🎁Part 1: The Chaos Before Christmas in July ☀️

I’ve shared before about the Christmas in July event I host each year, and promised to dive into the details. My plan? Fun updates leading up to the big day, followed by a cheerful recap—complete with photos, anecdotes, and dreams for the 2025 celebration.

Well… let’s just say things didn’t go exactly as planned. Despite not working this summer, I felt more overwhelmed than ever.

🚗 Back and Forth Between Cities

The week before the event was a whirlwind of travel between Rowlett and Greenville. My grandson had a robotics class in Wylie from 1–4 p.m., Monday through Friday. That meant a 45-minute drive one way from Greenville—1.5 hours of travel daily. I tried staying in Rowlett a few nights to cut down on driving, but that made prepping in Greenville even trickier.

My husband, grandson, and I did our best to divide and conquer. (If you’ve ever lived with a 12-year-old, you know the “level of help” that comes with it—LOL.) My husband pitched in with mowing, weed-eating, sweeping, and mopping.

I handled all the decorating:

• A white Christmas tree decked out in red, white, and blue ornaments
• A topper made of U.S. flags
• Patriotic wreaths and gnomes—including our beloved Elvis gnome Honestly, I put out more decorations for Christmas in July than I do for actual Christmas!

I didn’t capture as many photos this year as I’d hoped, but I do have a few gems to share. Next year, we’re stepping up our game—with two undercover roaming photographers on the scene! How we’ll choose them (or keep them undercover) is still a mystery, but trust me—we’ll figure it out. And when we do, the snapshots will be legendary.

🧳 Guest Shuffle

To add to the chaos, guest plans kept shifting—arrival times, sleeping arrangements, and whether Rowlett or Greenville was the better base. The robotics camp schedule meant I missed out on some Friday activities entirely.

By the time the weekend rolled around, I was worn out. But here’s the thing: Christmas in July has a way of bringing out the best in us, no matter how chaotic the lead-up may be.

“Prepping for a summer celebration with a holiday twist isn’t always smooth—but it’s always worth it. If you’ve ever found yourself knee-deep in decorations, juggling family schedules, or wondering why you do it all… you’re not alone!

💬 Share your own pre-party chaos stories in the comments

📸 Got a patriotic gnome or a summer Santa? Tag me—I’d love to see it!

🎄 Stay tuned for Part 2, where I share how this tradition began and the meaningful rituals that keep us coming back year after year.

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With love and glitter, Valerie