11 Best Christmas In July Party Decoration Ideas

Christmas in July is a fabulous excuse for some mid year cheer!  And we’ve got inspiration aplenty to help you plan your celebrations.

There’s Christmas in July decorations ideas for melted snowman parties, Campsite Christmas Capers and even a South Pole Breakfast (no, that’s not a typo!).  Or what about a simple Christmas in July picnic?

Here’s eleven fun Christmas in July party ideas.

Sometimes one Christmas really isn’t enough! Click here for more on why we celebrate this quirky Christmas tradition!

With increasing evidence of a link between decorating for Christmas and happiness, there’s even more reason to indulge in a little out-of-season festivity!

Unlike Christmas itself however, there’s no centuries long traditions to follow for your Christmas in July celebration.

So have a lot of fun with it – it’s a great way to try out different festive ways of decorating, ones that you may never risk trying for the main Christmas season.

We’ve got 11 of our favourite Christmas in July decorating ideas and party suggestions to share with you below.  You’ll be planning a Christmas party for every month of the year once you’ve seen these awesome ideas!

And we’ve got some free printables for you too!  Including free Christmas in July invitations to download and personalise.

Not to mention our very own Christmas in July playlist and plenty of food and drink ideas too!

When should you have your Christmas in July party?  Any time you want! 

Of course strictly speaking Christmas in July refers to July 25th (yes yes, we know, it’s not exactly the halfway point to Christmas but near enough!). 

Nowadays the Hallmark Channel run their Christmas in July movies all month so we’re taking that as permission to use any July day for celebration!  If it suits you better, go for a Junemas celebration instead (you can guess the date of that one..!).

Of course your location is going to have a huge impact on how you choose to celebrate Christmas in July! 

Christmas In July In The Southern Hemisphere

For those in the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas in July is the perfect time to enjoy a wintry Christmas vibe.

You may even be fortunate to enjoy a sprinkling of snow for the occasion.

Try A Summer Christmas

For those of us north of the equator, Christmas in July is the time to marvel at the ‘Christmas BBQ on the beach’ traditions of our friends further south!

• Spend a few days immersed in Christmas in July craft
• Get a head start on preparations for later in the year
• Simply use it as an excuse for some good old fashioned Christmas cheer

Why not go all in and treat yourselves to a little Christmas in July vacation to really get you in the holiday spirit!  This unofficial holiday works brilliantly as a fun get-together with others whilst you’re away at the beach, camping, etc.  After all, that’s where its roots began…

Now, you can go in search of your Christmas decorations in their rest-of-year hiding place. 

Perhaps you might even want to build a small collection of decorations specially for Christmas in July party season. 

Chances are you’ll only have the decorations up for a few hours or days, so keeping tidy up to a minimum makes sense.

If you’re wondering how to decorate for Christmas in July, here’s some fabulous ideas for you:

Our frozen pals may struggle in these warmer climes but they can still be the centre of attention!  The melted snowman is such a fun theme for Christmas in July decoration ideas. 

Think winter wonderland décor!

White and snow themed decorations aplenty.

• Homemade paper snowflakes and garlands (perfect for keeping the kids entertained)
• Fabulous white paper decorations to hang from windows and trees. These eco-friendly decorations are so easy to repurpose that they make a brilliant staple for any cupboard.  (We love anything and everything from Paper Dreams at The Conscious)
• Dip anything you fancy in modge podge and epsom salt for an instant snowy look! Snowy buckets and spades anyone?!
• And have fun with snow spray on windows too – works well at any time of year and you’ll love the colours of the sun setting through your snow scenes. Snow Windows have a fabulous selection of festive stencils to try.
• Make snowball garlands by threading cotton wool balls through string or fishing line (fastening the balls in place with a hot glue gun if necessary) and hang from the ceiling / trees / windows for a weather-proof snowstorm!  Check out this cute tutorial from Eryn Whalen for more.

Dot hats, scarfs, carrots and lumps of coal around the party zone to remind guests who else may once have been there!

 Melted Snowman Food & Drink Ideas

• Water stations are instantly transformed into a melted snow zone! Add a hat to the top of a water dispenser, and drop a carrot and some buttons alongside for full effect.  Or create your own handmade melted snowman labels for glasses or bottles. 
• For food, we love this idea from Love From The Oven of a white creamy dip surrounded by mini carrot batons (or Wotsits / Cheetos), black olives and pretzels makes for a perfect deconstructed snowman Christmas in July appetiser! 
• Ice-cream boards with loads of toppings are a great option for cooling down in the summer heat. Think strawberry sauce and crushed candy cane for an obvious Christmas twist.  Put out chocolate drops and mini carrot sugar decorations so guests can make their own melting snowman sundae!  

