The sale at the local institution and Aussie cultural cornerstone was perfectly timed for the July school holidays, with dozens of visitors and families coming in to get a little festive vibe under the grey, wintry skies, as visions of sugarplums danced in their heads.

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They witnessed a surprisingly huge amount of Christmas items, all collected donations from the last six months, including reindeer, angels, trees, decorations, lights, Santas, wreaths, and toys, toys, toys!

Some of it would be impossible to find anywhere else, long ago preloved, but still in excellent condition, and many shoppers built and tended piles at the registers, or lamented the lack of a third hand to hold it all.

“Susan collects from January to July for this sale, then from July to December for the regular Christmas sale,” volunteer Vivienne Boyd told NOTA.

Susan Nicholls, chief organiser of the Christmas sales, said, “Christmas in July gives people something to look forward to in winter.

“Proceeds go to charity.

“This time it will be Destiny Haven, a women’s support organisation near Dungog.

“Hopefully we can raise a couple of thousand dollars.”

The Christmas shops have been going for decades, and last week’s effort was the result of grand teamwork from ‘Santa’s Helpers’, the volunteers at St Andrews.

Previous beneficiary organisations have included other respected charities, such as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, which has rescued people close to several in the community, and in the region.

Susan is planning a nice presentation of the proceeds for the near future, while the happy Christmas-in-July shoppers will enjoy setting up a reminder of warmer days (at least in Australia), to brighten up the grey skies of late, perhaps hearing sleigh-bells ring in their winter wonderlands.

By Thomas O’KEEFE