Christmas in July!

Christmas in July is such a festive party theme!  If you’re a ho ho ho holiday lover it also gives you a chance to decorate twice but this time with a summertime twist!  All the joy wrapped up in fresh, seasonal colors, summer staples but mixed with traditional Christmas touches.  You can blend it however you want!  Go all out with red & green, or change it up with tropical colors…  there’s no right or wrong way to do it!  Pink was our signature color for the evening which was inspired by iconic yard flamingos.  A really whimsical way to marry the two seasons together!  The great thing about this theme is that Christmas party food staples like shrimp cocktail, spiral ham, chex mix, punch and eggnog made for easy appetizers & beverages.  And plenty of upbeat holiday tunes were ready to go in already created playlists!  Planning ahead allowed us to grab some decor during after-Christmas sales. But online shopping can get you pretty much what you need any time of year!  So let me share with you our summer celebration in hopes to inspire some…

Christmas in July fun!

summer is such a fun time to entertain…and themes can add to the joy!  weather is the only uncertainty so keep flexible with an inside/outside plan.  with showers in the forecast i kept my outdoor welcome sign as part of the mantle decor

inside or out, little details go a long way.  santa mugs made great “planters”

decor tip:

for any party theme be sure to shop your house!  i say this a lot but if you celebrate Christmas, you most likely have everything you need in storage!  mugs, wrapping paper, tins, dishes, trees & garlands are probably in your home already.  you can change up the look with a few unexpected colors and summertime decor.  i ran with flamingos but you could use beach balls, pool floaties, sunglasses…let your imagination go wild!

i HAD to have a tree…flamingos, candy canes, and shades of pink graced the branches!

pink yard flamingos dressed for the occasion with cozy scarves made from strips of red felt fabric!

hot temperatures kept the food inside so the dining room got a few holiday touches to keep it jolly!

a small tree and stack of packages made an empty corner festive…

decor tip:

an inexpensive way to make a big impact on a tiny budget is to wrap empty boxes with holiday paper.  they can effortlessly add to the decor and enhance your theme or color palette!

another whimsical detail…use craft felt and fuzzy trim to make funny additions to portraits!  paint tape will hold them in place with no damage.

nibbles & treats!

the christmas food was simple but a holiday addition is always nice.  a santa charcuterie is fun &  healthy addition to the table…

but holiday parties are known for sweet treats so a sugar-filled selection was welcomed by all!

the most darling cookies were delicious and made everyone smile!

outside fun!

we got lucky with the weather so inside AND outside mingling was possible.  limiting the outdoor decor to items that could withstand a little rain reduced the decor stress…

plastic flamigos, artificial blooms & waterproof table coverings won’t wilt if they get wet!

did you notice the tiny hats?  they’re intended for lolipops during the holidays.  they fit perfectly on the flamingos and come in bulk for cheap!

DIY decor!

my family tries to create one bigger DIY project for our summer celebrations…this year it was an oversized light strand!

right down to the plug!

(link to the inspiration and instructions for the lights at the end of the blog)

tiny details go a long way outside as well.  a simple ornament tied to a jar of shells is easy and darn cute too!

sips & tips!

flamingo drink coolers made a festive drink display fit for the theme!

you can blend tropical and winter touches to create a great combo for christmas in july!

decor tip:

because the forecast looked “iffy” we used clear shower curtains to hang between the pillars of our covered patio.  you can use more permanent closet systems to create the panels but tension rods can work as well.  the curtains will keep the perimeter dry if mother nature doesn’t cooperate!  you can use the same concept under a tent too by simply clipping the curtains to the canopy frame.

acrylic items are great for outdoors.  a basket keeps the shatterproof wine glasses from blowing around in the breeze…

more santa mugs tie the inside details to outside…

and a small, clean cooler is perfect for keeping the cold drinks (yes, even white wine) extra cold on sweltering days!

the punch bowl was at-the-ready for the cheerful drink that was added at the very last minute as guests began to arrive!

party tip:

keeping a large ice cooler with extra ice & drinks including plenty of non alcoholic options is helpful during summer parties.  guests can help themselves right from there and it will keep all the drinks chilled as you replenish the more decorative drink stations throughout the event. 

last but not least…

costumes at our summer parties are encouraged but never required.  i had to share how my adult sons showed off their festive sides this year…

for all you who remember the christmas specials from the 70s…do you recognize snow & heat miser??  we even had that song on the playlist 🙂

i hope this inspiration & favorite tips help you plan your next celebration…

…in christmas in july style!!

pin for later~

DIY light strand inspiration  @hannah.is.home on instagram

cupcakes and cookies:  Village Patisserie