Christmas in July boxes

[Colleen in PA]

I had an early Rudy weekend...and put together my Christmas in July boxes. This year, as always,they include red folders containing the forms, calendar pages and checklists for this year's HGP and a red and green pen. In addition:

Red White and Blue totes
Set of 3 resin Melting snowmen figures (from Oriental trading, I think)
Beach balls with santa on them (oriental trading)
Printed recipe for Melted snowman cookies
Starfish ornaments (wearing bathing suits and sunglasses - OT)
Red & green plastic sunglasses (party store)
Small snowflake pocket calendars and planners (current catalog)
Starlight mints
Christmas post-its and pencils
Calypso Christmas CD (dollar store)
Melted snowman floating candles
DS handmade ornaments...glass balls decorated with sand and shells from our favorite beach
Small batch of Snowball Surprise cookies in a snowman tin
Packets of powdered ice mochas (instead of hot chocolate)
Picture of the boys in their red, white & blue bathing suits & flag tees (taken Memorial Day)

And my mom gets an extra gift...a fleece snowman throw with the saying "Families are forever, because love never melts!" (OK, I admit it - I bought one of these for myself too!)

I mailed them this morning since we're leaving for vacation on Friday. Woo Hoo! It's a relief to have that done!

 

[housewife2]

sounds really cool

 

[luludou]

Lovely ideas! Like the poem on the throw too.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

What great ideas you have put in your boxes Colleen. i would love on of the throws, they sound really cute.

 

[Kim Loves Snow]

Colleen - Darn it! I remember from last year that some of you did these boxes and I forgot all about it. I love the idea!!!! Thanks for sharing it and this time I put it in my notebook!

 

[MinnieCo]

I'm thinking I need to put that on my to do list some time too. No promises, but a great idea!

 

[PamelaG]

I had an early Rudy weekend...and put together my Christmas in July boxes. This year, as always,they include red folders containing the forms, calendar pages and checklists for this year's HGP and a red and green pen. In addition:

Red White and Blue totes
Set of 3 resin Melting snowmen figures (from Oriental trading, I think)
Beach balls with santa on them (oriental trading)
Printed recipe for Melted snowman cookies
Starfish ornaments (wearing bathing suits and sunglasses - OT)
Red & green plastic sunglasses (party store)
Small snowflake pocket calendars and planners (current catalog)
Starlight mints
Christmas post-its and pencils
Calypso Christmas CD (dollar store)
Melted snowman floating candles
DS handmade ornaments...glass balls decorated with sand and shells from our favorite beach
Small batch of Snowball Surprise cookies in a snowman tin
Packets of powdered ice mochas (instead of hot chocolate)
Picture of the boys in their red, white & blue bathing suits & flag tees (taken Memorial Day)

And my mom gets an extra gift...a fleece snowman throw with the saying "Families are forever, because love never melts!" (OK, I admit it - I bought one of these for myself too!)

I mailed them this morning since we're leaving for vacation on Friday. Woo Hoo! It's a relief to have that done!

What is a Christmas in July box?

 

[Colleen in PA]

What is a Christmas in July box?

Hi Pamela! It started as something I would do for my grandmother (she lived alone) and my parents and has blossomed to include several aunts and an elderly family friend...it's just something to let them know that I'm thinking about them and adds a bit of whimsy to give it a Christmas Spin during the hot days of summer (they are all in the northern hemisphere)

Other things i've included in the past...red & green sand pails, sunscreen, Jimmy Buffett's Christmas Island CD, Kenny Chesney's All I Want For Christmas is a Real Good Tan CD...the Beach Boys Christmas CD...I always include an ornament of some kind...melted snowman pins that we made, an adirondack chair napkin ring with faux greenery or a small felt santa hat. Fun post it notes/pads...current catalog has cute ones that look like flip flops with snowmen, christmas trees and candy canes on them. sometimes a candle in a wintery scent. i just start picking up little things shortly after Christmas and put them in some sort of container (this year wasn't actually a box, but a tote bag). Print outs of favorite holiday stories, poems or crafts.

The final addition is the HGP forms...many of them are not comfortable with computers, so I print out all the forms for them...then I check in every so often between July and Christmas to see how they're doing.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Colleen- What a clever idea!!!!!

Annie

 

[aggy]

Colleen that is so sweet. I know they really appreciate that.

 

[SparkleNana]

That really is a wonderful, loving thing to do!!!!!

 

[missjane]

Thought I would bump this in case some of you might want to do it. I was looking at Christmas in July things and found it.

 

[Colleen in PA]

Hi Jane! Thanks for bumping this up. I was just thinking about separating the stuff I've gathered for this year's CiJ Boxes.

So far I have those insulted cups with a lid and straw that say "Let it Snow!" with blue and white snowflakes. I am going to fill those up with mini marshmallows (to be the snow).

Copies of Colbie Caillat's CD Christmas in the Sand

Instant Snow in a Can
http://www.amazon.com/Twos-Company-Instant-Magic-Snow/dp/B005NHAMY4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hg_3

Ornaments - Christmas trees made of shells

I still need to print out the HGP forms and calendar pages and I will include the recipe for Surprise Snowballs.

That's all I remember, but I know I have lots of other little things. I will try to take inventory this weekend and come back and post the rest.

Anyone else making Christmas In July boxes this year?

 

[SparkleNana]

Fabulous ideas, Colleen! They are very inspiring!

 

[Colleen in PA]

OK, I looked in my CiJ tub and other than the stuff I posted earlier I found:

Indoor Snowball Fight Kits (basically a red pail full of 6 stuffed snowballs) that I bought for 75% off at Hallmark after New Years - I completely forgot about those!

Packs of Christmas Smencils (scented pencils in candy cane, sugar plum, gingerbread & cinnamon scents) - purchased at Barnes & Noble bargain bin after Christmas

Candy Cane Chapsticks

Red & Green accordion coupon holders (for receipts)

Silver and gold gel pens, Red & Green pens (from back to school sales)

Various Christmas notepads and post-it's (current catalog)

So, that's it...I think they are good to go. I just have to print off all of the HGP forms, assemble the stuff and mail them.

I really wanted to include these cute little kits called Mr. Frost - you watch the snowman "Melt". Restoration Hardware carried them, but I didn't want to pay full price and they were gone after Christmas - maybe next year.
http://www.neatoshop.com/product/Mr-Frost-Melting-Snowman

If you have any other ideas, I'd love to hear them!

 

[Berta]

Neat idea...now the question for me is who to send the box to??

 

[PamelaG]

What a great idea! This is my last Christmas in July with my daughter before she heads off to college. I'm thinking a Christmas in July box next year would be great fun. Thanks for sharing.