Christmas Tradition
This southern state hosted the very first recorded summer camp celebration of Christmas in July back in 1933.
What is North Carolina?
This jolly man in a red suit often swaps his heavy winter coat for summer wear, like shorts or swim trunks, during July celebrations.
Who is Santa Claus?
While a traditional December dinner often features a roasted turkey or ham, people celebrating in July frequently swap it for this popular backyard barbecue staple.
What are burgers or hot dogs (or grilled food / steak)?
Campers at Keystone Camp in 1933 participated in this classic holiday activity of going door-to-door—or cabin-to-cabin—singing festive tunes.
What is caroling?
In this famous Southern Hemisphere country, Christmas happens during summer, so locals celebrate "Yulefest" in July to enjoy cold-weather traditions like roaring fires and roasted dinners.
What is Australia?
Because July falls during the warmest time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere, many people in countries like Australia celebrate this winter-themed alternative name for Christmas in July.
What is Yulefest?
This evergreen tree is traditionally decorated with ornaments and lights, even when celebrated in the middle of summer.
What is a Christmas tree?
Instead of baking warm, spiced gingerbread cookies, summer celebrators often opt for cookies shaped like trees or snowmen decorated with this sweet, hard sugar icing.
What is royal icing (or frosting)?
Rather than hanging traditional stockings by a fireplace, summer parties often swap them for this backyard lawn game where players toss bean bags into a target.
What is cornhole?
Across the pond from Australia, this island nation also embraces Christmas in July as an excuse to eat hearty winter roasts and pudding in its chilly mid-year months.
What is New Zealand?
During World War II, this American group used "Christmas in July" services and events to organize early gift drives and care packages for troops overseas.
What are churches (or the U.S. military/Post Office)?
Rather than wearing heavy winter sweaters and woolen scarves, people at summer parties often wear these festive, warm-weather garments featuring holiday patterns.
What are Christmas t-shirts (or tank tops / swimsuits)
While hot cocoa is the go-to warm drink of December, people celebrating in July are much more likely to pour this cold, frothy dairy beverage topped with nutmeg.
What is eggnog?
A popular summer twist on a classic winter sport involves strapping on these wheeled shoes instead of ice skates to cruise around outside.
What are roller skates (or rollerblades)?
In this South American country, Christmas is celebrated in warm summer weather, and families traditionally stay up late on Christmas Eve to set off massive displays of these loud pyrotechnics.
What are fireworks?
Cable networks like Hallmark famously embrace the tradition in July by airing marathons of these comforting, festive films.
What are Christmas movies?
While people in the Northern Hemisphere sweat through July, people in this half of the globe experience their actual winter during this month.
What is the Southern Hemisphere?
This classic British holiday dessert is traditionally set on fire with brandy, but in July, people are much more likely to serve it alongside a cold scoop of ice cream.
What is Christmas pudding (or plum pudding)?
Instead of building a snowman outside in the freezing cold, people at summer parties often build these out of sand at the beach.
What are sandcastles?
In this European country, children leave out their shoes on the night of December 5th hoping Saint Nicholas will fill them with treats, inspiring similar gift-giving customs worldwide.
What is Germany? (or the Netherlands)
Originating from an 1892 French opera, this famous Christmas carol is what the children were singing in the summer when a character joked about rushing the season.
"Noël! Jésus vient de naître" (or simply the traditional carol-rehearsal scene)
During World War II, this government agency partnered with the military to launch a "Christmas in July" campaign encouraging people to mail packages early.
What is the U.S. Post Office?
This round, spiced cake with a hole in the middle is a holiday staple, but in the summer heat, people often swap it for a frozen ice cream cake.
What is a bundt cake (or fruitcake / coffee cake)?
To replicate a snowy winter day in the middle of a hot July, some outdoor celebrations utilize machines to spray this soapy white foam over party guests.
What is a foam party (or fake snow)?
In this country, which experiences winter in July just like the rest of the Southern Hemisphere, families often celebrate a mid-year Christmas with a traditional outdoor barbecue known locally as a braai.
What is South Africa?