The Best Holiday Films to Watch in the Heat for An Amazing Christmas In July Party

 

Christmas in July is similar to the Christmas holiday festival held in December but is celebrated in the middle of the year; come with decorations, sending 2024 Christmas cards, gifts, and holiday movies. With the current heat of summer, a Christmas in July party can help one cool off and enjoy the festivities at the same time. Below is a list of the best holiday movies to watch during Christmas in July celebration and why they are ideal.

The ELF

The Elf is one of the best Christmas movies that you can watch during the Christmas in July celebrations. The movie features Will Ferrell as Buddy the main character who was raised by elves in the North Pole, This movie is funny and heartwarming movie where the star searches for his true self and spreads the holiday spirit in New York. 

Why It's Perfect

The movie “Elf” is one of the funniest and joyful movies that you can enjoy as a family during this festive holiday celebrated on July 25th. Due to its happy and playful tone, the show can be watched during the summer while keeping the viewer in a light-hearted and cheerful mood.

Home Alone (1990)

This movie features an eight-year-old boy (Kevin McCallister). The boy finds himself home alone after his parents leaves to enjoy the holiday. He has to outwit two dimwit thieves and defend his house with the help of various traps. This is a good movie that you can enjoy with your kids during the Christmas in July festivity. 

Why It's Perfect

 There is a lot of fun in the mischief and adventure brought about in the movie “Home Alone”. If you want to escape the summer heat, the best option is to organize a family dinner and eventually watch this movie together. 

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989)

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a comedy film released in 1989. Griswold’s plan to have a big family Christmas as expected was bound to be a big disaster. The main actors are Chevy Chase and this is a comedy that explores how dysfunctional the family can be especially during gatherings.

Why It's Perfect

This classic provokes lot of laughter and feeling of nostalgia. It is just a reminder that every family gathering is a potential mess, no matter the time of the year.

The Holiday" (2006)

Besides sending business holiday cards to your colleagues at work, watching this movie can bring a sense of fulfilment during the Christmas in July celebrations. Two women from two different countries, United States of America and the United Kingdom, exchange residences for the Christmas holidays with the intention of leaving behind their respective problems in their relationships. Yes, they both learn to see life in a different way and of course, they each experience love in a way they never thought possible.

Why It's Perfect

In “The Holiday,” there is some romance, and snow, and the beauty of winter, which is perfect for giving the audience the feeling of Christmas in July. However, the movie is rated and is most probably not fit for younger kids. 

"Love Actually" (2003)

This movie is a comedy about selection of eight completely different couples and their experience of their intimate lives linked only by some connecting moments and placed in the month before Christmas in London, England.

Why It's Perfect

 ” Love Actually” can be cited as a multi-plot romantic comedy that is filled with messages and different appeals to the general audience. Being a comedy romantic drama, it will suit a mixed audience at your summer party very well.

Christmas in July Film

Christmas in July is a 1940 film directed by Preston Sturges following an ambitious clerk who was tricked into believing he has won $25,000 in a contest held by a coffee factory. The star began using his believed winnings to fulfil some of his dreams.

Why it’s perfect

Christmas in July movie blends perfectly with the July festival held  on 25th July of each year to celebrate Christmas. The movie fits the whole family gathering during these festivals which means you can watch with children and adults alike.

How to Plan the Perfect Christmas Party: Some Top Ideas to Make Your Event Memorable

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year, and we are full of good cheer! There's nothing like a proper celebration of the season, and if you plan a Christmas party, you know very well that it needs to be as special as possible. And whilst you can always rely on Christmas traditions and the décor you used in celebrations past, there’s no reason to stop there. In fact, there are more ideas than ever – and they can certainly add a sparkle to your Christmas event. So here’s how to plan the perfect Christmas party: some top ideas to make your event memorable.

Select your venue wisely.

The first thing on the list would be to select your venue wisely. The venue, after all, can make or break your event – especially the most amazing event of the year! When selecting a venue, it's important to consider certain requirements, such as live music or a dance floor (and these are just the beginning). You also have to consider whether the space is what you need – so make sure you have your guest list (or at least an estimate of the number of people). It would also be wise to keep a few questions in mind, such as whether the venue has a sound system, when it is available, the booking terms and conditions, and whether it has parking. Does the venue have its bar and catering facilities?

