Yule Tide : Christmas-in-July Beach Party Draws a Crowd but No Sign of Sandy Claus

Near the bike path, just south of lifeguard Tower 25, bicyclists and pedestrians stopped Sunday to take a second look.

For beside the beach chairs and volleyball nets at Bolsa Chica State Beach, a brightly trimmed, 5 1/2-foot Monterey pine was stuck in the sand.

And standing next to it, trying to brace the tree against the wind, was a young man in swim trunks, a green shirt and a red Santa’s cap.

“This is a Christmas-in-July party,” explained Rossmoor computer engineer Doug Russell, 25, as he dumped a shovelful of sand against his wavering tree and pushed it upright. “Beach parties just don’t do it. We had to have a theme.”

Added his friend and fellow party host, Mike Gibson, 28: “We wanted to throw the first Christmas party of this year. It could be our first annual.”

To make sure Sunday’s party wouldn’t be a run-of-the-mill affair, Russell and Gibson distributed 100 flyers. Guests were asked to bring food, drink--and ornaments for the tree.

And by early Sunday afternoon, the Christmas-in-July theme appeared to be a hit. As sea gulls soared above them, more than 50 people camped on the sand beside the Christmas tree.

Some of the party-goers said they dug through musty Christmas boxes to find their ornaments. Day-care teacher Julie Samples, 23, contributed an ancient candy cane. “Don’t anyone eat this,” she warned as she placed it on the tree.

Other guests brought less orthodox trimmings. Amid a mix of shining balls, someone suspended a Coors can by its pop top. Another guest contributed a figurine of a naked Polynesian maiden that once had topped a birthday cake.

Gibson looked on approvingly, but admitted some concern about the propriety of the maiden. “This is supposed to be a family event,” he complained.

A few celebrants caught the “Christmas-in-July” spirit by making their own ornaments. Scott Mesoyedz and Ann Simons, visiting from Seattle, said they spent Sunday morning working with scissors, red paper and glitter to fashion three silver-spangled cubes.

“You could say it was more trouble than it was worth,” said Mesoyedz. “I got glitter on my face and in my hair. . . . Still, it was fun.”

Russell and Gibson said they had expected it might be hard to find a Christmas tree this time of year, but they got lucky. Last week, as Russell stopped at a Huntington Beach Christmas tree farm, the firm’s owner stopped by, too. Russell said he was able to buy the tree at a “bargain” rate--$6 a foot, when the usual price is $8 a foot.

All in all, Sunday’s celebrants said, this was a party to remember.

“This is a great party,” said Dee Doubledee, a 30-year-old engineer from Redondo Beach. “And maybe Santa Claus will come. He didn’t come at Christmas.”