Christmas In July – A Real Holiday Or A Marketing Ploy?
I once read in Wikipedia that the earliest known occasion to make the phrase Christmas in July literal was in July 1933 at Camp Keystone, a girl’s summer camp in North Carolina, which celebrated with a Christmas tree, Christmas wreaths, gifts, and a visit by Santa Claus. In 1935, the National Recreation Association’s journal Recreation described what a Christmas in July was like at a girl’s camp, writing that “all mystery and wonder surround this annual event.”
In July 1942 the Washington Post reported that a sermon was delivered in a Washington DC church entitled “Christmas presents in July.” The idea was for the congregation to place donations on decorated Christmas trees that would be used to purchase presents for distribution to missions worldwide. Doing this in July would give ample time for the presents to arrive at their destinations.
In July 1944 The New York Times reported the US Post Office, along with US Army and Navy officials, threw a Christmas in July luncheon to promote a Christmas card campaign for servicemen and women in World War II.
Christmas in July has deeper traditions in Australia than in the United States though the tradition started in the US. One of the bigger reasons is the difference in climate. According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology July is the coldest time of the year, – averaging 61
