What Is Christmas in July? Why Australians Celebrate a Second Christmas in Winter
Real Christmas falls in the middle of an Australian summer. Here is why so many of us throw a second, cosier one in the middle of winter instead — and how we built a cookie drop around it.
If you have ever tried to eat a hot roast dinner in Sydney on the 25th of December, sweating through a Santa hat at 30-plus degrees, you already understand why Christmas in July exists. Half the imagery attached to Christmas — log fires, mulled drinks, thick jumpers, cosy nights in — belongs to a Northern Hemisphere winter that Australia simply does not have in December. So plenty of us throw a second, deliberately wintry celebration six months later instead, when the weather actually matches the postcard.
What is Christmas in July?
Christmas in July is a mid-year celebration, popular in Australia and New Zealand, that borrows the food, decorations and cosy atmosphere of a traditional Christmas and moves them to the middle of winter — usually July — when the cold weather actually suits them. It is not a religious or calendar substitute for the real Christmas Day; it is a separate, informal occasion built specifically around the seasonal mismatch between Christmas traditions and an Australian December.
Why do Australians celebrate a second Christmas in winter?
Because so much of Christmas as it is culturally understood — roast turkey, mulled wine, log fires, snow, knitted jumpers — was built in the Northern Hemisphere, where December is deep winter. Australia sits in the opposite hemisphere, so our December is the height of summer: harbourside barbecues, beach days, and air conditioning working overtime, not exactly log-fire weather. Christmas in July lets people enjoy the wintry version of Christmas the imagery was always describing, without giving up their actual sunny December celebration. Pubs, restaurants and social groups have run the tradition for decades, and it has become a genuine mid-year fixture on the Australian calendar rather than a novelty.
How did Chip build a cookie episode around Christmas in July?
Episode 7, Christmas in July leans into the cosy, comfort side of the tradition rather than the literal decorations. All three brand-new flavours are built on a nutty brown butter dough for exactly that reason — S'mores brings campfire warmth with toasted marshmallow, Salted Caramel Ca Phe folds in Vietnamese coffee and molten caramel, and Bueno v2 is the brown-butter version of a flavour our community kept asking us to bring back. Alongside them, Dot Cake, Red Velvet and Matcha return by popular demand, rounding the box out to six. The flavours were chosen from what our Instagram community actually voted for — this drop is community-built, not just a seasonal theme applied after the fact.
Is Christmas in July celebrated on a specific date?
There is no single fixed date — it is a loose mid-year tradition rather than a formal public holiday, and different pubs, workplaces and households pick their own night, usually somewhere in July while the weather is at its coldest. That flexibility is part of why it works as a social occasion: it is an excuse for a cosy get-together on a weekend that suits you, rather than a date everyone is locked into.
Can I get Christmas in July cookies delivered in Australia?
Yes. Episode 7 is baked fresh on our regular dispatch schedule and shipped via AusPost Express, Australia-wide, for as long as the drop stays open. Build a box with any mix of the six current flavours — it is an easy way to bring something genuinely wintry to a Christmas in July gathering without turning on the oven yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What is Christmas in July?
Christmas in July is a mid-year celebration, popular in Australia and New Zealand, that recreates the cosy, wintry side of a traditional Christmas — roast food, warm drinks, festive gatherings — during the actual cold months. It is a separate, informal occasion rather than a substitute for Christmas Day itself.
Why do Australians celebrate Christmas in July?
Because much of the imagery associated with Christmas — log fires, mulled wine, thick jumpers — comes from a Northern Hemisphere winter, and Australia's December is the middle of summer. Christmas in July moves the cosy, wintry celebration to a season where it actually fits, without replacing the usual sunny December Christmas.
Is Christmas in July a public holiday in Australia?
No. It is an informal social tradition with no fixed date and no public holiday attached — pubs, workplaces and households typically pick their own night sometime in July to hold a wintry Christmas-themed gathering.
How does Chip Bakehouse's Episode 7 relate to Christmas in July?
Episode 7 is themed around the cosy, comfort side of Christmas in July. All three new flavours — S'mores, Salted Caramel Ca Phe and Bueno v2 — are built on a nutty brown butter dough, joined by returning favourites Dot Cake, Red Velvet and Matcha. The flavours were chosen from what our Instagram community voted for directly.
What cookies should I order for a Christmas in July gathering?
A mixed box works best — pair the cosy, wintry flavours like S'mores and Salted Caramel Ca Phe with more festive, celebratory picks like Dot Cake and Red Velvet, so the box covers both the comfort and the colour of the occasion.
When is Christmas in July usually celebrated?
There is no single official date. It is typically held sometime in July, the coldest month in most of Australia, with the exact date chosen by whoever is hosting — a pub, a workplace, or a group of friends.
Can I get Christmas in July cookies delivered Australia-wide?
Yes. Episode 7 is baked fresh on our regular dispatch schedule and ships via AusPost Express across Australia for as long as the drop is open. You can build a mixed box of the six current flavours through the Build a Box page.
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Chip Bakehouse — delivered fresh across Australia.
