Christmas in July

Last week, CBS celebrated Christmas in July, a PHUN-filled day of holiday festivities in the slightly less-than-festive Texas heat.

The event was brought to life by our High School Programs – specifically the LTs and Work Crew – who spent the days leading up to Christmas brainstorming everything they wanted to do – including a snowball fight at Oasis and the appearance of a rotating cast of iconic Christmas figures, including Santa Claus, the Grinch, and Jack Frost, who would disrupt events all across camp.

The night before “Christmas morning,” the LT and Work Crew campers set up a massive Christmas Workshop in the Live Oak Room. The campers set up different work stations across the room, making and stuffing stockings for all of the counselors and cabins. Cabin stockings were delivered Christmas Eve night and taped to the cabin doors. Some cabins even left “offerings” for the “elves” who delivered the treats, though instead of milk and cookies, campers left kind notes and CBS fun passes.

Not only was the Rio Grande Dining Hall filled with stockings, but it was also adorned with light-up candy canes, paper snowflakes, red, green, and white streamers, and even a Christmas tree!

On Christmas morning, Flag Pole was interrupted by some infamous Christmas characters. Our CBS birthday throne acted as a sleigh, from which Santa Claus threw fun passes and candy to campers. The Christmas cheer was momentarily threatened by the appearance of the Grinch, who ran around Flag Pole trying to block the candy throws and “disrupt” Christmas. Fortunately, the festivities were too strong to be stopped! Campers were given antlers, holiday sunglasses, and Santa hats to wear. Some even wore Christmas-themed Hawaiian shirts!

Naturally, Christmas music sounded throughout the Rio Grande Dining Hall at all the meals. When it came time to deliver mail, LTs completed their daily task via a caroling trip around camp!

In the afternoon, high school programs counselors and campers traversed camp in a decorated golf cart, playing Christmas music and passing out special holiday treats to campers. Campers also played fun themed games, like a reindeer-mule ring toss, in which participants tried to toss rings onto inflatable antlers for a chance to win Christmas cookies.

We ended the night with a Christmas-themed turkey dinner (complete with all the holiday staples) and a candlelight Christmas service for our optional late-night worship.

What summer camp holiday should we have next?!