For most of us, July means long evenings, summer holidays, ice creams and hopefully a little sunshine. Christmas can feel a very long way away.
But there is one place where Christmas is never completely forgotten: the North Pole.
Father Christmas has an enormous job to complete every December, so surely Santa, the elves and the reindeer can't leave everything until the first Christmas decorations appear in the shops?
In the spirit of Christmas in July, we thought we'd imagine what might be happening at the North Pole while the rest of us are enjoying summer.
Does Santa Take the Summer Off?
We certainly hope he gets a holiday.
After travelling around the entire world in one night, Father Christmas deserves some time to put his boots up.
But even Santa probably can't spend the whole summer relaxing. Delivering Christmas to millions of children takes an extraordinary amount of planning, and July is already halfway towards the next big night.
The Elves Have Plenty to Do
The North Pole workshop may be quieter than it will be in November and December, but we like to imagine the elves using summer to get everything organised.
There could be tools to repair, shelves to reorganise, new ideas to test and enormous lists to prepare.
It's probably also the perfect time for a little elf training. New recruits have to learn the difference between wrapping paper and wallpaper somehow.
Santa's Sleigh Gets Its Summer Service
You wouldn't wait until Christmas Eve to discover that the sleigh has a squeaky runner.
Summer seems like the ideal time for a full North Pole service: runners checked, bells polished, navigation inspected and Santa's seat made comfortable for another very long journey.
There may even be a few test flights when nobody is looking.
What Do the Reindeer Do in Summer?
Rudolph and the rest of Santa's reindeer have earned some quieter months too.
After the biggest delivery journey imaginable, summer should mean plenty of food, rest and time outside before serious Christmas Eve training begins again.
As autumn approaches, we imagine the flying practice becomes a little more organised. After all, taking off with a sleigh full of presents is rather different from a gentle summer flight around the North Pole.
The North Pole Post Room Won't Stay Quiet for Long
July might not be peak Christmas-post season, but children's wish lists have a habit of beginning surprisingly early.
If that sounds familiar in your house, we've already looked at when children should start writing their Christmas list.
By autumn, the trickle of Christmas ideas will become letters, and before long the North Pole post room will be one of the busiest departments around.
Is Santa Already Making His Nice List?
We suspect Santa never completely stops keeping an eye on things.
The famous Nice List isn't simply something that appears in December. Kindness in July surely counts just as much as kindness on Christmas Eve.
Helping somebody, sharing, being thoughtful or doing something kind when nobody asks are all good habits whatever month appears on the calendar.
When Does Christmas Really Start at the North Pole?
There probably isn't one official starting day.
For Santa Letter Direct, though, the season starts to feel very real in the autumn. Our Dear Santa letters begin being sent from 1 October, followed by personalised Santa reply letters from 1 November.
By then, Christmas post is properly under way.
Enjoy Summer — Christmas Will Be Here Soon Enough
There's no need to put the Christmas tree up just yet.
Enjoy the sunshine, the summer holidays and all the adventures that happen before December arrives.
But if a child suddenly announces their first Christmas present idea while you're sitting on a beach in July, perhaps don't be too surprised.
Somewhere at the North Pole, Santa is probably getting ready too.