Christmas in July 2025 Calendar of Events

[Miss JoDee]

We are just 5 days away from Christmas in July! Collaborating with Katrina, I believe you will find it to be a fun and interactive experience. We have decided to post the entire month today, so you can make plans if you choose. Each day, a host will post and/or suggest an activity. We hope you will find the month loads of fun.

SUN	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT
July	2025	1 Backstory Advent Calendar What does your calendar look like?	2 Random Act of Kindness Volunteer	3 Book	4 Self-Care Polish Nails using Christmas Colors	5 Backstory Stockings Share Stocking filler ideas without repeating
6 Movie & Snack	7 Recipe for Eggnog Backstory of Eggnog	8 Backstory Letters to Santa Write and send a letter to Santa	9 Random Act of Kindness Create a Blessing Bag (See Pinterest)	10 Book	11 Self Care Make Frozen Hot Chocolate	12 Backstory Salvation Army Bell Ringer Create a bell ornament
13 Movie & Snack	14 Recipe for Gingerbread Backstory of Gingerbread Houses	15 Backstory Mistletoe A craft to do with grandchildren	16 Random Act of Kindness Offer a cold/hot drink to a service worker	17 Book	18 Self Care Listen to Christmas Music Let us know what you listened to	19 Backstory Christmas Pageant Share a pic of your Nativity
20 Movie & Snack	21 Recipe for Cookies for Santa Backstory Cookies for Santa	22 Backstory Christmas Card Update your Christmas card list	23 Random Act of Kindness Gift the cookies you baked	24 Book Twas the Night Before Christmas	25 Backstory MHH Giving Day	26 Backstory Boxing Day Give a gift to someone who serves you
27 Movie & Snack	28 Recipe for Fruit Cake Backstory of Fruit Cake	29 Backstory of Pickle in the Tree Make a pickle ornament	30 Random Act of Kindness Your Choice	31 Christmas Notebook	1 Wrap-UP

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I am so excited about Christmas in July for this year! It is going to be such a fun month and I hope you all join in.

 

[MrsSoup]

This is fantastic! Thank you for your hard work!

 

[Lori K]

Love it and excited! And, it's hard to believe we're already nearing Christmas in July! Question -- Is the calendar missing the last line, or does it end with Boxing Day?

 

[Miss JoDee]

Thanks for catching that, Lori. I thought I got it all when I copied and pasted it.

 

[Cathymac2]

So fun!! I can’t wait!!

 

[Lana]

Looks great! Can't wait!

 

[luludou]

Wow! this will be sooo fun. Thank you all for your hard work

 

[teachermomof2]

Thank you for putting this together! Looks like fun!

 

[Miss JoDee]

Today, the CIJ Calendar of Events begins with the backstory of Advent Calendars
Advent Calendars

Advent calendars originated in the 19th century among German Protestants as a way to count down the days until Christmas.

From the early nineteenth century, at the latest, German Protestants began to mark the days of Advent by burning a candle for the day or, more simply, marking walls or doors with a line of chalk each day.

The tradition may have started with a Munich housewife tired of answering questions about when Christmas would arrive. The idea for the printed calendar came from German publisher Gerhard Lang, who was inspired by his mother's childhood tradition of sewing 24 cookies into a box lid and allowing him to eat one each day. The oldest printed Advent calendar was a clock. It was printed in 1902 with a brass hand and a dial beginning at 12. The panels were mainly filled with verses from Christmas carols, the museum says.

In the 1920s, Lang added small doors to the calendars, behind which were pictures or Bible verses.

In the 1930s, Advent calendars were in high demand in Germany. However, during World War II. a paper being rationed and the Nazi Party banned the printing of illustrated calendars. In their effort to rebrand Christmas, the Third Reich created its own Advent calendar using swastikas and other symbols. To be distributed to mothers and children

At the end of the war, wanting “normal” companies with the means started printing the traditional Advent calendars. Returning service members brought them home to Europe and the U.S.

