Snowcones & Stockings: How to Host the Coolest Mid-Year Soirée
Hi loves! There is something so incredibly magical about the halfway point of the year. While the sun is painting everything in golden hues and the cicadas are singing their summer song, my heart always finds its way back to that cozy, candlelit feeling of December. Why wait six months to celebrate when we can have the best of both worlds right now?
I’ve been dreaming of tinsel draped over palm leaves and sipping frozen hot chocolate by the pool. It’s all about that cloud-soft embrace of nostalgia mixed with the vibrant energy of summer. Today, I’m sharing my ultimate guide to hosting a Christmas in July party that feels like a warm hug—even when the temperature is soaring.
7 Easy Steps to Host a Christmas in July Party
Why to love this Party Idea:
This is the ultimate way to break up the summer heat with a splash of winter wonder. It allows your loves to dress up in a playful way that blends the coziness of the holidays with the breezy freedom of July. It’s unexpected, nostalgic, and makes for the most aesthetic photos!
Essential Ingredients:
- Artificial white Christmas tree
- String lights (cool white or blue)
- Frozen hot chocolate mix
- Fake snow spray
- Inflatable reindeer pool floats
How to Prepare:
- Set the ‘Chilly’ Mood: Crank the AC and put on a ‘Lofi Christmas’ playlist.
- Decorate the Greenery: Drape tinsel over your indoor plants.
- Signature Sip: Prepare a batch of ‘Peppermint Frosé’.
- Snow Station: Set up a DIY snowcone bar with festive syrups.
- The Dress Code: Ask guests to wear ‘Summer Holiday’ attire (think Santa hats with bikinis).
- Gift Exchange: Host a ‘Secret Santa’ with a summer theme (towels, sunscreen, shades).
- Movie Marathon: Projection of ‘The Grinch’ by the pool.
Budget Range
- Mainstays White Artificial Tree: $25.00
- Peppermint Syrup: $8.00
- Inflatable Reindeer: $15.00
Get the Katherine Pierce Vampire Look in 5 Minutes
Why to love this Party Idea:
Katherine Pierce is the queen of holiday glamour with a bite. This look is perfect for a mid-year soirée because it’s effortlessly chic, sultry, and gives off that dark winter aesthetic even in the middle of July. It’s for the girls who want to feel powerful and timeless.
Essential Ingredients:
- Brown smoky eyeshadow palette
- Deep berry lipstick
- Eyelash curler and volumizing mascara
- Curling iron for signature waves
How to Prepare:
- The Base: Apply a velvet-finish foundation for that immortal glow.
- The Eyes: Sweep a chocolate brown shade across the lid and smudge it under the lower lash line.
- The Pout: Line your lips and fill with a rich berry stain.
- The Hair: Create tight curls and brush them out into soft, voluminous waves.
- The Final Touch: A single silver pendant necklace to channel that 1864 vibe.
Budget Range
- NYX Professional Makeup Butter Gloss (Devil’s Food Cake): $6.00
- Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow: $9.00
Master the Coraline Skeleton Face Paint in 4 Steps
Why to love this Party Idea:
Combining the whimsical, slightly eerie vibe of Coraline with a skeletal twist is so ‘Summerween’! It’s a playful way to bring a touch of the spooky season to your Christmas in July party, making your look stand out in the most creative way.
Essential Ingredients:
- White face paint or heavy concealer
- Black liquid eyeliner
- Blue wig or temporary hair spray
- Large yellow buttons (optional for photos)
How to Prepare:
- Skeleton Base: Map out a skull shape around your jaw and nose using white paint.
- The Eyes: Create large, hollowed-out circles around your eyes using black liner.
- Coraline Details: Draw small ‘stitches’ along the jawline to mimic the Other Mother’s handiwork.
- Nose: Fill in the tip of your nose with a black ‘V’ shape to complete the skeletal look.
Budget Range
- Snazaroo White Face Paint: $7.50
- Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner: $8.00
Style 3 Festive Tinkerbell Christmas Outfits for Summer
Why to love this Party Idea:
Tinkerbell is the essence of magic, and giving her a holiday makeover is just darling. These outfits are light, airy, and perfectly green for the season, while keeping you cool during those warm July evenings.
Essential Ingredients:
- Green satin mini dress or romper
- White faux fur trim
- Fairy wings (decorated with holly)
- Pom-pom slippers or sandals
How to Prepare:
- The Classic Tink: Take a green sundress and pin small white pom-poms to the hem.
- The Winter Wood: Pair a green corset top with a white tiered skirt.
- The Cozy Pixie: Use a green oversized tee belted with a red ribbon and glittery wings.
Budget Range
- SHEIN Green Satin Dress: $12.00
- Christmas Holly Craft Sprigs: $5.00
Paint These 10 Spooky Christmas Nails for Your Party
Why to love this Party Idea:
Who says Christmas can’t be a little bit spooky? These nail designs are for the loves who adore ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ vibe. It’s a subtle way to bring a ‘Summerween’ edge to your festive look.
Essential Ingredients:
- Black, white, and red nail polish
- Fine nail art brushes
- Matte top coat
- Silver glitter
How to Prepare:
- The Ghostly Santa: Paint a tiny ghost wearing a red hat on your ring finger.
- Candy Cane Bones: Alternate red and white stripes but make them look like rib cages.
- Spider Web Flakes: Draw snowflakes that transition into spider webs.
- The Matte Void: Use matte black for all nails except one ‘icicle’ accent.
