Christmas in July is a holiday celebrated all around the United States. Unlike many of the other holidays featured on the America House blog, there really is no true meaning or cultural significance behind Christmas in July. People gather around to pretend it’s Christmas for a day, and it’s just for fun! Christmas in July became popular in the 1940s in the United States and has since remained a silly celebration that incorporates Americans’ favorite Christmas traditions during the summer months.
Celebrating Christmas in July in the United States is a bit ironic. Why would you want to drink hot cocoa and eat cookies in 30°C weather? Maybe it’s a tradition that Americans picked up from their southern hemisphere friends. Though it is commonly celebrated in North America, the celebration is more important in the southern hemisphere because the seasons are inverse. For places like Argentina, Australia, and New Zealand, celebrating Chritstmas in July gives these countries a chance to have a Christmas with snow and cold weather! People in the southern hemisphere also celebrate Christmas on its normal day on December 25th, so Christmas in July is just an added bonus.
It’s also possible that Americans popularized Christmas in July after watching a certain movie. With the release of the comedy Christmas in July in 1940, the holiday gained national recognition. In the film, a man is duped by one of his friends into thinking he has won $25,000 in a contest. Because of his new wealth, he buys gifts for his relatives, acquaintances, and neighbors, and he proposes to his girlfriend.
Photos: IMDb
No matter its exact origins, Christmas in July is here to stay in the United States and around the world. During Christmas in July celebrations, it’s common for people to invite friends and family over to celebrate. There’s lots of opportunities to combine Christmas traditions with the summer heat, like hosting the celebration outdoors or having a BBQ. Many Americans also celebrate by listening to Christmas music, making cookies, or watching Christmas movies.
The holiday has not come without its critics though. Christmas in July is commonly thought to be a ‘Hallmark holiday.’ A Hallmark holiday is one that is thought to occur solely for economic reasons, rather than to celebrate a historically or culturally important occurrence. Hallmark Cards, an American greeting card company, is one of the few companies that markets their products this way and profits from commercialized holidays. Because there is no true meaning behind Christmas in July, it can be viewed as merely another opportunity for businesses to sell Christmas themed products and services to people.
Despite these criticisms, Christmas in July has remained very popular. Not every American celebrates Christmas in July, but it’s a fun way to gather your friends and family during the summer months. Mark your calendars for July 25th and dust off your Christmas decorations if you want to take part in this silly tradition! Christmas in July is on its way, and it’s time to celebrate.
Vocabulary list:
significance (n.) - worthy or attention or being noticed
ironic (adj.) - something that happens in the opposite way of expected
inverse (n.) - opposite of what normally happens
recognition (n.) - acknowledgment of something for its unique qualities
dupe (v.) - to deceive or trick
acquaintance (n.) - somebody that you do not know well enough to call your friend yet
BBQ (n.) - an outdoor cooking event that involves grilling hot dogs, hamburgers, and other types of meat
Hallmark (n.) - greeting card company founded in 1910, also has multiple retail locations and a T.V. channel
occurrence (n.) - an event
commercialized (adj.) - designed for financial gain or profit
merely (adv.) - another word for only
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bridgette Lang is an undergraduate student studying International Relations at Boston University. On campus, she helps run a collegiate Model United Nations Conference and manages finances for BU College Democrats. In her free time, Bridgette enjoys traveling, trying to learn Spanish, and visiting with her friends and family back home in Pennsylvania.