What happens when you want to eat Christmas food, you live in a tropical country, and it is 35 degrees (nearly 100 F), in the shade. What do you do?
You organize a Christmas feast, in July, when it is actually wintertime.
I know all the citizens of the northern hemisphere might have a hard time comprehending things being so upside down here. It really is too hot to eat rich Christmas food in the summer months in Australia – which can be up to five months long!
You see come the month of December, I’m more focused on keeping cool and retreating to the ‘Pool room’ – (don’t worry Aussies will understand the reference); lying in air conditioned comfort and watching old home movies or reading a good book, or maybe writing a blog post or two.
The only appetite I have during that time is for salad greens, which is acceptable for me on December 25, but not the rest of the family. Surprisingly, they expect a bit more than rabbit food at Christmas time.
A growing tradition in Australia is to have Christmas in July gatherings, with friends and family and enjoy a mock Christmas meal of Roast meat, Yorkshire pudding, Christmas mince pies and plum puddings with custard.
Scandinavian Glogg
Since the sixteenth century, Glogg is a warm drink brewed at Christmas time in Nordic households to welcome and warm guests travelling in the cold December weather. The name can be translated to mean “glow,” and may be served fortified with alcohol, or non alcoholic. Either way Glogg incorporates a number of spices that resemble the aroma and flavour of a Christmas cake.
Traditionally, the ingredients in mulled wine include: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, orange, and almonds all of which infuse hot fortified wine. However, other recipes have called for cherries and raisins, as well as brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup, and in place of red wine, local distilled spirits such as aquavit or vodka, whisky, bourbon, and even white wine. In the non alcoholic version, ginger provides an added warming element.
The Tea Centre
My Christmas in July celebration happily extends throughout July but not with the traditional Glogg but with a variety of Glogg Black tea from The Tea Centre.
Glogg Black Tea
The supplier offers this tea in both black and green tea blends, and it contains many of the ingredients found in mulled wine: cinnamon for a welcome immunity boost for the Aussie winter and Cardamon, which is known to be beneficial in reducing pain, headaches, nausea and inflammation.
Reminiscent of Nordic Christmas traditions and mulled wines — cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger recreate this special drink … also a touch of almond and orange peel bits.
The Tea Centre
For me, drinking this tea brought back those sumptious feelings of Scandinavian hygge. Danish Hygge is that cosy feeling you have when you are curled up in front of the fire, snuggling under a fleecy throw, candlelight dancing across the walls, with your closest loved ones. It is a feeling of being at ease, comfortable and relaxed.
Aromas of cinnamon and cloves permeated the air as the pot was brewing. If you’re thinking it is not so dissimilar to a cinnamon herbal tea, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the additional flavours of orange peel, ginger and almond.
This tea would work really well with the Danish Spice cake recipe, I posted recently.
Delicious and healthy.
Too many WW points for me. 😉
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Interesting! It must be quite different living in the Southern Hemisphere and having summer when most part of the world is shivering in winter cold. The Glogg tea sounds very refreshing. 😌 Learned something new from this post..
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Thank you, Samsahana! Both for the visit and the friendly comment. I don’t know if Glogg tea could be refreshing. It is warming, fragrant and has a spicy taste. I am actually writing a post now about another tea – a Japanese lime tea that can be served hot or cold. That one is very definitely refreshing. One thing about Glogg is certain though – it does put a glow on the cheeks.
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That’s nice to know 😃 Spice is one of the best tastes to go in a tea (or simply any food). 😉 Shall meet you in your next post about the Japanese lime tea 😃😉
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Living in South Africa makes your post very easy to comprehend. Your tips on how to celebrate Christmas in July with style is very useful and your pictures just look so festive and joyful.
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Also happy to learn more about Australia as we are moving there.
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You are coming to Australia? Awesome. When and where will you settle?
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If all goes well we will be coming April 2022. We are planning to settle in Melbourne for now as we have a tiny bit of family already living there. I am so looking forward to learning everything I can and experiencing your wonderful country
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That is exciting news! Will you be seeking employment in that area as well or have jobs already lined up?
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As a teacher I will have to seek employment once there. I am currently working on becoming a registered teacher in Victoria. It is a bit of a jump into the abyss so I am coming with prayers😊
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Good luck. I hope it works out.
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Thank you
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Thank you. Is it something that happens in S.A.?
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It happens here and there, but it is not really a thing.
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My co -worker is from south Africa. I love her accent even Though she’s been in America 28 years!
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Haha! It sure is a hard-to-get-rid-of accent🤣
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Definitely a interesting thing to do
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Thanks, Nawazish.
