June 24, 2024 – Lather Games 2024 Day 24: CIJBIJ Eve
- Brush: DS Cosmetic KenSurfs 2021 Synthetic 24mm
- Razor: Gillette Super Speed Red Tip B-1
- Blade: Personna Lab Blue (3)
- Lather: Noble Otter – Tis the Season
- Post Shave: Stirling Soap Co. – Christmas Eve
- Fragrance: Amouage – Fate Man
Use of Theme: Christmas in July, but in June’s Eve
Why is it Christmas in July as opposed to Christmas in June? Before we tackle this burning question, we should first thank fellow shaving degen u/Schontzm for his contribution to today’s shave. As he has in the past, he graciously sent me the smoosh I needed to meet the theme today—Noble Otter ‘Tis the Season. Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and the good smells are many. At this juncture of life, the fruity, berry accords combined with the green pine really do it for me. Tis the Season might possibly the perfect Christmas scent for me, having tried sample offerings from other artisans. However, this may call for a 12 Christmas Soaps evaluation very soon. If anyone has a burning desire to contribute, start sending Christmas themed soaps my way!
A very apt paring of aftershave is Stirling Christmas Eve as it shares the pine and fir notes but goes a more spicy direction than fruity. The scent is very Christmas-y without being a solitary pine fragrance. Lucky for me it was still in stock at Maggard and I’m glad to have another Christmas-themed product to fill a void in my arsenal.
Fragrantly finishing today’s shave is the non-Christmas, but very complimentary, Fate Man fragrance from Amouage. Particular notes from the perfumer’s palate that seem to tie things together are ginger, Manarin orange, incense, and cedar–all Christmas-y scents to me.
Let us return to the question at hand. June would seem more logical as it is half-way to December. A Quora user posits that June is only the beginning of summer, and technically not summer, as the solstice falls closer to the end of the month, thereby making sense to celebrate it in the middle of summer as we yearn for the colder days of December and the holiday. But, still, why?
Modern thought leans toward the commercialization of the holiday as retailers race to the next season in an effort to boost their bottom lines, though Black Friday is historically the day in which the retail industry begins to actualize profits for the fiscal year. Though the connection of retail business and the Christmas holiday is linked, it turns out that in 1933 the first physical celebration of Christmas in July happened in Brevard, North Carolina where Keystone Camp held a two-day event complete with “fake snow, presents, carolers, and a Christmas Tree,” according to a 2022 report by North Dakota CBS affiliate KX News.
It’s unarguable that we’ve taken to having a “second Christmas” though wouldn’t it be, chronologically, the first as it occurs before December? Regardless, it’s a nice reason to wear some different scents in the summer just for fake Internet points.
Daily Challenge: r/Wetshaving exclusives wish list
I’ll admit, one of the alluring facets about our sub after I first became active was the sub exclusive. Talk about pumping the FOMO and fake status. Imagine being able to have something unique only to us, and it is exciting. With everything available to us these days, we are certainly not at a loss for products. That said, should something come into being that was truly worth acquiring, I would jump on the chance. Particularly if it would come from Stirling Soap Company, who, as I understand, has always wanted to do a sub exclusive. So, there. My wish list is complete.
Have a great rest of your Monday and be kind to one another.