Christmas in July

Merry Christmas! Yes, even though it’s July, you read that right!

If you are flipping channels and come across the Hallmark Channel this month, you will be met with one of their infamous Christmas movie marathons. Or maybe you see some Christmas decorations in your local store or sing a carol at your church. But why? The Christmas season is reserved for cold weather and the end of the year. How did this holiday make its way into the sweltering summer month of June?

While Christmas began over 2,000 years ago with the birth of Christ, Christmas in July has its origin a little over 90 years ago. In 1933, participants in a North Carolina girls’ camp caroled, put up a Christmas tree, scattered fake cotton snow, and even received a visit and gifts from Santa Claus on July 24th-25th. Seven years later, in 1940, a movie called – you guessed it – Christmas in July – made the phrase famous and brought this concept to the attention of many men and women. Predictably enough, retailers took advantage of this sentiment, and “Christmas in July” was born. (Information in this paragraph comes from https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/christmas/how-did-christmas-july-start)

Maybe you believe that Christmas celebrations should be kept to their designated time frame and enjoyed then. Or, if you’re not a Grinch, maybe you are all for Christmas in July and want to bring on any excuse to celebrate these festivities! Whichever side of the camp you fall into, however, I fear that sometimes we designate the meaning of Christmas to only be thought, read, talked, and preached about in December. For example, if you read Luke 2 at a time of the year other than Christmastime, it can feel out of place. However, the birth and coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is a glorious truth that deserves to be celebrated and remembered year-round. 

The disciple John puts it this way in his gospel: “And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). Jesus, who is God and was with God at the beginning; Jesus, who created all things; Jesus who had never lived in a world full of brokenness and sin…He humbled Himself. He who formed Adam from the dust of the ground allowed Himself to be born of a woman as a baby. As the song “In Christ Alone” puts it, Jesus’ incarnation meant the “Fullness of God in helpless babe.”

But why would Jesus do such a thing? Why would He willingly come to earth and live among selfish, stubborn people?

Because He loves you. 

Jesus came and was born so that He could die one day. The only solution to our imperfection was for the perfect one to take our place, so that’s exactly what Jesus did. Because of His death and resurrection, we can now know and experience eternal life if we just believe in Jesus and trust Him. 

The gospel is what Christmas is all about. So go ahead and put up a tree in your house or watch a cheesy Christmas movie in the middle of July! But as you do so, remember what it all means. Thank Jesus for coming to earth, and celebrate His selfless sacrifice that we cannot even begin to comprehend. 

May we never lose our wonder at the fact that God Himself came and dwelt among us. He was “born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). All because He loves us. 

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14)