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What’s Up With Christmas In July?

While it seems like a marketer’s mad dream run amok, Christmas in July actually started in 1933 at the Keystone Camp for Girls in Brevard, North Carolina.

Co-founder Fanny Holt dreamed up the notion as a whimsical way to make summer camp enjoyable for the girls attending.

The celebration included all of the standard holiday staples and became increasingly more elaborate as the years went on, continuing to be a tradition to this very day. The girls even made Christmas presents with craft supplies to take home to their family members.

News of the event made page 9 of the Washington Post on November 13th of that year.

Other Places To Celebrate in the United States

Regardless of which part of the country you live in, there’s probably a Christmas in July celebration near you. Here are some of the most festive locations to check out.

Santa Claus House in North Pole, Alaska

If you’re going to visit Santa, you can’t go wrong doing it somewhere in the neighborhood of the North Pole. Alaska has more claim to being near the North Pole than any place in America. This attraction has been open since 1952 and if you can’t make the trip, they have a variety of customizable letters from Santa including a Mid-Year letter that you could send to a loved one for Christmas in July.

Winter in July at the Phoenix Zoo in Phoenix, Arizona

The Phoenix Zoo treats their guests and their animals to an annual Winter in July. They provide icy treats and manufactured snow to create a winter wonderland right in the middle of summertime. They say it’s a dry heat in Arizona, but not with 50 tons of snow and hourly blizzards!

Santa’s Village Azoosment Park in Dundee, Illinois

This theme park in Dundee, Illinois is listed as an Azoosment Park because they have 200 animal exhibits, including Santa’s Little Helpers and Frosty’s Friends. There are also Christmas themed rides like the Alaskan Railway and Kringle’s Convoy. Of course, it wouldn’t be Santa’s village without Santa and Princess Tinselbella.

Santa Claus, Indiana

When your whole town is named Santa Claus, you just know you love Christmas! This festive locale in Indiana is host to 20 Santa Claus statues, a Santa Claus museum as well as a live Santa who you can visit all year long. Since they’re die-hard Christmas fans, they’ve come up with a variety of festive things to do in the summertime as well as a Christmas in July to-do list.

Frankenmuth, Michigan

Anyone who knows Christmas knows Bronner’s is the World’s Largest Christmas Store. These folks know their Christmas and the company’s home town of Frankenmuth is proud to be the home to this festive facility. While they really put on the dog at Christmastime, summer in Frankenmuth goes to the dogs with their Dog Olympics and soars to unexpected heights with their Balloons over Bavarian Inn.

Santa’s Village in Jefferson, New Hampshire

This amusement park packs every square inch with Christmas joy! From Santa’s Home to snow angel Celeste’s story time to a whole nation of tinker elves dedicated to providing you a merry good time, Santa’s Village has so many holiday-themed attractions for you to enjoy.

North Pole, New York

This Christmas-themed amusement park opened on July 1st, 1949 and is considered one of the first theme parks in America. These folks know Christmas in July! They put on a variety of shows each day and offer rides and other amusements for wholesome holiday family fun any time of the year.

Christmas in July Celebration in West Jefferson, North Carolina

Santa and Mrs. Claus are host to a Best Christmas Tree competition in Downtown West Jefferson as well as Civil War re-enactments, farm-fresh food and more musical talent than you can even imagine. They have lots of local talent and fun activities for the whole family!

Castle Noel in Medina, Ohio

Castle Noel is America’s Largest Indoor Year Round Christmas Entertainment Attraction with shows, exhibits, shops and Mark Klaus himself.

Mark is an avid collector of memorabilia from Christmas movies, vintage holiday displays from New York and vintage toys that he displays for your nostalgic enjoyment. The castle is a holiday wonderland not to be missed by true Christmas lovers.

The Christmas City: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is known as the Christmas City not only for its Biblical forebear but because the Moravian settlers of the area just loved a good festival. Bethlehem at Christmas is most noteworthy for its Christkindlmarkt but there are a wide variety of festivals in the area for people who love Celtic heritage, Latin culture, music, independent film, photography and so much more.

Byers’ Choice Christmas in July in Chalfont, Pennsylvania

Byer’s Choice is known as a provider of high quality gifts and holiday decor, most notably their caroler figurines. They are hosting a special Christmas in July Celebration that includes crafts, cookies, popsicles, an indoor snow storm and a chance to dress up as carolers for a family photo!

The Bishop Arts District in Dallas, Texas

North Bishop Avenue in Dallas, Texas, hosts an annual Christmas in July festival that is not to be missed! They’ve got Santa, Mrs. Claus, the Grinch and of course the Elves. They have an “Ice” Skating Rink, summer snowstorms, holiday treats and live music to make the season even brighter.

Other Places to Celebrate Abroad

Americans love our Christmas, but we’re not the only ones. If you’re not in the USA or have the time to make a big trip abroad, here are some locations you can celebrate Christmas in July around the world.

Santa’s Village in Ontario, Canada

In Bracebridge, Ontario you can enjoy Christmas in July at Santa’s Village but you can’t enjoy it at Christmastime because, Canada, ay. Even so, you can enjoy enough holiday merriment to last you until the festive season comes. The amusement park features rides, entertainment and of course, Santa!

Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland

Way up in the Arctic Circle in Finland, Santa’s Village is populated with a tribe of elves, a herd of real reindeer and good ol’ Santa himself! This attraction is open every day of the year, but we’re guessing Santa steps out for a few hours every Christmas Eve to attend to his work.

So, don’t let crass commercialism get in the way of your Christmas in July. The holiday was started as a fun way to celebrate a hot summer day by a camp leader in 1933 and there’s no reason why you can’t celebrate it that way, too.