Community Chat

[kitcat51]

CIJ is a nice break from the heat & an opportunity to buy a few gifts early, that's  all. I shop early, no tree needed & I can still celebrate the reason for the season.

[on the bay]

@Junebug54 ,

For me, Christmas has always been my favorite time of year ever since I can remember.

And to me it is the spirit of it, with all the love of family, and the feeling that so many are sharing a hope and kindnesses, and reaching out to others and each other.

Everything looks so beautiful with hopefully snow, and the excitment of watching children's expectant faces.

The Christmas Carols, the stories.

To me it is never about how much I have to do, or who to buy for or what to make. I love sending cards still and I just wish Christmas could last all year.

 As Scrooge said:

"I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year."

[sunshine45]

wikipedia has some interesting notes on CHRISTMAS IN JULY.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_July

AND

The Real Story Behind Christmas in July Started in North Carolina, 1933

https://www.southernliving.com/christmas/how-did-christmas-july-start

[spursfan2]

I am a die hard Grinch. If I could stop Christmas from coming I would. I dont put up a tree, a wreath or a single light. I loved it as a child but as an adult it just became a great big pain in the ***. I live for summer and just wish I could hibernate through all the holidays and cold weather. Bah-Humbug.

[on the bay]

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@spursfan2 wrote:
I am a die hard Grinch. If I could stop Christmas from coming I would. I dont put up a tree, a wreath or a single light. I loved it as a child but as an adult it just became a great big pain in the ***. I live for summer and just wish I could hibernate through all the holidays and cold weather. Bah-Humbug.

@spursfan2 -

Oh you ARE a true Grinch lol!

But your post made me laugh so thank you for that little bit of Christmas cheer!

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[spursfan2]

@on the bay 😂😂😂 & you are welcome!!

[50Mickey]

It's funny how we are all so different in what we like and don't like. For me Christmas in July is a small diversion from the horrible summer heat. I live in the south and the heat starts up in May. Sometimes lasting until mid October. I don't decorate for Christmas in July but I do catch a few of the Christmas movies and Valerie's shows. So far I only purchased one item.

I despise the summer months. So when July is over I think we are just a month away from my favorite season fall. As far back as when I was a child and believe me that was many years ago merchants have had Christmas in July sales. I remember one year Dillard's put out Christmas decor, china and linens and advertised Christmas in July sales.

[Rose429]

@Junebug54  about 10 years ago something broke in my soul and I stopped shopping, buying, agonizing, and getting gifts for relatives that did not need a darn thing. I have never bought a Christmas gift or celebated Christmas again. It was such a huge weight off my shoulders. I left my brothers home that last Christmas in tears and I have worked at the hospital every Christmas since, so nurses with little ones or those that love the holiday could celebrate. 

[SydneyH]

We aren't doing Christmas this year, we are planning on a large donation of food or cash to a charity we can agree on as a family.  Soo much easier than running around in malls that may not even be open in December and spending money on gifts that nobody really needs.

[Mominohio]

Well, I'm not at all offended that you dislike something that I and others enjoy. So what? I find QVC's endless fashion and beauty programming a huge turnoff. But if it sells, it's what they are going to do. Christmas stuff in July is no different.

I simply don't watch or buy what I don't want or what doesn't interest me. I vote with my dollars. 

I enjoy CIJ because I work outside in extreme heat this time of year in the garden, orchard, canning without air conditioning, mowing for hours on end. It's a refreshing change to watch Christmas programming and take a break from the heat. 

I don't buy much anymore, but back in the day, I shopped all year for Christmas gifts to get great prices, or just the right thing for each person. I even bake several months in advance and freeze. 

In Ohio, often the flu season is in full swing, the weather is icy and snowy, and fighting the crowds shopping is no longer the adventure I saw it being, back in my 20's. I'm more about having most everything done by Thanksgiving weekend so I can enjoy church programs, volunteering, school plays, watching Christmas shows on tv, meeting with various family members throughout the month, all in a relaxed manner, not having to do work that I was able to spread out over the preceding months. 

People often fail to realize that some of us are capable of enjoying multiple things at the same time. We can enjoy the long sunny and warm days of July, with all the things that normally come with it, AND at the same time, enjoy thinking about, planning for, and enjoying the spirit of Christmas as well.

Maybe no one 'needs' 5 or 12 months to prepare, but maybe some people actually enjoy it. Especially with the kind of year we have had so far, I don't see people planning for, buying for or even decorating now for Christmas as something to be upset about. There are enough things people are screaming at each other about. People's personal choice about Christmas shopping, watching, decorating really doesn't need to be yet another source of division.