Christmas in August

While we were at the Mt. McKinley Wilderness Lodge we saw staff walking around with reindeer antlers and Santa hats.  The lodge was also festive with Christmas decorations.  It was all rather peculiar until Deb explained it all to us.

I found this explanation in Wikipedia:

"According to the local legend, in the early part of the twentieth century a freak blizzard stranded visitors and their stagecoach at the Old Faithful Inn. Rather than lament the fact that they were snowbound in a hotel, the guests decided to celebrate Christmas, since it looked like Christmas outside. 
Some stories place this blizzard as happening "shortly after the turn of the century" while others specify the blizzard occurred in 1939 and some place it in the 1920s.  Some stories date the blizzard to the 19th century, prior to the creation of the Old Faithful Inn.  There is no historical record recording that a blizzard ever hit Yellowstone on or around August 25 of any given year. In fact, between 1904 and 1941, the most snow that Yellowstone received on any given day in August was 1.8 inches on August 18, 1932. Interviews with older employees indicate that the celebration was not held prior to the 1930s."

Whatever the case, Deb says all the National Parks now have a Christmas celebration on August 24th-25th.  It was fun watching Santa with his reindeer, and carolers singing around the lodge.  Peculiar.... but fun.