Christmas In July Party Games Ideas

When it comes to Winter Wonderland Christmas in July party ideas, what better than a summer snowball fight?!  Sub the snowballs for white water balloons and you’ll have an instant hit!  

We love Zuru’s Bunch O Balloons for quick easy use and have had many a soaking when the family get started with these!!

And whilst we’re on the water theme, why not replace the sledging slope with a makeshift waterslide?! 

Ever wanted to try a Christmas in the sun?  Now’s your chance! 

This Christmas in July decoration idea is perfect for anyone spending their summer months at the beach and would make such a fun twist on a classic pool party.  But even your living room can be transformed into a fabulous Christmas Tiki Bar so there’s no excuse!

The contrast of holiday spirit and, well, holiday spirit(!) will blow the mind of anyone used to a chilly December.

Tropical Christmas Decorating Ideas

Tropical Christmas decorations are all about merging the summer party feels with Christmas spirit.

Add colour and fun with as many neon party decorations as you can find!  Honeycomb balls, fairy lights, star lights, festoon lighting, bunting, garlands, you name it!

• Instead of fir trees, why not dress up a pineapple?! Their spiny leaves are ideal for hanging small ornaments.  Or if you’re somewhere with palm trees to hand, even better!
• We love this Christmas tree from Fern & Maple created from beach balls for an awesome summer party vibe.
• This cocktail umbrella wreath from Family Chic is genius as well, and so easy to make!
• Rubber rings would double up brilliantly as wreaths as well – wrap wide ribbon around them and add a bow.
• Add some giant inflatable baubles to your pool or party setting – we just adore Holiball’s unique design!  And throw in some Christmas themed pool inflatables too.
• Build a sandman and decorate with shells. Or better yet, have a sandman building competition!

You can’t really go wrong with this Christmas decoration classic colour combo!  This would make for great Southern Hemisphere Christmas in July decoration ideas as it’ll work well with the cooler weather of the winter months.

Think candy canes, red & white stripes and maybe even a white elephant gift exchange!

Classic Christmas in July ideas for decorating

• Pool noodle candy canes work a treat for this Christmas in July party theme. Check out the tutorial from Studio 7t7 below.
• You could turn a pool noodle into a fabulous red, white (and green) wreath as well by shaping it into a circle rather than cane, and gluing it firmly in place.
• Put Santa hats over everything! Pop them on melons and pineapples, or on the top of household plants.  You can always make some simple hat decorations out of cardboard or felt if you don’t have any.
• Grab any red, white and green decorations you have lying around, either from Christmas last year or any other celebrations where you happened to use these colours. Sprinkle liberally!

Legend has it that the Christmas in July tradition originates from a United States summer camp so why not return to the origin for your festive celebrations?!

The fire pit makes a fabulous alternative to the fireplace, and it’ll be a fun way to entertain a big group of slightly bemused campers!

Outdoor Campsite Christmas Party Ideas

• Hang solar string lights from trees and campervans to create the party feel.
• LED paper stars add to the magic of the scene and are a great investment for year round celebrations. 
• Wrap thick ribbon or long scarves around hay bales and tie in a bow to make them look like oversized gifts.
• Make paper decorations to hang from trees around the campground.
• Set up a white sheet and projector to create a garden cinema, ready for a Christmas movie marathon.

Party Game Ideas

Christmas in July party game ideas that would work well with the camping ground theme are festive twists on all the summer classics:

• Rounders with a green coloured tennis ball (aka Brussel Sprout) or brown/white one (aka a Christmas pudding).
• Classic school sports day races – (Santa) sack races, sprout-and-spoon races (ping pong balls coloured green with sharpies), Christmas themed obstacle races, etc.
• Melted snowball (aka white water balloon) fights.

Plus of course a Christmas sing along by the campfire.

For those partial to the popular sea creature / coastal Christmas decoration trend, this is a fun way to make your Christmas décor work harder for you! 

Keep those beach baubles close to hand and have fun creating a seaside Christmas in July party vibe. 

