Something Else Saturday - Christmas in July

Baby It's Warm Outside

Christmas in July certainly isn't a new concept by any means. The southern hemisphere experiences winter while the top half of the world is in its summer months. They've been shifting holidays according to the weather for generations. Here's a brief timeline of things you may not have known regarding the un-holiday.

• 1894 - In the English translation of Werther, a French opera, a character responds to a group of children who, in the middle of July, rehearse Christmas music by remarking, "When you sing Christmas in July, you rush the season."
  
• 1933 - Camp Keystone, a North Carolina summer camp for girls, celebrated Christmas in July with a tree, gifts, and even a visit from the man in the red suit himself.
  
• 1940 - Hollywood released a comedy titled Christmas in July, in which a man mistakenly believes he's won $25k in a contest. He not only goes hog wild with the Christmas-like extravagances towards his friends, family, and neighbors, but he also asks his girlfriend to tie the knot.
  
• 1942 - Calvary Baptist Church, located in Washington, D.C., celebrated the holiday early so that its congregation could spend the rest of the year focused on serving in missions which took place around the globe. A few years after the first event they began sharing the celebration with listeners outside the church by broadcasting it over the local radio airwaves.
  
• 1944 - In hopes of promoting an Early Christmas Mailing Campaign for service men and women stationed across the Atlantic during World War II, the United States Post Office teamed up with officials from both the Army and Navy to throw a luncheon which was repeated again the following year.

While many people are perfectly comfortable waiting for December to enjoy the world's biggest holiday, there's really no reason to wait. Cue up the Christmas station on Pandora. Do random acts of selfless kindness. Take one small portion of your day and give up that bit of time for someone else. Stop waiting, and start giving.

The same holds true with Thanksgiving. If your time and budget don't allow you to prepare a turkey with all the fixings, consider baking a chicken or some Cornish hens. Since it's summer time, cook them on the grill, or just cook side dishes like corn on the cob and baked sweet potatoes on the grill. There's no reason you can't top a baked sweet potato with butter and marshmallow fluff.

When it comes to holiday celebrations, the date on which the celebration takes place should have very little to with the holiday itself. The important thing is that you share it with those you love, whether it's the family you were born into or the family life gave you.

I'd love to hear your comments on the topic, and will be back to read them just as soon as I'm finished watching my favorite Christmas movie. Here's a clip for you to enjoy, too!