The popularity of Advent calendars in the United States increased after President Dwight D. Eisenhower was photographed opening one with his grandchildren.
In the 1950s, chocolate-filled Advent calendars began to appear. Cadbury began commercially producing them in 01971. It took decades before they became popular enough for them to enter continuous production.
Today, Advent calendars are a common way to count down the days until Christmas. They come in all forms, including calendars with chocolate, socks, beauty products, teabags, and cat treats.
Today, I have a stack of drawers decorated with a winter scene on top. I fill it with activities, bake cookies, work on a puzzle, and listen to music with the Christmas tree lights on.

Please share your family's countdown to Christmas?

 

[Lana]

For Teigan I do a poster and write a little hint about the gift on it and then have numbered packages in a bag for her to open. That was what we did for our kids when small. Have also wrapped her a book a day one year. Her last couple years have been makeup ones. She gets the poster and another one. (home and here)

My 2 kids have a poster and get a lottery ticket a day.

This year for the older kids thinking of getting material and putting pockets on it and put on a spring type curtain rod and filling the pockets. Will see!

Nice history on it Jody!

 

[Myron's Mom]

History buff here so that was really interesting!
No advent calendars here until Covid. I think the first one I bought was from Walmart. Just for something fun todo at home. Husband thought it was fun and should do it every year (he eats all the candy). I finally settled on the See’s Candy one. Will pre order again this year so I can give to husband as birthday gift (he says it’s the gift that keeps giving). I saved last years calendar, it has the drawers instead of the punch out doors. Will be filled with locally made candy all for me!

 

[Lori K]

We never did an Advent calendar, when I was growing up (first of four kids) or when DD was little. The first calendar I got was during Covid, and it was a doggie Advent calendar with a treat for the pup each day. He picked up on that very quickly and wanted more than one!

 

[Cathymac2]

What an interesting post!! I had absolutely no idea how advent calendars came into being. This is so cool! Thanks for all the hard work on this post!

We have never had an advent calendar, but I am wanting to do one this year since we have a grandchild now. I’ll spend some time today scouring the Internet for ideas.

Last year, my jewelry company did a 12 days of Christmas promotion for us with little satin bags with numbers one through 12 on with a piece of jewelry in each. I might incorporate something like that for advent this year for our family.

We had a pastor who used to say December one through December 24 was advent. December 25 through through January 6 (the 12 Days of Christmas) was actually Christmas. I like the way he thinks!!

 

[halimer]

Last year I did the Bonne Maman calendar for Josh and Jin - and me.

I'm thinking of a puzzle one for them this year.

 

[Miss JoDee]

We had a pastor who used to say December one through December 24 was advent. December 25 through through January 6 (the 12 Days of Christmas) was actually Christmas. I like the way he thinks!!

I like that thought too.

 

[luludou]

I've always done the chocolate advent calendar for my children. When they lift I did a 'zen' advent calendar for me... with ideas of things to do in the evening (read a book, watch a Christmas movie, do a nightime yoga routine, hand massage, etc...). Last year I bought a puzzle advent calendar and loved it! It is all packed back in it's little boxes ready to be reused this year

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Thanks, Jody! My mom made a felt Christmas tree that you could tie a piece of candy to for 24 ornaments. We shared the Advent calendar duty amongst the four of us. When my dc were born, I would pick up individual candy Advent calendars at Christmas Tree Shop. They each got one until they went to high school.

 

[Kate1964]

Have never used an advent calendar. When I think advent calendar, I think of the movie Christmas Vacation. LoL.
The history of things is very interesting.

 

[jampss]

Loved the post! I learned something new!
We didn't have an advent calendar growing up. When DD and DS were little, I had a little cute calendar on the frig that simply opened to a cute picture. Nothing to eat. But after DD left for VT in 2019, I got DS a chocolate advent calendar from Aldi's and have kept that up now.