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A Christmas in July On Friday, July 9, 2021, Something to Ponder About wrote:
> Forestwood posted: ” What happens when you want to eat Christmas food, you > live in a tropical country, and it is 35 degrees (nearly 100 F), in the > shade. What do you do? Christmas Decorations You organize a Christmas > feast, in July, when it is actually wintertime. ” >
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A church I worked with once had a missionary project giving gifts in July as Christmas cause these people would need it
On Friday, July 9, 2021, Something to Ponder About wrote:
> Forestwood posted: ” What happens when you want to eat Christmas food, you > live in a tropical country, and it is 35 degrees (nearly 100 F), in the > shade. What do you do? Christmas Decorations You organize a Christmas > feast, in July, when it is actually wintertime. ” >
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Good work
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You beat me to it Amanda. We are having a Christmas in July with friends soon. I think it’s Perth’s coldest July since I’ve been here. We always have the full lunch at Christmas as well.
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Well, Merry Xmas Ali! I am loving the cold weather. No flies!
We always have the full Xmas meal in December but I never feel like eating it, with the heat we have.
How about you?
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I do love the full on Christmas lunch, being English I suppose. The cold is okay for a short while as I know it doesn’t last and summer means summer here. We are having an extraordinary amount of rain at the moment
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Are you getting pummelled by the rain gods? We have had more than our share of rain – we never get any in winter and we have had showers for almost a week, then a short break then another couple of days with rain. Unheard of in July!
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Yes we are. The streets around Perth were like rivers and we have more coming on Monday.
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Gosh! You will develop webs on your toes. Hope it eases up.
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Alison, I was reading your post on Philip Island but could not post a comment as they were closed off.
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Oh really ..strange I will look into it. Thanks for reading 😊
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Oh wow, years ago someone left a bottle of Glogg at our beach house. Now I know what to do with it.
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Lucky you, Peggy. Enjoy it! Someone sent me a sample mix of herbs and spices for gluhwein, from Germany last century. I wasn’t sure how to make it back then, as it didn’t come with instructions.
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I’ll have to give this a try once the temperature cools down. I love all the spices and flavors that are added.
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Please do, Ang. It is worth it.
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Wow! Merry Christmas then! 😮 I find it so hard to comprehend how these polar opposites come to exist simultaneously. Yesterday evening I went to walk bestia at 8 pm but returned completely heated up as there was no breeze and nothing, just hot humidity, and I had to wash my hair immediately with almost cold water. I’ll entertain Christmas thoughts, maybe they will help.
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Sounds like you are experiencing a little bit of an Aussie summer. While we finally have some delicious cold weather.
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Interesting, I like the idea.
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Thanks Christa. The weather kind of dictates it.
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Oh yes, Scandinavian glogg, glögi in Finnish. It is served everywhere before Christmas, with all tastes you mentioned. Christmas is time here with heavy food, it is difficult to think to eat them when the thermometer shows 35. Minus 35 is near normal. You have used to use bikini at Christmas on the beach, deadly here, so anyway Christmas is always Christmas in bikini or with woollen coats.
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We are +35 and you and -35 in December. I am wondering however, whether you have a bikini handy atm, because I hear you are having a hot summer! Thanks for educating me on the Finnish name for Glogg. Does it vary from the way it is made elsewhere?
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Hot summer we have, 25 days now over 25 degrees, mostly near 30. Glogg is made here the same way as there, there is so many different recipes for it.
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It must be difficult to cope with temps like that when you are not used to it and I suspect buildings whilst heated, might not have air conditioning?
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True, our houses don’t have normally air conditioning, so we keep shades down on the sunny side, and windows open in the evening.
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Sounds sensible.
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Well, why the heck not? I come from an ethnic group—Franco-American—that loves to party. So party on! Also, glog sounds delicious, both the tea and the alcoholic version, which I am sure really puts a glow in those cheeks. 😉 Merry Christmas to all of you who have winter in July.
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I am glad you approve of Christmas in July, Laurie! I am sure you would love Glogg. At the moment, the tea manufacturer cannot ship internationally, but if you ever get the chance to taste it, please do. And finally, yes the glow is real! Haha. Happy weekend!
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Happy holidays!
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Sounds like a sensible and fun thing to do!
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Especially fun for those who love to cook, as you do, Dorothy. Do you ever get exhausted of cooking at Christmas?
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Oh yes! As much as I love it and try to pace myself, a large gathering can certainly be tiring, especially when the kitchen gets hot! There are times I’ll look around the kitchen and ask myself why I’m doing all this, but then we gather around the table and all is right in the world!
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You highlight another reason Christmas is arduous here in summer. As if the heat of the day is not enough, the oven cooking roast dinners makes it unbearable – some years I could not breathe. If I can stay in the air con – all is good.
