Christmas in July?

So there is this thing where apparently people can’t go too long without some Christmas in their lives, and so Christmas in July comes around.  And even though I love Christmas and the Holiday spirit I don’t feel like we need Christmas in July to feel the love of Christ and to share his love with the world.

But one year in July, in my small town, Kat and I were walking around (it’s what you do when you are from a small town and have no gas money), and decided Christmas was what everyone needed.  It was a hot day, the sun was beating down on us, and really we probably should have just watched a movie but instead we wanted to go out into the world (or just out of our parents houses) and see what there was to see.  Well in my town you have some stop signs, some yield signs, some animals, trees, a courthouse, a few businesses, and people who know you, everywhere. 

While walking we would talk and joke.  But that day it felt like there needed to be something much bigger involved then just talking and joking…there needed to be singing!  So that is exactly what we did.  We held hands, skipped, and sang songs.  NOT just any songs…we sang Christmas songs.  Baby it’s Cold Outside, Jingle Bells, Oh Holy Night, We Three Kings, Emanuel, oh yes we went there! 

We had a lot of people sing along with us as we passed by, other that requested tunes once they heard us belting it out.  It was caroling in the scorching sun and it was a lot of fun!  The best part was when we went by a house that had roofers on top of it.  They yelled down “Jingle Bell Rock” and we quickly went to that song and waved and went by.  We could hear the roofers whistling it after we had passed. 

It was a great feeling of bringing back that spirit of love and joy to those around us when on the really hot day, they probably needed it most.  Plus the people who we did pass either gave us really weird looks, which was just funny, or joined in and enjoyed it.  So either way our day was made, or the peoples were.  Plus we got to skip around town…and once you get to high school skipping is something that not a lot of people do, so we totally brought it back that day. 

It is one of those things that will always bring a smile to my face when I think back on it.  It was so random and such a perfect day.  So now in July…even though I don’t buy into the whole tv stations and radio stations Christmas in July thing…I have my own private Christmas music listening/singing party…or Kat is there too, and we sing at least one song and smile.  And now whenever I hear those songs it brings back memories of skipping down one of the main roads in town taking requests and caroling in July.