Christmas in July

Christmas Magic at Keystone Camp

Christmas Magic at Keystone Camp

“I still don’t get it,” I whispered to my bunkie, Jennifer as we huddled down in our blankets. “How can there be Christmas in July? It feels cold enough for Christmas, but it is the middle of summer!”

“Momma says it is always colder in the mountains,” Jenny said through chattering teeth. “But it sure feels like December! I’m freezing!”

Although we were ten, I wasn't sure if Jenny still believed in Santa or not. In my heart of hearts, I knew Santa Clause was real. It wasn’t a matter of ‘still believing.’ I’d seen Santa and his reindeer fly at the North Pole in Lake George, NY one winter and no one would ever convince me I hadn’t. Even still, no one ever heard of there being Christmas in July!

“C’mon, Jenny!” I yelled. She was always the last one dressed after swimming. Sure seemed funny to go from swimming to getting ready for Christmas. We’d been working on our stockings in arts and crafts. Mine looked awfully funny.

“I’m here,” said Jenny. She was all bundled up in a warm white sweater.

“You look like a snowman,” I laughed. Jenny grabbed a couple of blooms off some white flower growing by the trail and threw them at me. We laughed and giggled all the way to the rec hall.

“It’s the biggest tree I’ve ever seen!” squealed Jenny.

MrGoodwin (or Mr. G as we call him) was making all sorts of funny noises as he untangled the lights. He was sitting on the floor and there was a huge tangle of wires all the way around him.

“I wonder if he’ll get it untangled by December let alone next week!” I said to Jenny.

I ran my hand through my choppy brown hair in exasperation. I’d been trying to string beads for a bracelet for Jenny’s Christmas present. One of the CITs had shown me how to make a pattern with six different strands of fish line that wove in and out of each other. It was almost finished but I’d run out of the light green beads and they said there weren’t any more. I decided to use yellow instead.

There! It’s finished. I hope she likes it. Christmas in July is fun, I thought.

“Robin! There you are!” Jenny came running down the length of the arts room. I quickly tucked her present in my pocket. “What are you making,” she asked

“Nothing,” I grinned. “Did you finish your stocking?”

“Yes, did you?” She showed me her stocking and it was beautifully made.

I nodded. “It is kind of a mess though,” I said, showing her mine.

“I’ll say it is,” she grinned. “But I like it a lot! Hey! Want to go fishing with me?"

Everyone decorated the tree tonight. It looks so pretty. Then we all sang Christmas carols and drank hot chocolate. Mr G. read us "A Christmas Carol. "

As the bugle sounded 'lights out' I opened up my sleeping bag and spread it over my bed.

"It's freezing out!!" I said snuggling down into my blankets.

"It is supposed to be," giggled Jenny. "It's Christmas tomorrow!"

"God Bless us, every one," I said before tumbling into sleep.

We woke up to kids shrieking. I got out of bed. It was COLD! Then I looked out the window and screamed, “It’s snowing!”

Jenny jumped up to join me at the window. We looked at each other and burst out laughing.

I started singing. “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas …”

We were well into “Winter Wonderland” by the time we ran into the rec hall. There were gifts everywhere. My folks had sent me warm socks and a new sweater. Santa sent me a knit cap with a long, long tail with a red ball at the end. In my stocking was a peppermint stick, an orange and a bracelet from Jenny.

“We match!” we both said at the same time.

After presents, we all sang “Silent Night.”

“We’re having turkey for dinner,” said Jenny later in our cabin.

“Yum! This has been the best Christmas in July ever! I hope they do this every year.”

Her mouth full of peppermint candy, Jenny nodded.

*******************************

"That was the first magical Christmas in July," I told the twins the night before they left for Camp Keystone. "It became a tradition."

"Great-grandma, do you think it'll snow this year?"









994 words

"The earliest known occasion to make the phrase Christmas in July literal was in July 1933 at Camp Keystone, a girl's summer camp in North Carolina, which celebrated with a Christmas tree, gifts, and a visit by Santa Claus. In 1935, the National Recreation Association's journal Recreation described what a Christmas in July was like at a girl's camp, writing that 'all mystery and wonder surround this annual event.'" - Wikipedia

Write a fictional story, article, or poem on this first "Christmas in July" celebration.