With hot summer temperatures in place, the relief of cooler temperatures seems a long way off. We can still channel the winter season and spirit by celebrating Christmas in July. While you may consider it a secular and commercial extension of December celebrations, the 1892 French opera Werther mentions speeding up the time to the holiday season by singing about it in July. Hollywood furthered the popularity and concept with the 1940 movie aptly titled Christmas in July.
To get you into a cooler mindset, we are sharing some pictures of Mr. Werdelin’s winter village scene. A resident of Laurel Park, Werdelin meticulously creates a unique holiday village each year using over 100 miniature houses, meticulous scenery, villagers and a train. There is even a replica of Yankee Stadium and a functioning water feature. Bud is also a skilled artist and crafter. He creates and paints holiday themed crafts from unique materials like used light bulbs.
NC also has the honor of harvesting this year’s capitol Christmas tree to be displayed in Washington, DC. The Cradle of Forestry in Pisgah Forest will celebrate this with festivities for the entire month of July. In addition to the activities, caroling and holiday decorations, admission to the Cradle of Forestry will be free on July 23 and 24 for anyone who makes a homemade decoration for the Capitol Christmas tree, giving the tree a unique feel of western North Carolina and its communities.