Christmas in July brought an extra holiday mood

by Zoe Sophia Gray
Posted 7/28/21

Sunny skies and a late July heat didn’t stop Chestnut Hill from having itself a merry little Christmas this weekend.

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Christmas in July brought an extra holiday mood

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Sunny skies and a late July heat didn’t stop Chestnut Hill from having itself a merry little Christmas this weekend. The Hill celebrated Christmas in July last Saturday and Sunday, with businesses and artists coming together to spread holiday cheer.

Businesses up and down the hill offered specials, with sales of up to 50% off at some locations. Restaurants and retailers sold creatively Christmas-themed merchandise, including Dog Christmas Cookies from Bone Appetit and personalized Christmas ornaments and jewelry hand-stamped at the Windfall Gallery. Adults looking to indulge in a little spirit of the season could visit the Tavern on the Hill for a Figgy Pudding Punch or Ho Ho Tito Mojito, or head over to McNally’s for their spiked “Craig-nog”.

There were plenty of activities for younger residents, too, like the craft party at the Tasco Art Salon and the Hot Chocolate Station at the AR Workshop. Kids were delighted to meet Santa as he strolled up and down the hill on Saturday. Chestnut Hill’s Santa was a fun twist on the classic, accessorizing his iconic red hat and white beard with a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses. Jovial and engaging, Santa used his vacation from the North Pole to bring Christmas cheer to children and grown-ups alike on this sunny Saturday.

Pedestrians in need of something to keep the heat away stopped by Town Hall to order a refreshing snow cone in lime green, cherry red, or a holiday swirl. The snow cone machine had made its debut the night before, serving alcoholic snow cones at the weekend’s kickoff Christmas in July event. On Friday evening, Hilltop Books hosted a signing and Q&A with John Derr, author of the new novel Another Christmas Carol, a spiritual successor to Dickens’s holiday classic.

A brass quartet performed up and down Germantown Avenue. They serenaded passersby, playing familiar Christmas tunes that had pedestrians stopping to listen and hum along. Taking their place on Sunday were a merry band of Christmas Carolers, who joined in voice and spirit to bring everybody’s favorite holiday songs to the hill.

There was truly something for everybody on the hill this weekend. Families, seniors, and teens alike strolled the elegantly festooned sidewalks and settled on benches near businesses or at tables at the Market at the Fairway. Hearing their favorite Christmas songs drift through the air, they enjoyed their snow cones, or unwrapped bags of Peppermint Bark from Made By ME Handmade Gourmet Chocolates. With such festivity and joy around, who couldn’t believe in the magic of Christmas– even in July?