This year I started to wonder. Is Christmas in July only something from the Southern Hemisphere or is there a tradition of it in the United States?
I think of countries like Australia and Argentina when Christmas in July is mentioned. While I enjoy summer in Michigan, peope in the Southern Hemisphere are experiencing winter. Little wonder they might celebrate Christmas in July.
However, when I began my research, I discovered something surprising. Christmas in July is a tradition in the United States, one that began at Keystone Camp in the 1930s.
Fannie Holt was co-founder of a girls' camp in Brevard, North Carolina.
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| https://web.extension.illinois.edu/treehouse/seasons.cfm?Slide=6 |
The whimsical woman, or so Fanny Holt is described in Southern Living, wanted the campers to be able to experience the holiday together. Snow made from cotton, a decorated tree, carolers, and even a visit from Santa Claus were all a part of that first Christmas in July. It became a regular event for the camp.
(https://www.southernliving.com/holidays-occasions/christmas/how-did-christmas-july-start)
The phrase 'Christmas in July' entered into the American vocabulary after the release of the movie with that title. Now, it is useful to stores, a way to pull in shoppers for early, early Christmas shopping.
For me, Christmas in July is a chance to share my latest Christmas novel with readers:
A woman desperate to begin again. A man who longs for connection. Only a baby stands in the way of their happily ever after.
For Charlotte Reynolds, life is a constant struggle since the start of the war. The end of the war did not stop her problems. Instead, she loses her home and most of her family is gone. Her sister’s death after birthing her son deepens Charlotte’s longing for family.
Suddenly, she can no longer stay in the home she and her sister rented. With a newborn to care for and the cool weather of winter in the offing, Charlotte seizes on the chance to marry a man in the West. The only catch is she must marry him sight unseen in a proxy ceremony. She will face any obstacle to keep her nephew safe, even marry a Yankee!
Butch Whaley needs a woman’s chatter to get through the winter. The previous year he nearly went mad spending the season by himself on his ranch. He had always heard women talked a lot, so he decided a wife would bring a guaranteed end his loneliness.
Only, he wants a wife without encumbrances. A woman who has never been married would suit him best. He is working hard to establish his ranch. He did not intend for stepchildren to inherit it. No, it would not be like what happened when Pa left his store to his stepson Richard instead of to Butch.
When he risks being caught in a snowstorm to collect his Christmas bride, he receives a shock. The woman arrives with a baby she says is hers.
Will Butch honor the promise he made when he signed the proxy form or will he lose out on future happiness because of past hurt?
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| Available July 3, 2024. |
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