. Since they are 3, 4, and 9 years old, their Christmas magic is something that fills my heart.
I know what you’re thinking. “Oh, no, I am NOT rigging up the lights, bringing the Christmas tree up from the basement, and definitely not dealing with all those glittery ornaments. “
This is not what we’re aiming for! We want this to be a stress-free little glimpse of Christmas time, with a summer twist! There is nothing like actual Christmas time! This little pit stop holiday is just a fun little way to bring a smile to your face- without the holiday pressure and stress!
Without further adieu, here are my best tips to create a stress-free Christmas in July!
Plan your activities
The holidays are filled with a few different components. Decor, activities, food, and gifts make Christmas time so much fun!
Planning your activities with your family will ensure everyone involved has fun and knows what to expect, so they’ll be excited!
Ask your children for their input to get them hyped up for the holiday. Make a list and hang it on the fridge for everyone to see and contribute to.
Plan what decor you will unpack, what games will be played, what meals will be cooked, and if you are in a gift-giving mood, what gifts will be exchanged!
Christmas in July decor
Ask your kids what Christmas decor is their favorite. They’ll likely say the best part is the Christmas tree! Setting up a small Christmas tree (or your regular sized one) with a few strings of lights and a handful of decorations can be a fun afternoon project.
When I think of Christmas, I think about the warm ambiance of the glowing Christmas lights. Adding Christmas lights to your summertime decor is a perfect way to blend both seasons.
I added white lights to my Christmas tree, then hung sea glass ornaments and little white starfish. The coastal theme incorporated summer and it fits right in!
Blast some Michael Buble over the speakers, make some hot chocolate, and enjoy the excitement of decorating. You don’t have to go all out (or maybe you do!), but make it easier by focusing on decorating one room. This makes it stress-free and easier to clean up after.
Pro tip: Make this process easier by stringing some fairy lights on your tree and making your own ornaments. The kids will love this fun, festive activity and it’s great bonding time!
Christmas in July activities
Decorating the Christmas tree is an activity in itself, but there are plenty of fun things to do on the day you celebrate. Since it’s summertime, enjoy your holiday outdoors if you can!
Have an ugly t shirt contest
We’ve all heard of the ugly Christmas sweater parties, but when it’s summertime, it’s time to break out the ugly t-shirts!
Hit up your local thrift store and grab the ugliest t-shirt you can find! You know the kind, the 80’s t-shirts with the balloon sleeves? Perfect. The winner can pick the Christmas movie of the night!
You can vary this activity with other articles of clothing, like bathing suits, socks, pajamas, or even ugly hairstyles!
Play games
Not everything needs to be Christmas themed! Grab a game board and play a few games with your family for some fun times and good memories!
Places like Dollar General, Five Below, Target, and Walmart all have new games that are fun and cheaply priced.
Have a dance party
Alexa, play “rocking around the Christmas tree!”
Blast some fun music and get your groove on! Christmas music literally never stops playing in my house, it’s not a seasonal idea. We. love. Christmas!!
This is such an easy, free, and fun activity and it can get silly real quick! Challenge your kids to show you their silliest Christmas dances- the house will be filled with laughter!
Spread Christmas cheer
My all-time favorite part of Christmas time is the holiday cheer. People donate their time, money, and gifts for the greater good, and it just warms my heart.
Spread some Christmas cheer and bake some cookies for your local fire department, police department, military base (the gate guards are always hungry!), homeless shelter, or anywhere that you would like!
Donate dog or cat food to the local animal shelter. They usually take donations of toys and leashes, too!
Pick a charity to donate to. It can be a donation of time, money, or products!
Gift exchange ideas
Parent tip: Since we are celebrating Christmas in July, we reassure our children that Santa returns every December, but parents buy little presents for the July celebration.
Exchanging gifts for this midyear celebration is fun, festive, and really embraces the Christmas time feel!
Set a budget per person and stick to it! If you have older kids, allow them to be part of the process of shopping or crafting.
Here are a few of my favorite things to buy that make great gifts.
- Books– A good book and a snuggly blanket never go out of season! The smell of new pages is something that really gets my serotonin going, ha! If you have young kids that will eventually rip the pages (looking at you, Cortland and Evelyn), look at second-hand books from your local library, thrift store, or even the free libraries that are placed in neighborhoods.
