Updated June 20, 2025.
I thought “Christmas in July” made a joking reference to the Christmas merchandise appearing in stores during the summer. But according to the folks at Hallmark, who ought to know, it is a holiday in its own right.
On the Hallmark website, they tell us
Christmas in July is your once-a-year chance to celebrate all the things you love about Christmas: the fun, the family, the parties, the cozy fireplaces.
Now, think about all the things you love about summer: the fun, the family, the parties, the cozy firepits.
Replace the inside fires with outside fires and you have Christmas in July, a “Half Christmas” celebration that just makes July jolly.
There is even a rather old movie about Christmas in July available to buy on DVD
And a new Christmas In July movie available to stream on Amazon Prime.
The Christmas Story in July
When I originally wrote this piece, I was listening to the Daily Audio Bible (DAB) Chronologic version and this was the reading for July 13.
For to us a child is born,to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6, ESV
© 2001 – 2018 CROSSWAY
from the English Standard Bible
Although Isaiah is in the Old Testament, many Christians believe this passage refers to the birth of Christ, which we celebrate at Christmas, so it is common to hear this verse quoted in sermons and readings.
George Frideric Handel and Messiah
The best-known use of this scripture for Christmas is in Handel’s Messiah.
George Frideric Handel used this scripture from Isaiah in his famous work, Messiah, first performed in 1742, performed or heard by millions of people since then. Although it’s usually performed at Christmas, Handel wrote it for Easter.
“Messiah is a fixture of the Christmas season. Woe to the concert hall in the United States or Britain that fails to schedule the piece around the holiday.
For many amateur choirs, the work is the heart of their repertoire and the high point of the year.”
Handel’s father was a barber-surgeon. Barber-surgeons were physicians in medieval Europe, who as the name suggests performed surgery, often treating wounds from war injuries. Eventually, surgery and barbery became separate occupations.
Exploring the HEART of health
Do you plan for Christmas year-round, wait til the week before, or somewhere between? What does Christmas mean to you and your family?
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Dr.Aletha
Daily Audio Bible: listen, learn, live, love
Introducing you to the Daily Audio Bible this year
Keep reading
Why Handel’s Messiah Is More Than a Christmas Classic
Did you know Handel’s “Messiah,” usually linked to Christmas, was originally intended for Easter, drawing from Old and New Testament scriptures. Tdditionally, Handel’s father was a barber-surgeon, medieval surgeons also cut hair.
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