# What's up with all the Christmas entertainment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 25, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310 "2020-07-25T12:41:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/1 "2020-07-25T12:41:19Z")
It seems like every time I flip channels, I see a Christmas movie, some kind of Christmas-related documentary, and that lots of the sales channels are advertising Christmas stuff, not to mention there are lots of cooking shows, and other DIY type shows showing Christmas crafts. Is this some kind of COVID-19 thing, where everyone is DIYing Christmas stuff they would normally buy, as a combination of having free time, and less money, and they actually need to start now? Or is something else going on? I know a lot of Christmas stuff is “family friendly,” which means that it appeals to adults while still being appropriate for children-- are people searching for stuff like this now, and ending up with _A Christmas Story_? I mean, channels wouldn’t be programming this stuff if people weren’t seeking it-- so I assume that there were a lot of requests for Christmas shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., which led cable channels to start programming the stuff. Or is it just some kind of desperation? Have they run through everything else, so it’s Christmas shows, or back to the beginning? ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/2 "2020-07-25T13:23:20Z")
CHristmas in July has become a thing, I just sent a care package to my folks at their AL center for their midsummer celebration of the Juletide season. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/3 "2020-07-25T14:15:13Z")
SiriusXM’s old time radio channel has a Christmas in July week every year. Hallmark supposedly is having Christmas in July, too. They have a ton of them and they’re very popular. But their Christmas movies are really no different from any of their other movies – just set around Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/4 "2020-07-25T14:27:05Z")
I eschew all the ‘Christmas in July’ bullshit. It’s bad enough they ramp that shit up around Halloween. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/5 "2020-07-25T14:45:21Z")
I guess I’m going to have to break out the large Star of David in July. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/6 "2020-07-25T15:37:06Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Hallmark supposedly is having Christmas in July, too. I think Hallmark starts advertising their special Christmas ornaments in July, even if the ornaments are not yet available in stores. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/7 "2020-07-25T16:14:37Z")
I like it. 🎄 Merry Christmas in July 🎄…to one and all. Think I’ll have Chicken and dressing for Supper. This should get the Grandwrex sufficiently stirred up, to piss their Moms off. Yay! Project for the day!!! (Excuse me, I must search around for gifts for the kids and find a roll of Christmas gift wrap.) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/8 "2020-07-25T17:27:16Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > It seems like every time I flip channels, I see a Christmas movie, some kind of Christmas-related documentary, and that lots of the sales channels are advertising Christmas stuff, not to mention there are lots of cooking shows, and other DIY type shows showing Christmas crafts. > > Is this some kind of COVID-19 thing, where everyone is DIYing Christmas stuff they would normally buy, as a combination of having free time, and less money, and they actually need to start now? Or is something else going on? I know a lot of Christmas stuff is “family friendly,” which means that it appeals to adults while still being appropriate for children-- are people searching for stuff like this now, and ending up with _A Christmas Story_? > > I mean, channels wouldn’t be programming this stuff if people weren’t seeking it-- so I assume that there were a lot of requests for Christmas shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc., which led cable channels to start programming the stuff. > > Or is it just some kind of desperation? Have they run through everything else, so it’s Christmas shows, or back to the beginning? Have you considered the possibility that it’s a ploy to get you and your family to order more Chinese take-out? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/9 "2020-07-25T17:29:51Z")
Hmmm. I had not. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/10 "2020-07-25T17:57:00Z")
The first “Christmas in July” in North America\* was supposedly at a summer camp in 1933. > **[The Real Story Behind Christmas In July Started In North Carolina](https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/christmas/how-did-christmas-july-start)** > > Christmas in July has become such a staple you may not have thought about who dreamed it up. As it turns out, it started right here in the South. \*Countries such as Australia and New Zealand have a similar concept (“Mid-Winter Christmas”) which likely has been a thing for much longer. ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/11 "2020-07-25T18:52:56Z")
> **[Christmas in July: A Vaudeville Tradition | My Merry Christmas](https://mymerrychristmas.com/christmas-in-july-a-vaudeville-tradition/)** > > Christmas year round with the Internet's largest Christmas community, merriest podcast and the latest in Christmas trends and news. Here is a link that claims “Christmas in July” going back to 1915. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/12 "2020-07-25T19:18:49Z")
Great. Like the season of mirth wasn’t relentless enough when it was confined to late fall-winter. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2020, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/13 "2020-07-25T22:37:44Z")
I’ve noticed this every year since returning to the US in 2016. Reminds me of one of my junior-high friends. Actually he was the brother of a friend, two years older. He did the Christmas-in-July bit one year, going whole hog. Put up a Christmas tree, fake presents under it, Christmas carols playing on his stereo all day. We thought he was a goofball. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/14 "2020-07-26T00:46:41Z")
Christmas in July used to be cute, but that was way before the Christmas starts November 1 trend. And, I remember it was far less overkill, radio stations might play one Christmas song every hour or two. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/15 "2020-07-26T00:48:11Z")
I remember doing the Christmas in July thing at my church when I was a kid. People would bring in toys, toiletries, etc. and we would send packages to missionaries. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/16 "2020-07-26T03:50:05Z")
The Scout summer camp at which I used to work had a “Summertime Christmas” sale at the trading post on June 25, exactly six months before (and after) Christmas, during which the staff wore Santa hats and Christmas carols played over the PA system, etc. That IMHO was mildly clever, cute and unobjectionable, since it was just one day. Having lots of movies and other stuff for weeks in the summertime is overkill. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/17 "2020-07-26T03:53:19Z")
> [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > I think Hallmark starts advertising their special Christmas ornaments in July, even if the ornaments are not yet available in stores. Hallmark actually starts teasing with their Christmas ornaments in May and June; they traditionally have a big in-store premiere event on July 15th when they put that year’s ornaments on sale for the first time. I get regular notices about these things because I’m a Gold Crown member, mostly because I buy their Star Wars and Star Trek ornaments every year. This year, with COVID, they’re trying to limit how many people come into the store at once, so they spread the premiere event over several days. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/18 "2020-07-26T06:11:28Z")
I’m watching _Friends_ on Nickelodeon tonight, and every episode is a Christmas episode from different years. ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-up-with-all-the-christmas-entertainment/916310/19 "2020-07-26T13:56:40Z")
Be grateful that the kickoff is early November. In the United States, the traditional kick-off for the Christmas season was at the end of November, the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s been creeping up since then. However, my co-workers in Europe tell me that their Christmas season is creeping up towards September. Here’s some alternate events for July 25: > **[Historical Events on July 25](https://www.onthisday.com/events/july/25)** > > Historical events for the 25th of July. See what famous, interesting and notable events happened throughout history on July 25.