The end result is always the reward.
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Great point of view, Amanda. I’m a big believer that since the church made up the date of Jesus’ birthday, I can make up the date I celebrate it. We have rewritten history to suit ourselves so much that facts have little to do with any of it. So celebrate the season of giving anytime you darn well please. I personally like to do a bit all year long. I’m no longer a heavy meal person even in winter but really into the treats that come in only at that time of year. I’ve had a Christmas in the tropics. Had no stove or oven so we just celebrated being alive and together. We bought a small potted pine that could be planted after and called it good. Hallmark is having their Christmas in July movie marathon on now and I tape and watch as many as I have time for even though I’ve seen them before. They put me in a creative and festive mood with this horrible heat. I can pretend it’s snowing outside and work on gifts for family and friends while I hide from the heat. I’ve never been a fan of of glogg or similar sweet and spicy drinks but the smell is heavenly. Merry Christmas, Amanda. : )
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I never used to like Glogg but have always loved the aroma, Marlene. However, as the years pass the drink grows on me. I probably would not have persisted if I had not of known it was Scandinavian. Years back, we did a Christmas markets bus tour in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A complimaentary glass of gluhwein at each market. I still have one of the mugs from Munich – which had to be returned if you wanted the deposit back. I suppose they might have switched to disposables since Covid. Shame as it was a lovely tradition and a great cup.
You are the second commenter (or first as I am reading them in reverse order), to mention the Hallmark Christmas movies. We don’t have them here but perhaps they might start them, given that Christmas in July, like Halloween, is growing in popularity.
People like a reason to celebrate!
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That is brilliant! Living in Southern California, I have often struggled with the whole idea of Christmas = snow. It must feel even odder when there is no snow AND it’s too hot to turn on the oven. At least where I live the December temps are usually below 70 degrees. Merry Julymas!
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Thanks every so much for your comment, Janis. Merry Julmas indeed! I don’t think Christmas in July is going to work anywhere in the North unless you reverse the cuisine as well. Pavlovas, fruit salad and cold meats or sausages on the barbeque is perhaps necessary for a Californian Christmas in July. But then folks would think you were just having a summer picnic, wouldn’t they?
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Thank you. You might bring Christmas Glogg early here in the UK, I have followed your blog
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Great! Glogg in July is welcome here. Do you usually enjoy the alcoholic version?
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I do 🙂
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I like your idea of Christmas in July, but I wouldn’t want it here. Too hot!
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Your blood is definitely used to cooler temperatures, Anne. And you would have to reverse the food – ie eat what we have in our December Christmases. Then it wouldn’t feel like Christmas at all, instead a midsummer picnic.
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We celebrate Christmas to the hilt in December, so I can live without it in July. Many families have their own traditions that make the holiday very special.
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I think that is true. Everybody does Christmas in their own way. As it should be.
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I had heard of Christmas in July before, but on in terms of a materialistic Christmas GIFTS grab … rather like Half Birthdays 😉
Does it mean you will also have a full roast beast meal with all the fixings?
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Hi Amanda. What an interesting post. It is a little hard to relate to the seasons being so backwards in Australia from America. I’ve understood that for a while, of course, but after following a few Aussies here on WordPress, it is getting to be a little bit more real to me. I guess I can understand why you might want a little Christmas in July.
I was just perusing your blog and site. What a lovely blog you have. I like your fabric store as well. I’m not really a seamstress, but I also appreciate traditional folk art and dogs. 🙂
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Hello Susan,
Thanks so much for your very kind comment. Coming from someone with a very professional blog, I appreciate your feedback and am glad you found the fabric store on Spoonflower.
Dogs are the best companions, aren’t they? I am a little obsessed with Schnauzers, but they are all pretty cute and give you that special unconditional love.
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I absolutely love ‘Christmas in July.’ Many places in Canada also celebrate this. Not due to weather, but simply because we love Christmas! Why stop at one when you can have two?!!
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Well that is interesting. Of all places, with the perfect snowy environment in December, I can’t believe that Canada stops in Summer to celebrate Christmas. Thanks for educating me. What kind of food would you have? The usual fare?
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This is awesome! I also love Christmas in July, I’m watching the Hallmark Christmas movies all month long!! xx
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I haven’t seen the Hallmark movies. What are they like? Unfortunately, I can’t see you blog so I am unsure of your location. I though Christmas in July was mainly an Aussie/NZ thing.
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What a fabulous idea, Amanda! I am a firm believer that it should be Christmas (and birthdays) all year round, so a mid-year celebration suits me perfectly well! And better to capture the Christmas feeling with the colder weather!
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So this is not practised in Singapore? I guess with equatorial weather it wouldn’t make any sense.
