Christmas in July celebrations unwrap the love of Christ

There are two types of people in the world. Those who keep Christmas in the bleak midwinter and those who welcome a little holiday cheer in the heat of summer.

This past weekend, several United Church of Christ congregations chose the latter, marking the half-way mark till December 25 by holding Christmas in July services. It was a time to proclaim once again the good news for all: For unto us a Savior has been born.

These end of July services, though, weren’t about rushing the holidays — even though the term “Christmas in July” was first coined in that vein when, in the 1892 French opera, Werther, a character sang of how Christmas songs in July is rushing the season.

Rather, the holiday themed worship was a midyear reminder of the transformative gift of Christ — one to be unwrapped and shared throughout the year.

“We don’t shy away from talking about the resurrection after the official Easter season is over, so why do we not continue to talk about Jesus’ birth outside of the Christmas season?” asked Julie LaRocca, Music Director of the Ellington Congregational Church in Ellington, Connecticut.

Midyear nativity pondering

While this is the third year the Ellington congregation celebrated Christmas in July — “People are more receptive to the idea,” said LaRocca — it was a first for bridge pastor, the Rev. Craig Cowing.

The retired minister, who is helping Ellington in a time of transition as they seek a settled pastor, had never participated in a Christmas in July service in all his 50 years of preaching. But being it was already on the church calendar when he came to Ellington, the pastor said, “I’ll bite.”

Cowing soon saw the service as an opportunity to amplify Mary’s voice beyond the traditional storyline of the annunciation.

“One of my issues with Protestant churches is that Mary often gets short shrift during Christmas,” said Cowing. “We talk about the annunciation, we will lift her Magnificat, but we rarely talk about Mary’s call as one to discipleship.”

Mary as a disciple also dovetailed nicely with the summer lectionary texts on discipleship, the pastor added.

As Cowing talked about discipleship as a Christmas theme, LaRocca took a different approach as well with the music, opting for “Angels We Have Heard on High” for the opening hymn rather than the more traditional processional hymn, “O Come All Ye Faithful.”

She chose the 1805 French hymn specifically for the second verse which asks the questions: Shepherds why this jubilee? What the gladsome tidings be that inspire your heavenly song?

“Why are we jubilant? What gladsome tidings are inspiring our songs, especially as society gets more difficult? These are the questions I wanted people to think about,” said LaRocca adding, “Perhaps without the busyness and the stress that comes with the holidays, we might actually be able to think about the words sung in these cherished hymns that we sing only a few times in December.”

Tis the season all year long

The Pension Boards of the United Church of Christ (PBUCC) also embraced Christmas in July with a social media campaign centered around the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Each day was an opportunity for the Pension Boards to lift how the annual Christmas Fund blesses others throughout the year.

“The Christmas Fund is more than an annual offering. It reflects the ongoing, year-round love that binds our UCC community together,” said the Rev. Paul Ramsey, PBUCC’s Director of Church Relations and Philanthropy. “From the heat of July to the cold of December, the Christmas Fund tells us that love is not seasonal. It is a continuous cycle of care, generosity, and gratitude shared among God’s people.”

Ramsey added that scripture reminds us that the greatest of these gifts shared with others is love, which is the theme of the 2026 Christmas Fund campaign. (Learn more and donate to the fund here.)

“It is through that love that retired and active UCC ministers and church workers who are facing hardship are given the reassurance they are seen, valued, and loved,” said Ramsey.

Santa’s helpers amid the pews

Seen. Valued. Loved. Those were the guiding words that led the South Congregational Church in East Hartford, Connecticut, to embrace Christmas in July for the first time by organizing a community toy challenge.

According to Lisa Griffen, Director of Community Engagement of South Congregational, the goal was to collect a hundred toys for The Olive Branch, a resource center for families in Glastonbury that is run by the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Griffen said that families are invited to the center to “shop” for no-cost toys for birthdays, holidays, or simply for “just because they are loved” moments.

The Christmas in July toy challenge was part of the ongoing community challenge the church launched last year as way to elevate engagement with its neighbors.

“We were looking for a project to do in the quieter, midsummer months — something to remind us that we were called to be the hands and feet of Christ. When we discovered the need for toys at The Olive Branch it just tied in nicely with the theme of Christmas in July,” said Griffin.  

The toys collected on Saturday, July 25 — which exceeded the goal of 100, with a total of 170 filling Santa’s sack — had a starring role the following day at the church’s Christmas in July service.

With the story of the Magi shaping the order of worship, from prayers to the rousing singing of “We Three Kings,” the toys were presented and blessed.

“It was moving to have these toys prayed over before going to their homes,” said Griffen, adding how beautiful a Christmas in July service can be.

“The world is a little dark, but we can share the light of the world midyear and remember that God continues to shine brightly,” she said.

A summer service also provides congregations with a time to celebrate the gift of Christ without the stress that often comes as early as November, as the trappings of tradition “to do” Christmas ramps up.

“Christmas in July is less about pageantry and more about simplicity,” said Griffin, adding, “And Santa in the summer is fun.”

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