2016 Christmas in July Themes

[PamelaG]

My suggestions:

International - traditions in your family, traditions that are intriguing, foods from around the world, Christmas travel, Christmas markets

Ornaments - homemade, purchased, hand-me-downs, vintage finds, annual purchases

Entertainment - movies, music, theater, school and church events, special activities and events in your area, Christmas games, holiday books

Christmas Your Way - let's share everything about our individual celebrations - decorating, trees, menus, gift buying and wrapping, fashion, holiday portraits, everything you do to make Christmas special at your house

 

[Miss JoDee]

Other suggestions

The Christmas Kitchen

Homemade/Semi Homemade Christmas

Christmas Party Themes

Winter Wonderland

 

[Lana]

Those are good ideals that are being thought of.



Outside decorating---but that could be bunched in with something else like Christmas Your Way

 

[tanya]

All great ideas. I really like the idea of International.

 

[luludou]

can't wait for it all to happen!

 

[cmerth]

snowman theme, gingerbread man (house) theme, Christmas cottage, penguin holiday theme,


table decor (for holiday meals), I have some craft project ideas....

 

[ejagno]

I would love to use all of these creative ideas but I think many of them can be combined so that we can in fact get the most out of each weekly theme.

For instance Holiday foods, table décor and kitchen could all be combined in one theme under "Around the Christmas Table". Gifts (homemade, age appropriate, stocking stuffers, wrapping styles,etc....) could go under one title "All Wrapped Up". Trees, lighting, indoor/outdoor ideas, nativities, style and such could all go under "Decking the halls".

We are all passionate about our holidays and by encompassing a variety of Christmas ideas under each umbrella it gives everyone a chance to participate. If someone doesn't make home made gifts they would love to participate by sharing with us the wonderful gifts they bought for their 4 year old or what stores had the best deals on Doc McStuffin related items. I feel that it needs to involve everyone regardless of age, profession, talent or financial means.

 

[luludou]

Ellen I love your idea

 

[PamelaG]

I would love to use all of these creative ideas but I think many of them can be combined so that we can in fact get the most out of each weekly theme.

"Around the Christmas Table"
"All Wrapped Up
"Decking the Halls"

I love these - the items listed by MissJoDee, Lana, and CMerth can be easily incorporated. We just need one more - how about the Entertainment theme - that can incorporate Christmas Your Way so everyone can share their family's fun ideas during the holidays - or we can go with a more general Christmas Fun theme which could cover entertainment as well as the suggestion to include penguins, snowmen, Christmas cottages, and Christmas parties. Gingerbread men/houses can go under Around the Christmas Table.

Any more suggestions anyone? We'll leave it open until the end of the week and then I'll pull them all together and post them here for final comments. Sound good?

 

[ChristmasPir8]

I don't post as much as I want to but I like these ideas.
How about entertainment of some kind? Parties, movies, social events in your town, plays. ..

 

[farmerswife]

They all sound great to me. Looking forward to CIJ.

 

[luludou]

PamelaG - sounds fine to me!

 

[AuntJamelle]

You guys are ALL over it!

:tree2:

Everything brainstormed so far sounds great to me!!!

I noticed that last year there were daily posts for CIJ - are we still doing that this year?

If there is anything I can do to help - with either the weeks or daily things - just let me know!

 

[ejagno]

I would really like to include "Gifts from the heart" in the All Wrapped Up because for many of us, whether it's a blessing bag for a homeless person or a Salvation Army tree tag purchase, this is an important part of our gift giving traditions.

 

[PamelaG]

Excellent idea, Ellen. Many of us have some sort of charitable gift-giving in our holiday plans - Angel Tree, serving meals for the homeless, outreach projects organized by local churches, etc. I'll add it to the list.

 

[PamelaG]

You guys are ALL over it!

:tree2:

Everything brainstormed so far sounds great to me!!!

I noticed that last year there were daily posts for CIJ - are we still doing that this year?

If there is anything I can do to help - with either the weeks or daily things - just let me know!

Yes, AuntJamelle, I imagine that this year will be similar to last year. Someone will start a thread titled something like CIJ 2016 Day 1 and then anyone can add a post with their plans for the day - what they are planning to make (food/crafts), watch, read, listen to, that sort of thing.

 

[PamelaG]

Here they are - unless anyone has any final comments, these are the themes that I've pulled together from all of the ideas submitted:

Week One (July 1-9) - AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TABLE/IN YOUR CHRISTMAS KITCHEN - holiday foods, traditional foods in your family/from your culture or country of origin, gingerbread, cookies, menus, fancy drink recipes, table décor and kitchen decorating...anything and everything to do with food and how to prepare it and serve it.

Week Two (July 10-16) - ALL WRAPPED UP - gifts (homemade, age appropriate), gift lists, gift exchanges, stocking stuffers, wrapping styles, gifts from the heart (charitable giving, blessing bags/kits, Angel Trees, Operation Shoebox).

Week Three (July 17-23) - DECKING THE HALLS - trees, lighting, indoor/outdoor ideas, nativities, personal style, ornaments (homemade, purchased, hand-me-downs, vintage finds, collectibles), Winter Wonderland, Snowmen, Christmas cottages/villages/trains, penguins.

Week Four (July 24-31) – HOLIDAY FUN/ENTERTAINMENT – Christmas movies, music, theater, books, church and school events, special activities and events in your area, games, holiday books, Christmas travel, Christmas markets, parties and party themes, Advent calendars, Elf on the Shelf, Christmas countdowns.

 

[farmerswife]

Sounds wonderful, thanks. Last year I put together pintrest boards for each weeks theme, I plan on doing the same this year as well. I'll share the board links soon in case anyone is interested.


Here are the links:
https://www.pinterest.com/cottagehome2000/2016-wk-1-cij-around-the-kitchen-table/
https://www.pinterest.com/cottagehome2000/2016-week-2-cij-all-wrapped-up/
https://www.pinterest.com/cottagehome2000/2016-week-3-cij-decking-the-halls/
https://www.pinterest.com/cottagehome2000/2016-week-4-cij-holiday-funentertainment/

 

[luludou]

Thanks PamelaG! this is great.

Laurie - wonderful idea! I will be following your boards

 

[cmerth]

Thank you Pamela!!

Laurie.... that is a great idea!!