The Block Northway in Ross celebrates summer Christmas

Long ago, someone came up with the idea of celebrating winter’s most heralded holiday amid summer swelter.

The origin stories for Christmas in July vary, from the lyrics of an 1892 French opera to a two-day fete at a North Carolina camp in 1933, with the concept popularized by a 1940 Preston Sturges-directed movie bearing that particular title.

Whatever the case, it’s become common to see Santa sporting sunglasses while dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts, sipping on something with an umbrella sticking out of it.

Or perhaps a nearly as popular Christmas-related character will make an appearance.

Dr. Seuss’ beloved bogeyman-turned-hero, the Grinch, was accompanied by Cindy Lou Who — she was more than 2 — on a July 25 visit to The Block Northway in Ross for Yuletide-type festivities during the shopping mall’s weekly farmers’ market.

The event featured food trucks, store specials and the kickoff of The Block’s annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest, for which participants have until Nov. 8 to prepare their entries. Hey, Time flies when you’re, uh, baking.

Speaking of which, there are only four more shopping months until Christmas in December!

The Block Northway farmers’ market runs from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursdays through Sept. 26 between DSW and Land’s End in the upper level. For more information, visit theblocknorthway.com/farmers-market.