Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
Who doesn't love Christmas? The crackling of the fire as stuffed stockings dangle on the mantle, the crisp smell of the season, the hot cocoa, the music and the thrill of rushing to see what is under the tree for you: these are not exactly the mental images you'd associate with the month of July, which lies deep in the summertime season.
So how did Christmas in July come to be?
There is plenty of speculation on that. One argument is that, for the southern hemisphere, Christmas in July is as close as they can get to a 'traditional' Christmas. In countries like New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Papua New Guinea and others, the seasons are in reverse of those in the northern hemisphere. For countries in the southern portion of the globe, December, and Christmas, fall right into the middle of their summer. For citizens of those countries, Christmas in July provides the opportunity to celebrate yuletide along with the chilly nip in the air that the rest of the world experiences. Others say it is purely a commercial holiday, at least for northern hemisphere countries like Canada and the United States. After Canada Day (July 1) and the American Independence Day (July 4), there are no major holidays to market for until Labor Day, which falls on the first Monday of September for both Canada and the U.S.
The late July period provides a great opportunity for businesses to promote sales, as the period is after the typical peak of sale for summer products and generally falls before the beginning of the 'Back To School' sales that many shops hold.
American retailers have been documented with holding promotional Christmas in July sales as early as the 1950's. While the majority of the population of the U.S. views the 'holiday' as more of a marketing tool than a actual Christmas celebration, there’s no reason to not enjoy the holiday anyway! Many television networks will re-run Christmas specials, and some individuals choose to hold a Christmas in July party. It may be too hot for the funky Christmas sweaters, but a Christmas in July party gives the perfect excuse to whip up some eggnog-coladas, make stove top or microwave s’m-ores, distribute those too-cheesy-for-Christmas cards to coworkers, friends and family, and, last but not least, enjoy the wonderful sales!
As the 1892 opera Werther says: “When you sing Christmas in July, you rush [along] the season.”