Decorating Ideas

• Firstly, head to the beach to collect shells, sea glass, driftwood and other treasures for DIY décor designs. (Always forage carefully and only take what you need and is permitted!)
• Decorate wreath bases with shells.
• Starfish replace stars at the top of a coastal decorated Christmas tree.
• Make a DIY sea glass Christmas tree – they are so simple to make and just beautiful when they catch the light. Use it as part of your July decorations and then save to display again in December.
• We love this idea to add a sand base to hurricane vases and position ornaments on top to make great centerpieces for your seaside themed July event. 
• Driftwood is the perfect base for a wall Christmas tree. Decorate with a nautical theme for Christmas in July and then enjoy a different theme for the main holiday season later in the year.
• And of course sandmen make great (no-cost!) statement decorations if you’re near the beach!

Non-Christmassy Christmas decorations are seriously on trend right now.  So this theme works just as well for Christmas as it does for Christmas in July!

But if you like your traditional December décor, this unofficial summer holiday is a great chance to try a Christmas more festival than festive.  Get crazy, get colourful, have fun!

Festival Christmas In July Party Ideas

We’re thinking bright, vibrant party colours.  A summer twist on the rainbow palette – teals, purples, pinks, oranges and lime greens.  Alternatively, you could embrace all things pastel, floral and fresh.  Anything goes!

• Honeycomb decorations galore (repurpose from birthdays and other celebrations throughout the year). We love Paper Dreams’ range of fiesta décor. 
• Hang paper lanterns and stars from branches.
• Suspend bunting, garlands, paper chains and festoon lighting between trees and buildings to add an extra layer of magic to the summer evening sky.
• And get those speakers set up for the summer Christmas tunes! You could even add a rainbow disco ball here and there! 

Yes yes we know, he’s still in the North Pole!  But since we’re embracing holiday cheer in the middle of summer, why not have fun flipping other things around too. 😊

This is a North Pole Breakfast … with a southern hemisphere twist!  And anyway, who’s to say where those elves head when they hang up their toy-making tools?!

Elf Christmas In July Party Ideas

• Your kids will love seeing their elf friend in the off season, and catching them up on latest news.
• Why not have Elfie bring some penguin pals along to join the fun and really play on the South Pole concept?!
• Have fun with the elf theme. Bringing Elfie back for a spell out of season opens up a whole new world of possibilities – perfect for all sorts of school holiday mischief making! 
• Anything that works for a North Pole Breakfast will work just as well for this Christmas time in July celebration.
• Just be sure to include lots of physical activities to burn off the sugary treats which go hand in hand with this theme!

Check out our complete guide to North Pole Breakfasts for more inspiration.

Party Game Ideas

Christmas in July party game ideas that would work well with the camping ground theme are festive twists on all the summer classics:

• Rounders with a green coloured tennis ball (aka Brussel Sprout) or brown/white one (aka a Christmas pudding).
• Classic school sports day races – (Santa) sack races, sprout-and-spoon races (ping pong balls coloured green with sharpies), Christmas themed obstacle races, etc.
• Melted snowball (aka white water balloon) fights.

Plus of course a Christmas sing along by the campfire.

Who says Christmas in July need be any different from the December Christmas celebration?! 

If you fancy going all in and enjoying a double festive dip, why not? 

In fact, there was a rise in Christmas in July parties following the pandemic as families used the opportunity to make up for lost time.  Perhaps it could be a new tradition! 

This theme works particularly well for those in the Southern Hemisphere of course, where the weather is more in keeping with that White Christmas nostalgia at this time of year. 

How To Decorate

For these Christmas in July decoration ideas, look no further than your own home collection.  No need to do a full decoration.  Just grab a few favourite items.

If you have an evergreen tree in your garden, add some ornaments, fairy lights and a garland or two!  (And by the way, thanks to some great annual sales, Christmas in July can be one of the best times of year to buy an artificial Christmas tree if you happen to be in the market!)

Use Scentiscles to add extra fresh cedar aromas to the air.  Or try drying some orange slices to hang as garlands or make table centrepieces together with cinnamon sticks.

If you have odds and ends of leftover wrapping paper, try cutting them to fit photo frames to display – an instant bit of Christmas art which you can change straight back after the celebrations have finished.  We love these frames from Great Little Trading Company – endlessly versatile! 

And don’t forget those Christmas jumpers!  Now really is the season to enjoy them!  You could even have an ugly sweater contest!

Ever found yourself randomly humming a Christmas song in July?  (Surely it’s not just us..?!) 

This Christmas music extravaganza will delight (or bemuse) your guests.  Get those Christmas cocktails flowing and disco lights twinkling and we’re sure everyone will get in the holiday spirit!

