Events at Carolina Regional Transitional Care, Inc.

Christmas in July began 1933 at Keystone Camp in Brevard, North Carolina. The camp celebrated by performing carols, hosting Santa, serving cotton candy, and other gifts. It became a Summer escape and the 1940 movie is often shown during Hallmark’s snowy movie marathons. The first event was held July 24^th and 25^th in the year 1933.

The current director of the all-girl summer camp (Keystone Camp), Page Ives Lemuel stated that she assumed that other camps celebrated Christmas during the warm months as well. This was not true. At the time, only Brevard, North Carolina did such. Ms. Lemuel described Fannie Holt as whimsical character. Fannie Holt was the founder of the event. Over the years they added reindeer, Mrs. Clause, and elves.

Christmas in July is celebrated all over the world on July 25^th. Some countries in the northern hemisphere who celebrate it are, Italy, Denmark, USA, Canada, and Sardinia. Countries in the southern hemisphere that celebrate are South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Similar connections to the idea are as follows. In 1894, the opera, Werther referred in a song that translated says, “When you sing Christmas in July, you rush the season.” There is no way of knowing if Holt used this as an idea. In the 1940 film, Christmas in July, a man was tricked into believing he had won $25,000. He generously bought gifts for his friends, family, neighbors, and bought his girlfriend an engagement ring.