The winter chills are setting in the land down under, and for those who are deprived of a Christmas in woolly jumpers and warm eggnog, it’s time to celebrate in July! These festive salads are perfect for your mid-year feast!
What is Christmas in July?
Christmas in July is an unofficial Christmas celebration in the winter months in the Southern Hemisphere and the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere.
Traditionally celebrated on the 25th of July, it is usually gatherings and festivities in the Christmas theme to include traditional banquets, gift giving and Christmas decorations.
What Are the Origins of Christmas In July?
The first evidence of Christmas in July could be found way back in 1933. On the 24th and 25th of July, Fannie Holt, the co-founder of a girls’ camp called Keystone Camp in North Carolina, USA, decided to celebrate these festivities in the summer.
The celebrations included the traditional Christmas tree, singing carols, Santa Clause and even fake snow! This idea has continued and certainly made an impression when the movie Christmas in July was released in 1940. Although the film had nothing to do with Christmas, the idea was certainly well and truly planted.
Why do Australians Celebrate Christmas in July?
This is by no means a gazetted public holiday, nor is it even a recognised celebration. It is not something Australians celebrate religiously annually but is perhaps used more as a great idea for a themed party.
Christmas in Australia occurs in the summer when it’s tropical, hot and balmy. We are in flip flops, shorts and summer dresses. We drink beer, have a BBQ and eat lots of seafood.
This means we don’t get a chance to rug up in warm coats, drink eggnog or walk through snow-covered streets. Well, we don’t get snow in the cities anyway, but you get the drift! Unless you get up to alpine country during the ski season.
As July is the coldest month of the year, it’s an excellent opportunity just to have a little fun and create a Christmas party just like our Northern Hemisphere friends would have.
How to Throw a Christmas in July Party?
The extent to which you wish to go down the Christmas rabbit hole is up to you. But if you’re going to do it, just go all out! Set up that Christmas tree, get some small presents for the kids, put on those carols and of course, cook up a storm!
The festive banquet may look a little different for Australians, with none of the summer produce quite available. Still, the advantage is you’ll get all the winter vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, purple cauliflower or heirloom pumpkins.
No Christmas table would be the same without some fun fruit salad, so we have included some good measures.
Enjoy everyone, and a very Merry Christmas in July to you!
Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes and Asparagus
1/19
When it comes to time in the kitchen, not all recipes should be rushed. Allow these heirloom tomatoes to be slow-roasted as it basks in its own sweet juices.
Serve up with some asparagus and avocado for some crunchy and creamy textures.
Beetroot Cured Salmon Salad with Black Fish Roe
2/19
Your Christmas in July table deserves a salad that will impress your guests. This Beetroot Cured Salmon Salad is spectacular, not to mention delectable!
Go ahead, spoil your family and friends!
Grilled Broccolini Salad and Barley
3/19
Serve up gorgeous bouquets of grilled broccolini on a bed of chewy barley, caramelised shallots and sweet dried cranberries.
A grain salad perfect for those cooler months when the bells are ringing and the eggnog is flowing!
Vegan Salad with Butternut Squash and Cranberries
4/19
Sweet roast butternut squash together with dried cranberries, black rice, arugula and a crunchy toasted pecan crumb makes a delicious vegan salad recipe that will shine throughout Thanksgiving, Christmas and all season long.
Beetroot and Feta Salad
5/19
The versatility of the vibrant and earthy beetroot is showcased in this Beetroot and Feta Salad.
Classically paired with salty feta cheese, softened by the delicate oak lettuce and cut through with the tart and bitter grapefruit, this salad is designed to impress.
Can’t have Christmas without a Beetroot side dish!
Lobster Tail Salad with Mango Dressing
6/19
No better way to spoil your guests during Christmas festivities than to indulge in this Lobster Tail Salad drizzled with delicious homemade mango dressing.
This salad promises to be refreshing, simple yet sophisticated and downright delicious.
Low Carb Chicken Salad, No Mayo
7/19
Enjoy this hearty low carb chicken salad with avocado herb dressing that is easy to prepare with a little bit of fun.
Add some plump raspberries, peppery radishes and buttery macadamia nuts for a delicious recipe!
Baked Portobello Mushroom Salad
8/13
This portobello mushroom salad is a meaty, smoky and earthy recipe accompanied by delicate micro leaves, crunchy pistachios and finished off with a lemon parsley vinaigrette.