FREE Christmas in July Playlist

Of course you can stick with the classics – Mariah, Bing & Wham!, interspersed with the odd Christmas carol. 

But if you’d like to really play up to the theme, we’ve created a FREE Christmas in July playlist ready to use.  Who’s getting a ukelele for Christmas…? 

Karaoke Christmas in July Party Ideas

This is all about the disco, dancefloor and drinks! 

• Gather together as many disco balls as you can.
• Position fairy lights carefully between the disco balls to maximise the twinkly dancefloor light.
• Create beautiful Christmas (or Christmas coloured) cocktails for your guests.
• And of course have the speakers set up and playlist ready and waiting.

So what does Santa Claus really get up the rest of the year?  Invite him to join your Christmas in July celebrations and find out! 

Catching up with the Man in Red out of season will make all the kids’ Christmases come at once (literally!)

Celebration Ideas

• Make it a fancy dress party with “Santa on Holiday” as the theme. Let your guests have fun deciding what St Nick does in his downtime! 
• Think about how Santa could arrive. Perhaps he’ll be holding his surfboard? If you’re partying on the beach, he could even make a grand appearance by speedboat!! 
• Santa might bring some early Christmas gifts too or lead a Secret Santa gift exchange!
• Or he could help the children to write some letters to the North Pole to get their wishes in early and share their news.

There are so many great ideas for this Christmas in July party theme.

Don’t want a full blown Christmas in July party?  A Christmas summer picnic could be just the ticket – a small fun nod to the occasion.

Celebration Ideas

• Use a beautiful red or green tartan picnic rug to immediately set the festive tone.
• Use up any leftover Christmas napkins.
• Wrap cutlery with red ribbon and small cuttings of fir.
• If you’ve still got any Christmas chutney or jam in the cupboard, add them to the picnic feast.
• Put a few festive twists on standard picnic foods. Make Christmas sausage rolls instead of regular, use cookie cutters to make sandwiches into Christmas shapes.
• Make a few Christmas cookies or decorate some sugar cookies to add to the array too.
• Perhaps wrap up a couple of the food items as presents to open so they look Christmassy in the picnic basket.

Whether you’re looking to entertain the kids during the summer break, get some Christmas in July office party ideas, theme a family get together or even find some Christmas in July ideas for seniors, there are endless fun ways to get in the Christmas spirit for this mid-year celebration. 

Here are 15 of our favourite Christmas in July party game ideas and activities.  There is something for everyone!

1. Sandman competition – If you’ve got access to sand (at the beach or in a sandpit) see who can build the best summer snowman!
2. Melted snowball fight – AKA a water balloon fight! Using just white balloons will make the melted snow theme even more authentic.
3. Christmas party toss game – We’ve played these many times at family gatherings, and they’ve always been a bit hit! Perfect for taking to the beach too!
4. Christmas in July quiz – Host a quiz event with our FREE Christmas in July trivia quiz.  Ready to download, print and use!
5. Christmas-themed scavenger hunt – This can be as easy as asking guests to search for items whose first letters spell out the word Christmas.
6. (Santa) sack races – The school sports day classic gets a festive makeover! Decorate some hessian (burlap) sacks for the occasion (a fun activity in its own right) and let the races commence!  Who will cross the line first?!
7. Christmas Taskmaster – Perfect for any fans of the hit TV show. Check out our list of 15 fun ideas for taskmaster challenges here.
8. Christmas Jumper contest – Who can create the ugliest Christmas sweater?! Use homemade Christmas jumpers as your party dress code.  Or grab a bunch of plain tops and some crafty bits so guests can create their sweater on arrival.
9. Festive beer pong – Perfect with prosecco and white ping pong ‘snowballs’.
10. Christmas in July photo booth – Grab some Santa hats, funny Christmas glasses, garlands, etc. and set up a Christmas selfie station. You could use a homemade wreath or festive inflatable pool ring as a frame.
11. Sandpit treasure hunt – Hide some Christmas items (bow, orange, bauble, figurines, leftover gold coins, etc) in the sand to be excavated by your guests. Perfect activity for little ones.
12. Christmas sing-along – Spread Christmas cheer with all your favourites. Or use our free Christmas in July playlist for a summer festive vibe.
13. Holiday Movie Marathon – Get the (frozen) hot chocolate ready and settle down for a Christmas movie extravaganza. After all there’s a month of Hallmark Christmas movies to get through.  Don’t forget your FREE Christmas movie bingo game…
14. Secret Santa Gift Exchange – No need to go crazy. Set the spend limit low, encourage a summer theme and ask people to get creative with their gifts. For extra fun, set it up as a white elephant exchange.
15. Christmas craft activities – Doubling up perfectly as fun ways to keep the kids occupied during the summer break, any number of festive crafts can work for Christmas in July celebrations.