Determine a theme

Why not determine a theme if you want to give your Christmas event that extra 'wow' factor? The theme will help you decide on other aspects, such as décor, food, entertainment and activities, and so on. Some themes are also more inspired than most, such as a winter wonderland, a Christmas jumper or pyjama party, a Christmas party with Christmas characters like Santa Claus, Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Santa's Elves, and more. Or you can celebrate in style with a Christmas carnival, and plenty of Christmas-themed stalls are available nowadays. Whatever theme works best for you, you could also seek help from fabulous party planners in Gloucestershire, like Oasis Events.

Decide on the décor

The decorations can add more ambience and personality to your event, but they can also be expensive, so take note of that. You can choose to create your décor (again, this would depend on the theme you are having), or you can rely on a professional to do it for you. If you decide to do your own thing regarding the décor, the best you can do is form a committee that will be in charge of it. This is one of the best aspects of having a theme – it can help you choose patterns, colours, and a motif much more easily. Plan ahead for the décor you need to hire from a vendor (like lighting).

Plan the entertainment

A Christmas party wouldn't be complete without the proper entertainment, so plan this wisely. You can go the traditional route with beloved Christmas games like charades, musical chairs, and musical statues. Or you can be more adventurous and have a game of Pictionary, wrap presents in a relay game, hold a Christmas-inspired treasure hunt, or have a game of Christmas bingo!

Image attributed to Pixabay.com

20+ Christmas Books for Preschoolers

Christmas is near, so why not check out some fun holiday themed books with your preschooler? My kids helped me pick these titles from our collection to inspire your bedtime stories. I am sure you will find a bunch of titles you want to check out.

This list includes affiliate links. If you buy a book from the list, I will earn a small advertising fee at no cost to you.

My kids have a collection of favorite books for every season. It is one of the perks of having a librarian for a father. We love to rotate our titles to keep the experience of reading exciting. These are some of our favorite titles from over the years. I know your kids will love them all. Find them on amazon, or stop by your local library and borrow a few.

Elmo's 12 Days of Christmas
It's Christmas, David!
That's Not My Snowman
Dream Snow
Llama Llama Jingle Bells

Related: Magical Reindeer Food

Who Is Coming To Our House?
Thomas Counts on Christmas
Construction Site on Christmas
The Christmas Elf Countdown
Paw Patrol Holiday Helpers

Related: Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments 

Bear Stays Up For Christmas
Biscuit Gives a Gift
The Not Very Merry Pout Pout Fish
Pinkalicious Merry Pinkmas
Pete the Cat Saves Christmas

Related: Green Button Tree Ornaments

Christmas Cookie Day
Mickey's Clubhouse Christmas
Berenstain Bears' Night Before Christmas
Santa's Toy Shop
The Grinch's Great Big Flap Book

If you have a favorite Christmas book for preschoolers I would love to hear about it.

You can find all of my Christmas posts here.

How to Save Money for Christmas

 

Photo by Joslyn Pickens 

When the Christmas season rolls around it is a time for gift-giving. However, before you go ahead and start spending, it is a good idea to try to save. 

With inflation rising, it's best to try to keep spending as minimal as possible. Here's a closer look at how you can control your spending this holiday season.

Create a Budget

The first step to saving money is to create a budget for the holiday season. First, write the names of all the people you want to buy gifts for and then decide how much money you want to spend on each of their gifts. 

This is an easy way to immediately control your spending. Once you have finished allocating the amount you want to spend, you can then calculate your expenditure. 

It might also be a lot more fun to try to fit the gifts you buy into the amount that you set for each person, instead of the other way around. Remember that getting gifts is simply a way to help us learn about the true meaning of Christmas. In the end, it's the thought that comes.

Use a Tracker

If you always have your phone with you a good idea will be to start using a tracker to keep your spending down this holiday season. It can be easy to say that you will think about how much you are spending in January. 

However, when January rolls around you will likely regret that you have spent so much. Getting an app on your phone to assist you with keeping track of your spending in real-time, is a good idea so that you can avoid regrets.

Start Shopping Early

One of the best things you can do is to start shopping as early as possible. The earlier you start shopping the less likely it is that you will overspend. 

Don't wait until the week of Christmas or the day before Christmas to start trying to find gifts. You are likely to end up having to buy things at more expensive prices. Take advantage of Black Friday deals and cyber week sales.

