Hey there friends! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and are feeling ready for a new week. I’m thrilled that you have stopped by today because I’m really excited to share the wonderful moments from our weekend and our Christmas in July celebrations with my family!
Why Christmas In July?
I’m not really sure if Christmas in July is popular in other parts of the world. So you might be wondering why we decided to celebrate Christmas in the middle of the year. As you know here in the Southern Hemisphere, our seasons are opposite to those in the Northern Hemisphere. So while our friends in the North enjoy a cozy wintry Christmas in December, we always have a sweaty hot Christmas bang in the middle of summer! It’s not uncommon over here to celebrate Christmas with a pool party eating seafood and salads. We don’t have a pool but we do have air conditioning which is usually cranked up really high to keep us cool!
Celebrating Christmas in July means that we get to experience a touch of winter nostalgia and enjoy all the festive cheer without sweltering in the summer heat. It also gives us a chance to wear ugly Christmas jumpers (or sweaters) and pretend that we are in a Hallmark Christmas movie. Hehe.
Monthly Family Gathering
On Saturday we got together for our monthly Cousin Connect. And it was my cousin Jessie and her family’s turn to host. She was the one who came up with the brilliant idea to make it a Christmas in July celebration.
They did an amazing job hosting and we had such a fun night eating, laughing and catching up.
There was even a Christmas tree!
Jessie’s sweet daughter (our youngest cousin who is 11) decorated the tree with dog balloons that she taught herself to make. Haha, red and green dog balloons!
Look at these incredible rose ice decorations made with cranberry juice.
These beautiful ice roses made the Prosecco taste even better. Yum!
Delicious appetizers!
For dinner, we feasted on delicious turkey with gravy as well as ham, potatoes, corn and beans.
Everybody wore Christmas colours with headbands or hats. I was really excited that I managed to find a Christmas jumper for only $20 at Big W.
Amelia, my cousin’s beautiful Golden Retriever even wore a Christmas headband.
We finished with strawberry cheesecake and gingerbread cookies for dessert.
As well as hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
It was such a fun family night and it was the first time that we celebrated Christmas in July together as a big family. Back in 2021 during lockdown, we had a very small Christmas in July with just us at home. But we have decided that from now on Christmas in July is going to be an annual Cousin Connect tradition.
I love our monthly family gatherings and look forward to them so much. Having a set first Saturday of the month when we all get together has been such a wonderful way of making sure that we stay in contact regularly.
Today is the first day of the school holidays and we have two weeks off which I am very happy about! Even though I have already been off for two weeks, I haven’t really been out very much. But I’m feeling well and so I’m ready and keen to get out and about during the winter break. Already the holidays are off to a great start as I got together with my lovely friend today and we had high tea. I’ll be sure to tell you all about it later this week. Thank you so much for joining me and I hope to see you back here on Wednesday!
Happy Monday!
I can’t imagine celebrating Christmas in a warm country! I think it’s a fun idea to celebrate when it’s cooler and you can wear your Christmas jumper – they’re often in the sale in July!
#MMBC
What a great idea, I could never get my head around having a ‘hot weather’ Christmas. It’s a lovely way to have a family get together. Unfortunately for us over here, Christmas in July, is a thing but it has a different meaning. It’s when retailers start figuring out what they are going to be pushing and selling over the Christmas period. It’s no so much partying but advertising plans. I like your idea best 🙂
It sounds like a fun idea. I remember when I moved to Miami, Florida in my 20’s. My first “hot” Christmas it seemed weird. Now I can enjoy Christmas in any weather. #MMBC
I don’t celebrate Christmas myself but I always wondered what it was like to celebrate it in the summer!
Oh wow! What fun! I have heard of Christmas in July but when you talk about it, it makes sense to celebrate in July when it’s winter for you.
Those ice decorations are just brilliant and imagine them tasting so good with prosecco. All of the food looks amazing! You are making me want a Christmas dinner now. x
I love that you have a cozy wintry Christmas. Your family gatherings are so special. Enjoy your winter break.
Thanks Sarah 😊
Oh that does sound like so much fun and I love your Christmas jumper.
What a fun thing to do and my god the people in your family always make the most delicious foods and drinks!!!