Hippie Christmas is a Madison, WI, “holiday”.
According to the site City Dictionary, it’s:
This is August 15 and a few days on either side. When all the leases in the central city turn over at the same time, many students and other renters leave vast piles of unwanted belongings on the curb as they change apartments. These items are often taken home by others as the population garbage picks the piles. When someone asks where you got an item, you reply “Hippie Christmas.”
You can find furniture, beds, kitchen items, etc. But…they’re on the curb. And they’re dirty and smelly. And I can attest – dogs don’t ignore the items–if you catch my drift.
You can find everything from a stove to a sombrero. Bath towels to a tea pot. Ew.
My favorite is the picture that looks like a living room is set up in a parking lot! Sometimes students have to wait a day to move into their new apartment so they sleep outdoors–in the front yard of the new place.
Yesterday while out and about I took a few photos to share Hippie Christmas (Instagramed-style):
Apples and Arteries 
Hahahaha hippie christmas sounds awesome. I would totally pick up some free stuff!
That’s pretty funny!
That’s pretty cool! Pretty leave stuff that’s up for grabs on the street all the time in SF, but it would be neat if there was a day when you could expect it.
That’s crazy and cool! Wow, I have never heard of anything like this! Did you pick up anything?
Nothing for me–I think I should’ve mentioned that 99% of the stuff is just dirty!!
Ah the excitement of a college town… lol
We had that in Columbia (Mizzou), too, but it was over the last week of July because most people had to be out of their places between the 28-31st. Won’t lie… my roommate and I definitely had to drag couches to the curb and saw neighbors dragging them off a few hours later.
Haha this is awesome! Gotta love Madison!
I need a hippie Christmas for my bare apartment! So bad!