Combine Orders

If you decide to shop online you should consider combining your orders to ensure that you are getting the best value for your money. Buying all your gifts at one time and then getting them shipped out at once is the best way to avoid high shipping costs when you are purchasing gifts online.

Stay Off Your Credit Cards

Another thing you can do is try to stay off your credit cards during this time. Try to use cash instead. 

This is where making a budget becomes critical. You can then pull all the cash that you need at once.

Once that cash runs out your spending is done. Do not carry your credit cards with you when you go shopping. This will make it even easier for you not to use them if you run out of cash.

Set Up a Dedicated Christmas Account

If you typically have a lot of people you need to give gifts to at Christmas, you can set up a dedicated Christmas account. You can start putting funds in it from January so that at the end of the year you will have a good stash of cash ready to buy Christmas gifts. 

The good thing about having a separate account is that you get a debit card for that account. It helps you to separate your money. Even if you don't save in the account every month, you can decide on your budget for Christmas spending, put all the money into that account and then use your debit card. 

Shop All Year

Yes, you are trying to save money, but if you start your Christmas shopping a little bit every month by the end of the year you will already have a special gift ready for everyone.

Take advantage of all the sales that happen throughout the year and purchase something whenever you can. By the end of the year, you will have saved money and avoided the Christmas shopping rush.

Get the Gifts You Need

Getting gifts for the people you love at Christmas is critical. You don't want to disappoint anybody. However, gift-giving can rack up some very high bills. It's always a good idea to be as prepared as possible so that you can save as much money as you can for the new year. 

Awesome and Delicious Stocking Stuffers

The gifts have all been wrapped and we are now down to the final days before Christmas. We are ready to hang the stockings and stuff them with goodies, but this year I want to skip the tiny toys and the too sweet treats in favor of better for you options. I am going to share a few of my favorite healthier stocking stuffer ideas with you today to help you make this a memorable Christmas morning filled with good stuff in your stockings!

This is a sponsored post.

1) Juicy Juice

Opening all of those gifts can be a lot of work. This year I am going to keep the kids hydrated and happy with the goodness of Juicy Juice in their stockings. They can sip a kid sized drink to fuel their unwrapping frenzy on Christmas morning.

2) Welch's Fruit Rolls

Featuring fruit as the first ingredient, these snacks are rolling in fun and flavor. I love that they have vitamins and are gluten free. My kids love the experience of unrolling a snack as they go. Available in 3 flavors; Berry, Tropical Punch, and White Grape Strawberry, these are a great alternative to stuffing the stocking with candy!

3) Go Organically Fruit Snacks

Loaded with vitamin c, these organic snacks are always a hit with the kids! Packed with natural flavors and all of the fun of a gummy, these are a fruit snack you can give in the stockings without the guilt of sugar loaded candy.

4) Aquaball Flavored Water

Playing with all of the toys on Christmas is hard work. Adding a fun and fruity aquaball to the stockings gives the kids a fun drink to fuel their day. Made with natural flavors and featuring fun characters, this is a drink the kids will love. Drinking their water has never been as fun or tasty!

5) Munk Pack Protein Cookies

It wouldn't be Christmas without cookies! But these are guilt free cookies! Each one is loaded with protein and nutrients for a decadent snacking experience. These are so tasty that even the kids who don't care about health benefits will want to gobble them up. 

6) Carrington Farms Protein Powder

Christmas isn't just about the kids. Adults want a stocking too! This protein powder makes a great stocking stuffer because it is so good for you!Packed with protein and made with only 3 ingredients, this is perfect for anyone health minded!

7) Hurom Juice Jars

Available in both 10.1 oz. and 13.5 oz. sizes these glass Juice Jars are great for gifting that one person you know who's always eating on the run. These jars feature an air-tight stainless steel lid, perfect for keeping your smoothies, workout juices, oatmeal and other snacks fresh while on-the-go.

8) Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer

Cased in 7 fluid ounce bottles, Brooklyn Crafted's small but mighty ginger beers are the perfect size for Christmas stockings and great for enjoying on their own or incorporating into cocktails this holiday season. Made with 100% fresh ginger pieces you can actually SEE in each bottle, the craft ginger beers are available in four trendy flavors. I love this drink as a stocking stuffer because ginger is so soothing to an overindulged tummy, and we all know that has been known to happen around the holidays!

9) Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

With a delicate straw color and a golden apple flavor this is the ultimate stocking stuffer for a wine enthusiast. Fun to drink and perfectly aromatic, this would make anyone smile on Christmas morning as they open their stocking! Maybe if you are lucky, they will share it with you later in the day!

10) Lumi Shots
These are one of my favorite stocking stuffer ideas for fitness enthusiasts. These are loaded with good things for boost of energy when needed! Among my favorites are the 6 pack of fully loaded cold processed nutrition shots from Lumi. Made with broccoli leaf, lemon, and ginger this shot is aptly named. It is fully loaded with calcium & vitamins A & C to keep you on your toes for whatever life throws at you.

Lumi also offers cold pressed juice with an impressive 50 day shelf life. These are perfect for stuffing a stocking with nutrition. I am a big fan of the 10 oz Wahoo Orange  and 10 oz Harvest Apple  varieties for keeping my family healthy and hydrated. These are perfect for stockings and gift basket offerings at the holidays to help combat the blahs from excess celebrating, or to fuel the body with good things during cold and flu season!

If you have a favorite stocking stuffer idea for kids or adults please leave a comment to inspire others to avoid tiny toys and too much candy this year!

10+ Christmas Tree Ornaments to Make

I have been making a ton of ornaments this year. The kids think it is a lot of fun to get out the glue and the glitter and get creative! Well, let's be honest, I do too! My oldest has been making lots of cute things at school to bring home and share too!

To keep up with the fun of creating at Christmas, I have 10+ ideas to share with you from some of my favorite bloggers! All 10+ of these are easy and adorable! I hope you get a chance to try them, or any of the ornaments I have made live on the Quirky Momma facebook page.

Favorite craft ideas

Felted Wool Christmas Trees

Sparkly Sequin Ornaments

Essential Oil Diffuser Ornaments

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

Stacked Christmas Tree Ornaments

Craft Stick Trees

Pipe Cleaner Beaded Trees

Glitter Clay Trees

Easy Accordion Trees

Noodle Popsicle Stick Trees

Easy Button Tree Ornaments

Live Video Projects

Etched Glass Jars
Candy Cane Wreaths
Popsicle Stick Ornaments
Christmas Houses
Toilet Roll Snowflakes
Washi Tape Cards
Toddler Christmas Tree Crafts
Tree Ornaments

If you have an idea for a Christmas ornament, I hope you will share it in a comment!

My Favorite Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Christmas is near and that means it is time to get your ugly sweaters out and wear them with pride! 

This year is the first year in the history of my marriage that my husband is excited about cold weather, because he has the coolest ugly sweater of them all to rock for the holidays!

Ugly Sweaters for the holidays come in all shapes, sizes and degrees of horrible. From the standard bells and snowman variety to awesome cat lady displays and a glimpse at galaxies far away.

Here are some of my favorite Ugly Sweaters to Make this Holiday Season.

Christmas Mantle Ugly Sweater by Lovely Etc
Purr-fect Ugly Sweater Style T Shirt by The Crafty Blog Stalker
Photo Ugly Sweater by A Girl and a Glue Gun
DIY Star Wars Ugly Christmas Sweater by Clever Pink Pirate
Santa Baby Maternity Ugly Sweater by Swoodson Says
Rudolph Ugly Sweater for Kids by One Artsy Mama
Meowy Christmas Ugly Sweater by Crafting in the Rain
Gaudy Ugly Sweater by Clever Pink Pirate
Kitty Christmas Ugly Sweater by Laura's Crafty Life
Ho Ho Ho Ugly Sweater by Joyful Scribblings

We LOVE the winter holidays! I have so many fun ideas to share with you!

Find all of the Christmas Fun here

My favorites include:

Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments

Kid Made Button Tree Ornaments

Do you rock an ugly sweater during the holidays? Tell me about it in a comment!

12 Cheesecake Recipes to Make for Christmas

Cheesecake is one of those things in life that should be savored and shared. I think it is always one of my favorite options at the dessert table. I found 12 Cheesecake Recipes to Make for Christmas that are perfect for sharing and celebrating this holiday season!

I have found 12 incredible cheesecake recipes to make this Christmas and I know you are going to find a few on this list that you can't wait to try! From Peppermint varieties to Pecan Pie Cheesecake, this list has something for everyone on it!

