Nothing Says Romance Like A Sleigh Ride

By Kimberly Grist

While researching my new release, A Sleigh Ride for Georgia, I was reminded of "One Horse Open Sleigh" by James Lord Pierpont. The sleighing song was first published in 1857 and originally written for Thanksgiving. It became associated with winter and Christmas in the 1860s and 1870s. In the 1880s, it was featured in various parlor songs and college anthologies. Its popularity increased as the song became known as "Jingle Bells."

https://americanheritageusa.com/new-designs-and-images/jingle-bells-sheet-music-open-sleigh-ride/

To a potential mail-order bride and native to Tennessee, Georgia is thrilled when the man she is corresponding with entices her with the promise of sleigh rides. “My heart is full as I dream of experiencing our courtship in person. I look forward to the sleigh ride you promised, where we will speed across the snowy landscape underneath a thousand stars sparkling against the midnight sky.”

She can well imagine snuggling underneath multiple blankets and embracing the serene beauty of the snow-white fields as they make their way to her new home. The ride is smooth, the landscape looks bright and clean, and the jingling sleigh bells make the ride feel magical. 

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Winter_Sleigh_Ride_with_Mountains_in_Background_by_Charles_E._Beckett.jpg

There's No Magic to It - Sleigh Bells More Practical than Romantic.

Sleigh runners gliding over the snow traveled quickly without making a sound. Horse harness bells were introduced to warn others on the road about the approach of a sleigh. The use of bells was considered so important that many states passed laws requiring their use. Eventually, sleigh bells became a symbol of status and wealth, and they were used as decorations on horse harnesses and tack to display the owner's wealth. Some vendors also used bells on conveyances to signal they were in the area, much like our modern ice cream truck.

https://www.authorsden.com/ArticlesImage/83745.jpg

Like Georgia, we may consider riding in a horse-drawn sleigh romantic. Still, in their day, their usage was primarily utilitarian, necessary to get around on business or errands or to church on snow-covered roads. An essential tool, sleighs had to be removed from storage when the snow began falling; in Spring, they were washed and stored away. An early winter visit to the blacksmith or farrier was necessary for your horse or team because studs were needed on horseshoes to get through the snow.


https://www.northcountryatwork.org/archive-items/240/

New Release: A Sleigh Ride for Georgia
Free on Kindle Unlimited

Abandoned as a child, Georgia knows first-hand the results of chasing rainbows, searching for the proverbial pot of gold. That same lure called her father to California, leaving her to grow up in a children’s home. Even though she knows that there is little value in depending on anyone but herself, buried in her heart is the dream of her own happily ever after – a husband and family. Desperate, she accepts the advice of her pastor and applies to a matchmaking agency. If only someone would look past her inadequacies and see her potential, she would devote herself to ensuring his happiness and love him wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, she is out of time.

“Who was it that said desperate times demand desperate measures? The Lord forgive me if I’m wrong, but the next letter I write, I’m omitting the fact that I limp.” 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D32LX394

Livery owner Joshua Jenkins admittedly enjoys horses more than people. Since his father and stepmother’s premature death, his focus expanded to caring for his younger sisters. The last thing he needs is a wife. Unfortunately, his family thinks differently and interceded on his behalf.

"It was my family's idea to invite this woman to marry me under false pretenses. Now, they need to help get me out of this mess. I don't have time for romance. I'm sure not about to traipse around on a star-gazing sleigh ride. My sleighs are for renting out to the locals or hauling heavy loads. The only time I venture out in the winter at night is for an emergency."

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Fans of historical romance set in the late 19th -century will enjoy stories combining, History, Humor, and Romance, emphasizing Faith, Friends, and Good, Clean Fun.

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