- Candy- This is an obvious choice, but I like to look for uncommon candies. Five Below is a great place for little candies that you won’t find at just an old convenience store. Take this opportunity to visit your local chocolatier or order that foreign candy that you really love!
- Trinkets- My favorite word is “trinkets.” They will eventually meet the fate of the black garbage bag after I’ve stepped on one of the broken bits, but in the meantime, they are fun and keep the kiddies occupied for all of 5 minutes. I limit the number of trinkets I buy, but I grab one or two!
- Stationary- Coloring books, notepads, writing utensils, and any other stationery related products are great to give to kids and adults.
- Hand made goods– Whether you make these handcrafted gifts or buy them from a local, there is always something special and sentimental about gifts that are made with you in mind!
Festive foods
Food is the glue for any celebration. If I show up at your party, just know that I am hitting the food table first. Food has a way of bringing everyone from all walks of life to the table to gather and enjoy.
When I was growing up, Christmas was made extra special because we celebrated with the Feast of the Seven Fishes. It’s an Italian tradition that is filled with all sorts of seafood dishes. You never left Aunty Teresa’s house without smelling like fried fish!
Here are a few hearty, delicious, and easy meals to throw together for your perfect July Christmas.
Side dishes
Main course
End the night with a movie
Netflix has put Elf back on its menu, and it’s been playing nonstop in my house. Since you’ll be making a delicious dinner and probably be super stuffed, end the night on an easy note.
We decided to exchange gifts after dinner and close the night with a fun Christmas movie and a hot chocolate bar. We broke out all the fun fixings like sprinkles, candy canes, marshmallows, and chocolate spoons to make our hot chocolate bar even more fun.
Prepare your living room with tons of pillows and soft blankets, then pig pile on your couch and decide which movie to put on (unless the winner of the ugly t-shirt contest has already decided!)
Last thoughts
Remember, you don’t have to go all out to have a great time celebrating! Since this is the mid-year point, we did 50% of the effort. The Christmas tree was decorated with (less than half) of our ornaments, there were only a few gifts exchanged, and yet everyone had as much fun as they do on Christmas day.
This holiday is all about making special memories and enjoying togetherness, so make this as easy as possible! Hearing Christmastime chatter from your kids will make this worth it!
Christmas Pancake Breakfast Board
Equipment
- griddle
- 3 Mixing bowls
- whisk
- large servign platter
Ingredients
Red and green pancakes
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp salted butter melted
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp red food coloring
- 1/2 tsp green food coloring
Whipped cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Santa hats
- 10 toothpicks
- 10 green grapes
- 1 banana sliced into 1/4" slices
- 10 strawberries
- 10 mini marshmallows
Additional ingredients
- M&M's
- Hershey kisses
- kiwi fruit
- star fruit
- maple syrup
Instructions
- Make the pancakes. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and whisk well. Melt the butter in a separate bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds, or until melted. Whisk the eggs in with the butter, then add the vanilla extract. Stir in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined (it will be lumpy. Remove half the batter into a separate bowl. Add the red food coloring to one bowl and the green food coloring to the other bowl. Stir each bowl until the color is distributed evenly. Heat a griddle over medium heat. Once the griddle is hot, scoop 1/4 cup of the batter onto the griddle and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side. Place the cooked pancakes to the side.
- Make the Santa hats. Slice the bananas into 1/4" thick slices. Cut the tops off the strawberries. Stack the strawberry (cut side facing the banana slice) over the banana slice and pierce it with half of the toothpick. Place the marshmallow on the top of the strawberry. Place the grape under the slice of banana and secure with the remainder of the toothpick.
- Make the whipped cream. Place the heavy whipping cream into the bowl of a stand mixer. Attach the whisk attachment to the mixer, then place it on medium speed. Whisk the heavy cream until it has thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Slowly add the confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until it is well combined. Place the whipped cream in a bowl or airtight container until you are ready to serve it.
- Assemble the board. Place the pancakes and Santa hats on the edges of the serving platter. Place the whipped cream in the center of the platter. Fill the empty spaces on the board with fruits and candies. Serve and mangia!
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates, for exact values consult a nutritionist.
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