Free Christmas in July Coloring Pages: 33 printable PDF designs featuring Santa on summer vacation, elves at play, animals in holiday gear, and festive beach scenes. Each page can be downloaded as a PDF to print or colored online in the browser.
The earliest documented Christmas in July celebration traces back to 1933 at Keystone Camp, an all-girls summer camp in Brevard, North Carolina, where co-founder Fannie Holt organized a mock Christmas complete with a decorated tree, carol singing, and a visit from Santa. The idea gained wider national attention after the 1940 Preston Sturges film Christmas in July, though the movie itself was not actually about the holiday. In the Southern Hemisphere, where July falls during winter, the celebration takes on a more literal meaning, sometimes called Midwinter Christmas, since the season actually matches the traditional cold-weather imagery associated with the holiday. Christmas in July is not an official or religious holiday, but a lighthearted cultural tradition typically marked around July 24 and 25.
This collection reflects that playful mashup of seasons across 33 pages: Santa relaxing on summer vacation, elves at play, animals dressed in holiday gear, and festive beach and decor scenes. Santa hats paired with sunglasses, palm trees, and beach gear are the throughline across nearly every page.
What Is Inside This Collection
The 33 pages are broken into four groups based on content.
Santa on Summer Vacation
Twelve pages, the largest group in the set, show Santa enjoying beach and vacation activities, from surfing and jet skiing to relaxing in a hammock with a tropical drink. Color suggestion: keep Santa’s classic red and white color scheme even in his summer outfits, since that contrast against beach blues and sandy tans is what makes the mashup instantly recognizable.
Elves and Group Activities
Eight pages show elves and Santa’s helpers enjoying summer activities together, including a beach volleyball game, a pool party, and a campfire gathering. Color suggestion: give each elf a slightly different colored hat or outfit so group scenes stay easy to follow.
Animals in Holiday Gear
Five pages show animals like reindeer, penguins, and a seal dressed in Santa hats or holiday accessories in a summer setting. Color suggestion: keep each animal’s natural coloring accurate, then let the Santa hat or sunglasses provide the seasonal twist.
Kids, Decor, and Scene Designs
Eight pages round out the set with kids enjoying summer Christmas activities, decorated palm trees, and beach-themed holiday decor like a gingerbread beach house. Color suggestion: treat these pages as a chance to blend traditional holiday colors, reds and greens, with beach tones like turquoise and sandy tan.
What Christmas in July Coloring Pages Do
A playful twist on a familiar holiday. Because these pages combine two very different seasons in one image, from Santa in sunglasses to a snowman built from sand, they give colorists an easy way to notice how a familiar character or scene changes when its setting is flipped.
Fine motor practice with layered scenes. The American Academy of Pediatrics identifies fine motor skill development as a core benefit of structured coloring for children ages 2 through 7, and the combination of holiday and beach details on each page gives more varied practice than a single simple scene.
A natural fit for an off-season celebration. Whether for a summer camp, a classroom activity in July, or simply a fun surprise mid-year, this set gives families and educators a ready-made way to mark the actual Christmas in July tradition rather than treating it as a purely invented theme.
A calm, easygoing activity. Research published in the Art Therapy Journal in 2005 found that structured coloring sessions were associated with a measurable reduction in reported anxiety. The lighthearted, playful nature of these pages makes them a fitting choice for a relaxed summer coloring session.
How to Color Christmas in July Pages Well
- Santa’s suit: Keep the classic Crayola Red and White even on beach-themed pages, since that contrast is what signals “Santa” regardless of the setting.
- Beach and sky: Use Crayola Sky Blue and Turquoise for water and sky, with Crayola Tan or Sand for the beach itself.
- Palm trees: Color the trunks in Crayola Sepia and the fronds in Crayola Forest Green, then add ornaments in Scarlet and Goldenrod on any decorated palm tree pages.
- Elves: Give each elf a distinct outfit color, such as green, red, or blue, so group scenes stay easy to read at a glance.
- Animals: Keep reindeer, penguins, and seals in their natural coloring, brown for reindeer, black and white for penguins, and let a red Santa hat or sunglasses provide the seasonal accent.
- Sand snowmen and gingerbread beach houses: Use Crayola Tan for the sand-built shapes and traditional gingerbread browns for the beach house, layering in tropical fruit colors like orange and yellow for a summer twist.
5 Creative Craft Ideas With Christmas in July Coloring Pages
1. Character Bookmark
Color a favorite page, trim it to a narrow strip, and cover it with clear tape or a laminate sheet to make a simple, durable bookmark.
2. Beach-Themed Ornament
Color one of the smaller pages, cut around the shape, punch a hole at the top, and thread string or ribbon through it to hang as a lighthearted summer ornament.
3. Greeting Card
Color one of the pages, fold a piece of cardstock in half, and glue the colored page to the front for a playful mid-year holiday card.
4. Party Banner
Color several pages differently, punch holes in the top corners, and string them together along a ribbon to make a banner for a Christmas in July party or classroom event.
5. Table Placemat
Color a larger scene page, laminate it or cover it with clear contact paper, and use it as a fun, reusable placemat for a summer holiday-themed meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Christmas in July coloring pages?
Free printable designs mixing Christmas and summer themes, including Santa on vacation, elves at play, and animals in holiday gear. This collection has 33 pages available as PDF downloads or online coloring, with no account required.
What is Christmas in July?
Christmas in July is a lighthearted mid-year tradition that blends Christmas imagery with summer activities, celebrated with festive gatherings, decorations, and events.
Where did Christmas in July start?
The earliest documented celebration was in 1933 at Keystone Camp, a girls’ summer camp in Brevard, North Carolina, and the phrase later spread nationally after the 1940 film Christmas in July.
Why do some countries celebrate Christmas in July seriously?
In the Southern Hemisphere, July falls during winter, so celebrating a cold-weather-style Christmas in July, sometimes called Midwinter Christmas, actually matches the traditional seasonal imagery of the holiday.
When is Christmas in July celebrated?
It is most commonly marked around July 24 and 25, though celebrations and promotional events can extend across the entire month.
Is Christmas in July a religious or official holiday?
No. It is not a religious or government-recognized holiday anywhere, but rather a popular cultural and commercial tradition.
What age group are these pages best suited for?
Most pages suit children as young as four, with the more detailed group and decor scenes working well for kids six and up.
Can these pages be used for a summer camp or classroom event?
Yes. Given the tradition’s roots in a summer camp celebration, this set works well as an activity for a camp, classroom, or family Christmas in July party.
Start Coloring
Download any page by clicking the design. No account, email, or payment is required. Pages print directly from the browser at full resolution or open in the online coloring tool for screen use. Share finished pages on Facebook or Pinterest using the share buttons at the top of each design page.