Budget Range
- Essie Licorice Black Polish: $10.00
- Nail Art Brush Set: $6.00
Create 4 Horror Lara Croft Face Paint Styles
Why to love this Party Idea:
Lara Croft is the ultimate adventurer, and a ‘horror’ version suggests she’s survived a ghostly winter tundra. It’s rugged, sexy, and adds a high-energy ‘action movie’ vibe to your party theme.
Essential Ingredients:
- Brown ‘dirt’ makeup or bronzer
- Fake blood or red lip stain
- Black eyeshadow
- Setting spray
How to Prepare:
- The Survivor: Smudge brown shadow on cheeks and forehead for a ‘dirty’ look.
- The Frostbitten: Add white powder to eyebrows and lashes for a frozen effect.
- The Scratched: Use red stain to create three parallel ‘claw marks’ on the cheek.
- The Shadowed: Deepen the eye sockets with heavy black smudge for a haunting gaze.
Budget Range
- Mehron Squirt Blood: $7.00
- Wet n Wild Color Icon Bronzer: $5.00
Design Your Kill Bill Scream Makeup in 6 Steps
Why to love this Party Idea:
This mashup is for my bold loves! Mixing the iconic yellow of Kill Bill with the ‘Scream’ mask aesthetic creates a pop-art look that is absolutely striking against a backdrop of white Christmas lights.
Essential Ingredients:
- Vibrant yellow cream shadow
- Black face paint
- White eyeliner
- Yellow jumpsuit or top
How to Prepare:
- The Canvas: Cover your eyelids in bright, bold yellow.
- The Mask Shape: Outline the elongated ‘Scream’ eyes with black paint.
- The Mouth: Draw the iconic ‘O’ shape mouth centered over your lips.
- Highlighting: Use white liner to add ‘glisten’ marks to the black areas.
- Sharpen: Use a cotton swab to make the yellow edges crisp.
- The Blade: Draw a small silver sword on your neck for that Beatrix Kiddo touch.
Budget Range
- e.l.f. Cosmetics Liquid Glitter (Yellow): $6.00
- Black Face Paint Pot: $5.00
Try These 5 Cleopatra Draculaura Makeup Looks Today
Why to love this Party Idea:
Draculaura meets Egyptian royalty? Yes, please! This look is pink, regal, and totally unique. It’s perfect for the girl who wants to be the ‘Ghost of Christmas Past’ but make it fashion-forward and pink.
Essential Ingredients:
- Hot pink eyeshadow
- Gold liquid eyeliner
- Heart-shaped face stamp
- Pink wig with gold tinsel
How to Prepare:
- The Royal Wing: Create a massive Cleopatra wing using gold liner over pink shadow.
- The Signature Mark: Use the heart stamp on your cheekbone.
- The Lower Lid: Add gold dots along the lower lash line.
- The Lip: A metallic pink ombre look.
- The Brow: Use pink mascara to tint your brows for that vampire-doll effect.
Budget Range
- NYX Epic Wear Liner (Gold): $10.00
- ColourPop Pink Palette: $14.00
Build 3 Totally Spies Christmas Outfits Easily
Why to love this Party Idea:
Sam, Alex, and Clover are the ultimate trio. Dressing as them for Christmas in July is so fun—just swap their gadgets for candy canes and their catsuits for festive colors. It’s a total girl-power moment!
Essential Ingredients:
- Bodycon jumpsuits in Green, Red, and Yellow
- Silver belts (the ‘Compowder’)
- Go-go boots
- Tinsel scarves
How to Prepare:
- Sam (The Green): Use a green jumpsuit with a white fur collar.
- Clover (The Red): A red jumpsuit with a Santa belt.
- Alex (The Yellow/Blue): A bright blue suit with silver snowflake stickers.
Budget Range
- Amazon Basic Jumpsuit: $18.00
- Silver Costume Belt: $7.00
Plan Your 8-Step Zombie Summerween Party Now
Why to love this Party Idea:
This is for the loves who want to lean fully into the ‘Summerween’ trend. It’s a zombie takeover at the North Pole! It’s hilarious, creative, and gives everyone a chance to get messy with DIY costumes.
Essential Ingredients:
- Zombified Santa hat
- Green punch (‘Toxic Sludge’)
- Tattered tropical shirts
- Brain-shaped gelatin mold
How to Prepare:
- Invite the ‘Undead’: Send digital invites with a zombie reindeer.
- The Entrance: Use caution tape and fake snow at the door.
- The Feast: Serve a ‘Brain’ cake with red berry drizzle.
- Costume Contest: Best ‘Zombie Tourist’ wins.
- The Decor: Hang ‘zombie’ stockings with holes and ‘blood’ stains.
- The Music: Mix 50s holiday classics with creepy sound effects.
- DIY Station: Have a table where guests can ‘rip up’ their festive gear.
- The Photo Op: A ‘sleigh crash’ scene with fake bones.
Budget Range
- Brain Gelatin Mold: $6.00
- Caution Tape: $4.00
- Zombie Face Makeup Kit: $10.00
A Warm Conclusion for My Loves
Whether you choose to go full-on glamour or lean into the spooky side of ‘Summerween,’ remember that the best part of any soirée is the laughter shared with your favorite people. Christmas in July isn’t just about the decorations; it’s about making time for joy in the middle of a busy year. So, grab a snowcone, put on your festive wings, and let the magic of the mid-year season embrace you. Stay cool and stay magical, loves! xoxo
