Say Christmas and the thoughts drift to the end of the year, the wintery days and lovely decorations in time to celebrate the festival. But did you know about the Christmas in July? Yes, some parts of the Northern hemisphere ring in the exact festive spirit of Christmas in the month of July, the months of midsummers in some parts of the world. Although an unofficial holiday, Christmas in July signifies the yearning for actual Christmas season and the coolness of the weather. So on July 25, exactly 5 months before the actual celebrations, Christmas of July is marked. What Does 'X' in Xmas Stand For? Here’s Why Xmas is Used In Place of Christmas.

History and Origins of Christmas in July

The exact beginning of how it started is still not traced by it is commonly believed to have emerged somewhere in Europe, as a way to mark Christmas in summer. In the Northern hemisphere, the temperatures are warmer and soon turn to scorching heat. So residents definitely miss the winters and yearn for the festive spirit of Christmas. So it is said that the celebrations of Christmas in July began somewhere in the 80s. People began to imitate actual celebrations of the wintertime festival by getting in gifts for family, Santa Claus dressing up and having a feast of cold foods and ice creams.

The Christmas in July celebrations are also mentioned in certain writings and plays. There was even a Hollywood comedy movie by the same name released in the year 1940. In the year 1942, the  Calvary Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. marked the celebrations with carols and the sermon "Christmas Presents in July". They carried on the tradition in the next year and soon it began to gain popularity. Weirdest Christmas Traditions Around The World: Stripping Naked for Sauna to Enjoying Deep-Fried Caterpillars, These Are Some Bizarre XMas Customs.

Soon, the advertising and marketing industry got their hands on this opportunity and summer sales were introduced in several places by the year 1950. So the unofficial holiday became more popular over the years. July is otherwise a very dull season in the market and marking Christmas in July became a great marketing tool.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 25, 2019 12:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).