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MERRY CHRISTMAS
It is hot as blue blazes and those of us in the deep south are starting to tire of the temperatures and long for some relief from the heat. I personally deal with it by mentally counting down the weeks to mid September when the nights start cooling. Celebrating Christmas in July is one way people get their minds off the heat. There’s no changing the season, but we can make the best of it and maybe even reduce some of the work load we anticipate in December by thinking cool thoughts and starting gift preparations now.
While observing Christmas in July is typically hot for us in the northern hemisphere, it’s actually a way countries in the southern hemisphere can experience what is a stereotype cold/snowy/sled riding/ snowman building Christmas for those in the northern hemisphere. And every culture has its own spin about its origins. Concerning faith, that Christmas is the birthdate of Jesus Christ, why not July since we really don’t know when He was born? There are a lot of fun facts concerning it, so be sure to read up on it below. But don’t skip over the Vendor section as you will find some good stocking stuffers and good ideas for the Christmas List you’re going to start this week!
In the retail/merchandising spirit of Christmas in July, Isabelle Smith will be joining me this Friday during Market pickup. Isabelle has a wonderful website, netshophealth.ibuyrite.com, that offers health store items at very competitive prices with free shipping for purchases $30 or more. She’s also a representative for ibuyrite.com and can help others interested in creating or expanding their own internet business. Even if you don’t order, feel free to come by and meet her.
Fun Facts
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, 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.”
The term, if not the exact concept, was given national attention with the release of the Hollywood movie comedy Christmas in July in 1940. In the story, a man is fooled into believing he has won $25,000 in an advertising slogan contest. He buys presents for family, friends, and neighbors, and proposes marriage to his girlfriend.
In 1942, the Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., celebrated Christmas in July with carols and the sermon “Christmas Presents in July”.They repeated it in 1943, with a Christmas tree covered with donations. The pastor explained that the special service was patterned after a program held each summer at his former church in Philadelphia, when the congregation would present Christmas gifts early to give ample time for their distribution to missions worldwide. It became an annual event, and in 1945, the service began to be broadcast over local radio.
The U.S. Post Office and U.S. Army and Navy officials, in conjunction with the American advertising and greeting card industries, threw a Christmas in July luncheon in New York in 1944 to promote an early Christmas mailing campaign for service men and women overseas during World War II. The luncheon was repeated in 1945.
American advertisers began using Christmas in July themes in print for summertime sales as early as 1950. In the United States, it is more often used as a marketing tool than an actual holiday. Television stations may choose to re-run Christmas specials, and many stores have Christmas in July sales. Some individuals choose to celebrate Christmas in July themselves, typically as an intentionally transparent excuse to have a party. This is in part because most bargainers tend to sell Christmas goods around July to make room for next year’s inventory.
Footnotes
Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net
Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan
For Friday Pickup: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303
We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!