No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake

Eggnog Cheesecake

Candy Cane Cheesecake with a Sugar Cookie Crust

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Balls

Raspberry Cheesecake Shooters

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

Gingerbread Pumpkin Cheesecake

Santa Hat Peppermint Cheesecake Bars

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Easy Lemon Cheesecake Pie

Which of these sounds like the cheesecake of your dreams?

You can find more awesome recipes here

These Christmas tree inspired snacks are sure to be a hit with the kids!
My family is crazy for these fun Christmas treat ideas.

If you have a favorite cheesecake recipe, please do tell me all about it!

Easy Gnome Christmas Ornaments

These easy Gnome Christmas ornaments are perfect for crafting with the kids this holiday season.

We love to make easy crafts with the items we already have on hand. Some of my best ideas and favorite projects have stemmed from the junk drawer and items destined for the trash. These Christmas gnome ornaments are a great example of what you can make with simple stuff you probably already have.

These are awesome because with a different pattern of paper, or bigger googly eyes, your gnome looks totally different. If you don't have the supplies in the junk drawer or your craft supplies, you can get all of these things from Dollar Tree or even better- improvise!

Supplies per 1 gnome:

2 googly craft eyes
3 craft sticks
cotton balls
Red Pom Pom
Glue
Brown Bag
Scrap Book Paper
Confetti
Sharpie
Ribbon

Directions:

With the 3 craft sticks glue them together to form a triangle.

Cut a triangle from the brown bag to fit in the craft stick frame.

Add a generous amount of glue to the craft sticks and place the bag on top of it.

Cut a smaller triangle from scrap book paper to form the hat of your gnome.

Add eyes, a pom pom nose and draw on a mouth with a sharpie.

Add a chunk of confetti or some type of adornment to the hat.
Add a row of cotton balls for the beard.

Flip the gnome over and glue a ribbon to the back.

Hang your cute and easy gnome Christmas ornaments from your tree or share them with friends and family!

You can make dozens of these and make them all unique by simply changing the paper of the hats and the size of the pom pom of the nose.

This is such a fun craft to make with the kids! We loved making and naming our gnome ornaments!

Find all of our DIY Christmas Ornaments here.

Mickey Mouse Jingle Bell Ornaments

Ribbon Tree Ornaments

Christmas Gift Guide For Seniors

Image

Now that we are in the tail end of November and December looms around the corner, it is time for us to
think about Christmas once again. Christmas is a time of year for fun and cheer, and when we think
about celebrating the special day we think about treating our family to gifts. 

Whole buying gifts for children and younger members of the family might be easier; when reaching over
65 years old it can be difficult to choose the right gift to give. This is why today we have come up with a
handy list of gifts you can get for your older family members at Christmas. 

Neck Massager 

Often when we get older we start to develop aches and pains that we didn’t have when we were young
and spritely. As a result this can lead to issues with mobility as well as pain. If your relative suffers from
neck pain or back pain frequently, the ideal gift would be a neck massager to help ease the pain and
allow them to move around more independently. 

Afternoon Tea

Often the older members of the family will be more grateful for a gift that involves spending time with
their loved ones that a material thing. This is why an afternoon tea booked in a nice hotel or restaurant
can be the ideal day out and gift for them. You’ll be able to spend the afternoon out in a warm place
eating cakes and drinking tea. 

Spa Trip 

A spa trip could be a wonderful chance for you all to let your hair down and enjoy some much needed
TLC. You could choose to buy a few treatments for yourself and your senior family member or simply
hang out at the spa for the day and enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. 

Vineyard Tour 

Who doesn’t love a good bottle of wine? If your senior relatives like a good tipple, a fun and unique gift
would be to take a tour of a vineyard and go for wine tasting. This is a great way to spend a day out in
a sunny place and learn how wine is actually taken from grape to bottle. 

Pajamas

If you are thinking of something simple to buy for your senior relatives this year, nothing could be easier
than pajamas. Pajamas are always a great gift at this time of the year and you’ll be able to find some
thick cozy ones at your local store that are sure to be used and loved. 

Photo Album 

The older generation always tend to be more sentimental than us and as a result it is important for us
to give them amazing memories to enjoy at Christmas. This is why the ideal gift for a senior family
member is a photo album. You can also print off some of your favorite family snaps and put them
inside to allow your senior relative to enjoy seeing their family and reminisce. They can then keep
adding to the album over time as the family grows.