MELBOURNE, Australia — Christmas in July started this week, and somewhere between the turkey and the KFC Christmas packaging, Australians are gathering around tables with the people they actually want to spend time with — not because the calendar says they must, but because winter gave them a reason.
Christina Loccisano, Founder of Quarter Carat, hosts most years. The tradition in her friendship group involves a turkey or KFC chicken (which does, in fact, release a special Christmas in July packaging), a long table, and the collective ritual of complaining about friends who escaped the Melbourne cold for a tropical island or somewhere in Europe.
“It has become a really nice tradition amongst our friendship group,” she says. “We eat, we celebrate being in Melbourne, and we give each other a hard time about who went somewhere warm. It is the right way to do July.”
The Bastille Day French Festival ran at Queen Victoria Market last weekend. Bastille Day events are taking place across Australian cities this week. And throughout the whole month, Christmas in July dinners, gift exchanges and winter feasts are filling up restaurant bookings and private tables across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. Which raises a question that most Christmas in July guides do not actually answer: what do you give?
The Gift Problem With July
July does not have the gift infrastructure of December. There is no established registry of what counts as a Christmas in July present, no wrapping paper aisle dedicated to the occasion, no advertising campaign telling you what your loved ones want. The gift exchange, when it happens, tends toward the easy: a good bottle of wine, a voucher, something from a Secret Santa price cap.
There is nothing wrong with any of that. But there is a version of July gifting that means more, and it does not require much more effort to get there.
“A nice piece of jewellery goes much longer than an expensive bottle of wine or a massage voucher,” Christina says. “Buying Quarter Carat says I’ve thought about this and I wanted to get you something nice and considered. It doesn’t scream marry me or happy anniversary. It just celebrates this beautiful, ordinary moment sitting around the table enjoying Christmas in July.”
What Christina Would Give
Asked which QC piece she would give as a Christmas in July gift, Christina does not hesitate: the Square Franco Bracelet, to her husband.
For a friend, the Fine Paperclip Bracelet at $180 is the considered gift that does not require an occasion to justify.
The Locked in Love Necklace at $519 is the version for when the occasion calls for something more significant. A partner, a close friend, a sister. Solid gold, worn every day, still there at the table next year.
Why July Is Actually the Better Month to Give Jewellery
In December, jewellery is expected. It is one of the most purchased gift categories in the world during the Christmas season, which means it arrives alongside everything else and competes for attention. In July, jewellery is unexpected. It arrives without context and creates its own.
A solid gold piece given at a Christmas in July dinner does not need to announce itself as a significant gift. It simply is one — worn from the table onward, through the rest of winter, into summer, and long after the dinner that prompted it has been folded into the tradition.
Pieces start from $149. Christmas in July is already underway. Which means there is still time to give something this month that will still be on someone’s wrist at the actual Christmas in December.
About Quarter Carat
Quarter Carat is Australia’s first 6K solid gold jewellery label, founded by Christina Loccisano and backed by over 30 years of fine jewellery industry expertise. The 6K alloy is 25% pure gold, solid all the way through, hypoallergenic, and designed for every ordinary moment. Pieces start from $149. Shop at quartercarat.com.au.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Christmas in July in Australia?
Christmas in July is an Australian tradition where people celebrate a mid-winter version of Christmas, typically throughout the month of July. Celebrations include winter feasts, gift exchanges, and festive events at restaurants, homes and venues across the country. It draws on the northern-hemisphere idea of a cold, cosy Christmas that Australia misses out on in December.
What is a good gift for Christmas in July in Australia?
The best Christmas in July gifts are ones that outlast the occasion. Solid gold jewellery is a strong choice: it is not seasonal, it does not go out of style, and it is not something most people are expecting to receive in July, which makes it feel more considered. A piece given at a July dinner will still be worn through summer, the following Christmas, and years beyond. Pieces start from $149 at Quarter Carat.
Is jewellery a good Christmas in July gift?
Yes, particularly solid gold jewellery. Unlike seasonal gifts, a solid gold piece is wearable every day regardless of the time of year. It does not have a shelf life. For that reason it tends to be a more lasting and meaningful gift than most Christmas in July options.
What solid gold jewellery makes a good winter gift in Australia?
Fine chain bracelets, pendant necklaces, open bangles and slim rings in solid gold are strong winter gift choices. Quarter Carat’s 6K solid gold range starts from $149 and includes pieces designed for daily wear in any season.
When is Christmas in July in Australia?
Christmas in July is celebrated throughout the entire month of July across Australia, with events, dinners and gift exchanges happening at venues and households from early to late July. The 25th of July mirrors the December date but celebrations run all month.