An easy way to serve up a fancy salad for Christmas in July!
Roast Pumpkin Salad with Israeli Couscous and Apple
9/19
A Roast Pumpkin Salad is nothing but goodness served on a plate. Envelop it with the pop of Israeli couscous, crunch of an apple and smeared with tahini dressing, it’s a match made in heaven!
Strawberry Salad with Baby Bocconcini And Rocket
10/19
Our Strawberry Salad is a stunner to serve at Christmas celebrations.
The sweetness of strawberries matched with creamy bocconcini and drizzled with tangy aged balsamic vinegar is a match made in heaven.
Salad with Roasted Potatoes and Arugula
11/19
Let’s bring Hasselback potatoes back into vogue by making a salad of roasted potatoes with a difference.
Crispy on the outside and fluffy and creamy on the inside. Served with a sweet mustard vinaigrette, what more could you ask for of a festive recipe?
Roasted Green Cauliflower Salad with Feta Dressing
12/19
Sprinkle the paprika sunflower seeds over the perfectly Roasted Green Cauliflower Salad to give it a little kick. Finish it off with a cream whipped feta dressing and loads of herbaceous goodness. Yum!
Tamarind Roasted Baby Eggplant Salad
13/19
As these glorious pops of baby eggplants are slowly roasting away in a sweet yet tart homemade tamarind sauce, prepare the burgundy tipped red oak lettuce, crunchy pomegranate arils and sweet fresh raspberries. What a feast!
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Dutch Carrots
14/19
Sweet maple roasted Brussels sprouts and Dutch carrots salad, what’s not to love?
Along with the nutty texture of freekeh balanced with freshness of peas and rounded off with creamy goat cheese, our warm Brussels sprouts salad is insanely flavoursome.
Easy Summer Mixed Berry Salad
15/19
A generous mix of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries mingled with maple lime dressing and topped with an optional lush prosecco cream.
We just adore our delicious and refreshing mixed berry salad – a must-make berry fruit salad.
Pomegranate and Red Dragon Fruit Salad
16/19
We love colour in our salad recipes and understand how it can tie into the Christmas in July theme.
This Red Dragon Fruit Salad is delicious and eye catching, naturally dyed red in the juices of the dragon fruit.
Red and Green Fruit Salad with Vanilla Persian Fairy Floss
17/19
Deck the glasses of red and green fruit with heavenly strands of Persian fairy floss.
This festive fruit salad will bring so much joy, fun and frivolity. All the wonderful traits of a really fun dinner.
Rockmelon and Passionfruit Salad with Chocolate Honeycomb
18/19
Refreshing combination of rockmelon, golden kiwi and passionfruit topped with indulgent crushed chocolate honeycomb to create a zippy sweet no-cook dessert salad that will wow the crowds.
Christmas Fruit Platter: Chocolate Salad
19/19
What could bring more festive joy than a chocolate salad as a Christmas fruit platter with a difference?
Appealing to kids and adults alike, this easy to make Christmas platter of chocolate and fruits will be a fitting end to any holiday gathering!
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Nayomi
I love the sound of the hasselback potato salad! I’d never heard about Australian July Christmas, you learn something new everyday.
The Devil Wears Salad
We sure do although I have to admit it’s just an excuse to wear ugly jumpers as otherwise our Christmas is too hot!
Natalie
I love beetroot. I’m excited to give that beetroot feta salad a try. Looks amazing. All salads look absolutely delicious.
The Devil Wears Salad
My partner loves beetroot too. I could make all sorts of beetroot salad and he’d never get sick of it!
Toni
This is such an amazing list!! Thanks for sharing all these! I’d love to try all of them!
The Devil Wears Salad
Thanks Toni! Hope you’ll get onto some of them for any time of the year!
Gloria
Oh yes….we are totally opposite in the seasons. This sounds like a great collection of salads. Perfect as a main dish, and I love having salad for dinner any night of the week. Stay warm….we are right in the middle of summer here.
The Devil Wears Salad
And we are so envious! We love Christmas in July because it gives us a great excuse to use winter produce we may not normally get during our summer Christmas.
Andréa Janssen
This is such a great overview of delicious recipes. I’m going to save this and when it’s Christmas definitely going to make one of these as a side dish!
The Devil Wears Salad
That’s awesome Andrea!