July tends to be the hottest month of the year, so Christmas in July parties have become a popular way to beat the heat. These parties are also a great excuse for Christmas lovers to get their Christmas celebration fix twice a year! Decorating, party games, and food options, are pretty similar to regular Christmas celebrations. However, there are plenty of fun and creative options to give this party a summery feel, while staying in the Christmas spirit.

Save yourself the hassle of putting up an actual Christmas tree, and try a Christmas pineapple! Hang decorations from the fibrous leaves, and add a pair of sunglasses for a touch of summer. Decorate a few pineapples this way, and place them around the party area for guests to enjoy. Another twist on a Christmas tradition, is a summer wreath. Use flip-flops, in green, red, gold, or even white, and glue them together to create a wreath for the front door. You can also use mini drink umbrellas to create a wreath, although you may crave a tropical cocktail after making it! Want to get even more creative with the decorations? Pick up some lawn decorations, such as pink flamingos, and add Santa hats, or pipe cleaner antlers. Red pom-pom balls work great to glue onto the beak for a red-nosed flamingo!

 

When it comes to games and activities, you won’t need to stray too far from the classics. A cookie decorating bar is a crowd pleaser any time of year! If you feel like adding some extra excitement, have guests race to see who can build the best gingerbread house. Give a time limit, such as 5 minutes, to make it even more of a challenge! Want to stay out of the kitchen? Taking the fun outside with a good old fashion snow ball fight will have everyone feeling like it’s Christmas. Try making your own snow balls using cornstarch and shaving cream. Otherwise, using white water balloons is a great snow alternative, or you can even purchase artificial snowballs!

 

Food for a Christmas in July party is the best part of this kind of event! The options are pretty endless when it comes to what items to serve, but there are a few easy, and fun, ideas that will be sure to satisfy everyone’s hunger. For appetizers, try a fruit, veggie, or meat and cheese Christmas tree. Lay out the food in the shape of a tree, or get really adventurous and create an upright tree, using a food base, such as pineapple, or Styrofoam wrapped in tin foil, with tooth picks to create branches! Want to get the kids involved making food? Have them help put together Grinch kabobs! These fun snacks are as easy as slicing fruit and sticking it on tooth picks. Use a green grape for the face, with a banana slice, a strawberry, and a mini marshmallow for the hat. For a main course, nothing says “Christmas in July” like reindeer pulled pork sandwiches. You can also make these as sloppy joes, or black bean burgers, if your guests are not fans of pulled pork. Use pretzels for the antlers, black olives or cherry tomatoes for the nose, and cut out circles of cheese topped with raisins for eyes. After all these treats, your guests will be pretty thirsty! Put a themed spin on serving water by sticking a carrot in, or beside, the container, and serve it as a melted snowman. Add a hat to the container for some extra flair! If you find this a bit gruesome, create labels that simply say “melted snow” and wrap them around bottles of water. With the July heat, melted snowman cookies will be also be a big hit, and are the perfect treat for a Christmas in July party.

 

Once your décor, activities, and food items are all planned, all you need are the finishing touches to bring it all together! To complete your Christmas in July festivities, and to save money in your party budget, consider renting the following items:

  • Santa suit
  • Tables
  • Chairs
  • Serving bowls/platters
  • Drink dispenser
  • Frozen drink machine
  • Sno-cone machine
  • Fill-n-chill bar
  • Coolers

Don’t forget plates, napkins, forks, and table coverings! Kwik covers are a great option to use on tables for any party, and come in a variety of colors to match the Christmas theme. Susty items, such as plates and napkins, are available at Front Range Event Rental, and are currently on clearance! Stop in today to get all the supplies you’ll need for your Christmas in July party! Thanks for reading, and happy party planning!