How To Host An Epic XMas In July

When I was very little, I remember sitting at the hair salon with my mom. Her hairdresser at the time (a tall, red-head English-speaking lady called Veronica) mentioned that they are hosting a Xmas in July.

It was typical hair salon chit-chat, but it stayed with me. In my little head, I probably thought “What fun!” as Veronica explained how they did it; it was all about serving decadent, hot Christmassy food in winter and having a blast with friends!

If you are in the Northern Hemisphere you might be very confused right now, but please allow me to explain.

Christmas in South Africa is right in the middle of the summer holiday. This means that most people take a break by the coast or at least somewhere where there is a pool or a dam. It is also usually above 30°C (86 Fahrenheit). We love celebrating the birth of Jesus in true South African style: outdoors, often braaing & enjoying cold, fresh foods & drinks. It is also a time spent with family (mostly), so Christmas with friends is not really a thing.

You might have guessed by now that mulled wine, fireplaces, walks in the snow &  long, cold days are not what we associate with Christmas. Also, Christmas in December is about Christ whereas XMas in July is just for fun!

Back to Veronica & why the concept of Xmas in July makes perfect sense to me:

• Why not have Xmas twice a year? Duh.
• You can have all the wintery treats without (temporarily) worrying about your bikini body
• You can play silly Xmas carols
• It’s a brilliant excuse for a fun night in with your friends
• It’s a recipe for lots & lots of laughs

I always find an excuse to host a little (or big) get-together. So for the past eight or so years, we have been hosting a Xmas in July in some shape or form. And every year when I doubt whether it’s a good idea, Ernie reminds me that it is our tradition & it is always a blast!

How It Works:

The Setting

For our very first Xmas in July, my friend Christa & I decided to call it Kitch Krismis which meant that it was totally OTT. The décor, the food, the outfits. Everything had to be totally silly! It was the best XMas in July ever!

I recommend that you invite all your best, most fun friends & family. Those who can really kick off their shoes & just have some silly fun are the ideal guests. I still remember when our friend Jan-Willem arrive at our first Xmas in July in George with a ‘homemade Xmas Jumper’!

You also need the cheesiest playlist of XMas Carols that you can find.

Having Fun With the Menu

We tried a full-on sit-down Xmas in July dinner once (with turkey, stuffing, gammon – the lot). It was huge fun but somehow it felt a bit too formal. My best is to have substantial snacky food & dessert.

Must haves include: bubbly, glühwein / mulled wine, Christmas fruit mince pies & sliced roast with Christmassy sauces.

Cheeses, Xmas biscuits, brownies & soups (this Squash & Apple soup is delicious!) are also hits.

Non-negotiable: The White Elephant Gifts

Now we’re talking! This is the real fun part of the tradition. Each person has to bring a really useless white elephant item that he or she has lying around the home. The gifts are wrapped & then placed under the tree or in the middle of the room. After the finger dinner, it is time for everyone to draw a number. Nr 1 gets the first opportunity to choose a gift. He or she opens it. Now Nr 2 gets a turn to (1) choose the gift that Nr 1 already has or (2) choose a new gift. And so the process continues. Get it? Ideally, you want to draw the highest number so that you have the most choices!

We’ve had: a ginormous hi-fi system with speakers, a 1970’s alarm clock, The Encyclopedia of Body Building, a pregnancy test, a perfectly working DSLR camera, tea, Carrol Boyes items, blinds (which everyone thought were ski’s initially!)… to name but a few. So fun!

The Guest List

Obviously, I consider our budget, but mostly I consider the space that we have when I decide who we’re inviting. For this type of get-together, more is definitely merrier. It creates a more exciting vibe. And when it comes to the White Elephant gifts, there are many more fun things in the mix.

We’ve had these get-togethers with kiddies too, but ideally the kids need to be left home. They get way too excited & also get rather confused about this Xmas in the middle of the year.

There you have it. Our XMas In July tradition.

Why don’t you start a fun tradition in your family? Maybe start with Xmas in July?

Hohoho & thank you for reading.

Yolandi ♥

Images: A selection from our various parties over the years, taken by us & Lucinda van Staden