How to throw the best Christmas in July party

Deck the halls (again)! - by Rebecca Lowrey Boyd

Why have Christmas once a year when it can come twice? A popular Australian tradition, Christmas in July is the time to indulge in all of the wintry festive traditions that we don’t get to celebrate in summer.

So instead of making a pavlova, whip up a steamed pudding. Replace chilled prawns with baked ham and say cheers with a spicy mulled wine instead of mojitos.

Here’s how to throw the ultimate Christmas in July party.

Decorations

You don’t need to drag out the Christmas tree to decorate your home. Dig out a few glittering decorations and hang them from branches in a vase, or hang a simple eucalyptus wreath on the wall. If you have a sideboard, give it a festive makeover with branches and pinecones. Be creative and have fun, without all the hassle of bringing out all of your decorations.

The menu

Christmas canapés and entrees

Pomegranate glazed baked ham

Spiced apricot, almond and sherry-baked ham

Spiced maple syrup-glazed ham

Coffee and fig fruit cakes

Christmas Florentines

Mulled port and lemon – serve it warm instead of chilled

Gingerbread man-inspired Moscow mule cocktail

Rebecca Lowrey Boyd

Rebecca Lowrey Boyd is a former magazine editor and the founder of Wee Birdy, one of The Sunday Times’ Top 50 Blogs in the World. A design nerd and bird enthusiast, she can usually be found poring over Pinterest, knee-deep in Bunnings or sticky-beaking at modernist homes in Sydney’s bushburbia.