Christmas in July

Dear Diary,

I never knew the origins of the phrase, "Christmas in July" until recently.  It began at a girls camp in North Carolina in 1933.  (You can read about it here...)  There was even a movie by that title made in 1940.  I do know that my grandmother started knitting mittens in July to be ready for Christmas.  Everyone got a red pair.  Back in the day when all gifts were home-made, you had to start early.  I was thinking about that when I was stitching my textile collage eyeglass cases, Christmas gifts for friends and family this year.  The little thimble has a story too.  I bought a tin of sewing notions years ago at a thrift shop.  I didn't really go through it until months later when I found the gold thimble engraved with "M L D"  I returned to the thrift shop hoping I might trace the donation but I had no luck.  So, I use M.L.D's thimble when I'm sewing and I think of all the grandmothers and mothers making Christmas gifts in July each year.  A lovely tradition I keep up.