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I’m afraid so – we are just hot all year round. Our main shopping street gets dressed and lit round about mid-November, but that’s as early as we get!
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I would have thought this was a particularly Australian thing but I actually saw a post on Instagram the other day from someone in Europe who was planning a Christmas in July dinner party. So perhaps it’s not confined to the southern hemisphere after all. And we are having our CIJ dinner party this coming week with friends. One couple is bringing entree and the other couple is doing dessert so I don’t know if they’ll be traditional, but we’re doing roast pork and roast veg! Yum.
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Fancy them doing a CiJ in the north? Crazy…. I wonder if they are having pavlova and snags? It must be some ex-pats longing for home?
I wondered if there is a spare seat at the table for me at your dinner? Sounds like it is going to be a good one. Do you cook your roast port in the oven of a Weber?
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Ours will go in the oven with all the veg. Yum.
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Nice!
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I would love to spend at least one Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere!
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Bring your boardies and sunscreen, Alejandro!
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I was born and raised in Texas, U.S., Amanda! I know more than enough about hot weather, hydration and sun screen. I’ve never been surfing, though. But, like skydiving and political lobbying, I’m certain it’s exciting!
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Skydiving and political lobbying is an unusual combination! Exciting indeed. A Texan would be a well prepared tourist.
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I have to wonder why certain foods should only be consumed during certain occasions. In this particular setting, for example, why should roast beef and mince pie be reserved strictly for Christmas? That’s akin to saying – here in the U.S. at least – people shouldn’t wear white after the Labor Day holiday, which is the first Monday in September. I was in a favorite club in Dallas, Texas in November several years ago and wearing a whitish cowboy hat. Someone told me that was a fashion faux pas. I asked him if he’d be willing to try to remove said hat from my head. He wasn’t. End of discussion.
If you like a particular food, don’t wait for the “right” occasion or moment to consume it. That moment is whenever you like! Life is too short to follow culinary rules!
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You are correct, Alejandro and thanks for reminding me of that. However, I would have to make the mince pies myself as a lot of Christmas food is seasonal, and only available at Christmas.
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Thank you for sharing
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Thank you
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Your post brought back memories of the winter I spent in the northern hemisphere. Both Prague, and York in the UK were big on mulled wine. All the pubs sold it, the street markets sold it, the perfume of it was everywhere. It’s something we often have around the fire pit on a winters evening. That tea sounds wonderful – as does Christmas in July. Because we’re usually away in the winter it’s something we haven’t done for years. I wonder if I’ll be able to fit in a’Christas in July’ this winter. We’re moving on the 19th, so it’ll be tight to fit one in. I’ll see how I go….
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Have I missed something? Where are you moving to?
I just tried to check your blog but my phone won’t let me load it atm.
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We’re moving tomorrow week. https://lifeofrileyow.com/2021/06/20/its-time-to-say-good-bye-to-our-little-coastal-cottage/
It did happen quite suddenly. We’re only moving 1km away, but we won’t be on the beach side of Bussell Highway. We’ll be about 100 metres further from the beach, and will have to cross the highway to get there. In the scheme of things I don’t think that’ll have to much effect on us, and hopefully there’ll be more pluses than minus’ to the move. More about our new place soon…..
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Can’t wait to hear more, chris. I will check out the post. Thanks for the link.
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Excellent idea. Christmas in July, and why not? Why limit your season of hope and cheer to just December? I’m in!
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I am glad you like the idea! How are you going to celebrate it?
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Well, Christmas to us means God, good food, gifts and get-together with family and friends. We pray to God every day but we can always offer Him a special prayer as we gather with friends and family over a yummy feast. To make it more festive, we will have a secret Santa where we will pick names off a hat. The name that we pick is our manito/ manita, and we will give then little gifts days before the event. During the actual get-together, we will try to guess who got our names and we will have the big reveal the same time as we give our manito/ manita our gifts. This is a Filipino tradition
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That sounds like a fun tradition, Emmblu. Guessing the Secret Santa giver. We have a similar event at many workplaces.
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I’d never heard of Glogg, and now I feel I must have some! When the weather here cools, I will get the tea version you mentioned.
For now, I’m in the pool and sipping iced water, iced tea or iced lemonade!
Happy Christmas 🎄 in July from the other side of the world in opposite weather!
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Thanks so much, Jen. I am sure you would like it. I hear that it is pretty darn hot over there right now so the pool is the place to be! Thank you for the wishes for the Christmas in July. I will be enjoying my tea all month.
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It is not happening
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What happen
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I prefer people not to request them to follow without first contributing to blog discussions. Sorry.
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Okay no problem have a great day
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I hope you have a lovely day too.
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