How Did Christmas in July Start?
Christmas in July!
Did you ever wonder where the idea of Christmas in July started? The very first mention of “Christmas in July” was from an opera back in 1892 that featured children rehearsing Christmas songs in July. In 1935, the National Recreation Association’s journal Recreation described what a “Christmas in July” was like at a North Carolina girl’s summer camp, where the event was celebrated with a Christmas tree and gifts. There was also a comedy movie made back in 1940 called “Christmas in July”.
The post office, 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 overseas during World War II. American advertisers began using Christmas in July themes in print for summertime sales as early as 1950. In the United States, Christmas in July is used as a marketing tool and many stores have Christmas in July sales to draw customers into their stores.