To help you get your Christmas in July party off to a flying start, we’ve created an original free Christmas in July printable invitation template for you to download.

For us in the UK (and our fellow Northern Hemisphere residents), the summer fruits should be in full bloom.  And we’ll be switching our hot chocolates and warming stews for cool-down drinks and BBQ buffets. 

But there’s still plenty of fun to be had in the kitchen! 

Christmas in July Recipes

Our favourite Christmas in July recipes include:

1. Santa Strawberries
2. Watermelon Christmas trees – get the toturial from Eating Vibrantly
3. Banana and strawberry candy canes
4. Fruit Christmas tree
5. Snowman cheeseball centrepiece
6. Pepperoni pizza puff pastry Christmas trees
7. Reindeer sliders or burgers from the BBQ – get the tutorial from Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons
8. Christmas wreath charcuterie board
9. Christmas sausage rolls
10. Apple and cranberry salad
11. Melting snowman biscuits
12. Ice-cream stations with festive toppings
13. Christmas pavlova
14. Christmas coloured snow cones
15. Snowman s’mores (add friendly snowman faces to those marshmallows)

When it comes to the drinks:

• Switch out the hot cocoa for a frozen hot chocolate bar – try this recipe from The SITS Girls
• Berry & candy cane gin is so refreshing when served with lemonade
• Iced mulled wine
• Cranberry & Hibiscus Iced Tea (like this one from Eat Smarter)
• More season-appropriate Strawberry Daiquiris and Margaritas still give a nod to the classic Christmas colours.
• Even the regular water station gets a festive twist as a melted snowman station!
• Make beautiful festive ice cubes by adding cranberries, mint and other seasonal embellishments to the tray before you freeze.

Quick Tips:

If you’re planning ahead from December, do try to keep a few candy canes, chocolate coins and other long-life Christmas treats in stock; they can be pretty pricey to buy out of season. 

Mince pies and a number of other Christmas products can be frozen (check packaging for guidance, or visit the wonderful Kate at The Full Freezer’s Can I Freeze It guide here) 

As with everything Christmas in July (well Christmas really!), anything goes.  But if you’re looking for a little inspiration, here’s our favourite Christmas in July outfit ideas:

1. Christmas Movie Themed – Everyone dress up as their favourite Christmas movie character
2. Red and Green – Go for all the festive feels with this simple Christmas in July dress code – easy for the most grinchy of guests!
3. Tropical Christmas – Think Hawaiian shirts, grass skirts and Santa hats! Replace leis with oversized Christmas lights necklaces.
4. Red Swimsuits – Find your inner Baywatch! Perfect for a Christmas in July pool party!  Encourage everyone to come in red swim gear and finish off the look with Santa hats, pool noodle candy canes, Christmas themed inflatable rings and other festive accessories.
5. Southern Living Ugly Christmas Sweater – It’s easy to choose what to wear for a Christmas in July party for those in the southern hemisphere … finally the weather is perfect for showcasing those Christmas jumpers!
6. Winter Wonderland Cosies – Have everyone dress in comfy floaty whites for a summer ski lodge chic look!
7. Just Add Santa Hats – For an easy way to add a Christmas in July outfit theme, simply have a bowl of Santa hats, Christmas glasses and other festive accessories ready by the front door to add a little Christmas cheer to each guest’s outfit!

If you’ve been invited to a Christmas in July party, you may be wondering what host/hostess gift to bring along.

First things first: ask if there’s a Secret Santa planned in case there’s any guidelines for gifts to bring along.

Whatever you decide to bring, keep it simple and work with the season.  Christmas in July gifts are intended as just another little bit of fun. 

Ideas include:

• Homemade Christmas cookies make a thoughtful addition to any Christmas in July food table
• Bottle of homemade berry & candy cane gin
• Solar powered garden lantern
• Pavement chalk for some Christmas artwork
• Novelty Christmas sunglasses
• Christmas Cactus – a great festive twist on the classic bunch of flowers

If you need a bit more inspiration, most advent calendar fillers make good Christmas in July gift ideas too.