Happy Summer & More on Christmas in July

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Santa has the spirit of Christmas in July
Santa’s whimsical spirit of Christmas in July (Teagan via Playground)

Recently I mentioned hosting a Christmas in July blog hop in celebration of my friends in the Southern Hemisphere.  What got me interested in a celebration that might seem obscure to most of you? Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

Before I saw the “Murder Under the Mistletoe” episode, where Phryne and company go to the mountains to celebrate the event, I thought Christmas in July was just a greedy retail marketing scheme.  Who knew a fun cozy mystery series could teach about other cultures?  But as a kid, I learned a lot from Star Trek, so why not?

What is Christmas in July?

This blog event is meant to be pure fun.  It’s not about the religious aspect of holidays — that’s why I’m making it inclusive for winter holidays.

Click this link for information Christmas in July – Wikipedia.  Most folks in the Northern Hemisphere think of our winter holidays as looking like a stereotypically “white Christmas,” with snow and cold-weather ascetics.  July Christmas celebrations tend to give those living in the Southern Hemisphere (where the calendar puts our “winter holidays” in the summertime) a chance to celebrate with cooler weather and the vibe we think of as Christmasy in the Northern Hemisphere.

For all you planners, I’m posting guidelines below, to give you lots of time. If you already know that you want to participate, then let me know in a comment. 

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Christmas in July Guidelines

Teagan via Playground
Teagan via Playground

I hope to make a blog page just for this event, but for now, here are the general guidelines.

For this blog event you can us Christmas or any secular, cultural, seasonal, or religious holiday that is celebrated around the time of December 25th.  Here are examples.  The earliest I can think of (on the calendar) is Diwali (the Hindu festival of lights), the winter solstice, Hanukkah, even a Meowy Catmas, or other holidays up until December 31st. 

When does it start?

Dates:  Saturday, July 6, 2024 through Wednesday, July 31, 2024

Exclusions

I’m not including winter holidays beginning New Year’s Eve and after, like New Years, Valentine’s Day, or Mardi Gras.  Also note, this does not include Thanksgiving holidays in November. Come on – you know the difference between someone saying “Happy Holidays!” and “Happy Thanksgiving.”

Guidelines

Note that these are guidelines, not hard and fast rules.  Although please use my Christmas in July badge and link back to my blog.

Participation

How will readers find me?

Leave a link to your blog.  I’ll add it to the Christmas in July page.  This will help readers browse the various posts.

You do not have to sign-up in order to take part.  You do not have to participate regularly.

Also if you have a post for the event, you can add a link in a comment on any of my posts, for additional visibility.

Your Posts

Badge and Link

Christmas in July badge

Use my Christmas in July badge somewhere on your blog post. It doesn’t matter where (side, top, bottom) or whether it’s small or large. 

Also include a link to my blog.

Post Content

If you have creative works for sale, written or otherwise, that have to do with a winter holiday or even actual Christmas in July, then by all means, please feature and promote them.

Your content may be new, old, or recycled.

However, having written a story is not a requirement.

If possible, include at least one link to a blog post from someone else who is participating in the event. 

Request

This blog event is meant to be purely fun.  The main reason why I’m hosting it is to encourage a spirit of fun and whimsy.  So many things are sad.  I know we sometimes need to express the darkness and sadness that tortures us.  However, I ask you to please keep your posts lighthearted, with happy endings and fun.  In other words, for heaven’s sake give me something cheerful to read.

Schedule of Optional Events

Use these themes as inspiration or suggestions, rather than requirements.

Since I’m not being strict with rules are dates, this event is basically four weeks long, but if you want to do five, that’s fine too.  Think of the event as a party where we hop over to visit one another.  Or imagine it as being similar to a “progressive dinner party” with courses served at different locations. Here are some ideas for posts, which I will try to follow.

Post 1:  Bring a decoration.  Let your post have something to do with decorating for your winter holiday.

Post 2:  Bring a dish.  Feature a food or drink item that is relevant to the appropriate holiday of your choosing.

Post 3:  Fun & Games.  This can be more personal if you want.  Describe, remanence, or feature something fun, family tradition, game, or similar that (for you) always goes with the holiday.

Post 4:  Round out your Christmas in July celebration however you choose.  Bring in some gratitude. Or maybe you’ve written a multi-part story and you want to conclude it.  Or imagine how you want your holiday to end.  Then again, maybe you choose to just keep celebrating.

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Thanks for visiting.  Wishing each of you a happy summer.  Friendly comments are welcome.  Hugs!

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I must include the obligatory shameless self-promotion.

The Delta Pearl Duology

Universal Purchase Links

Series Link:

Kindle and Paperback:  relinks.me/B0D34H5BYT

The Delta Pearl: A Steampunk Riverboat, Book 1

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0D4NPS5LP

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0D4Q1J94Q

The Geostrophic Pearl:  The Delta Pearl Book 2

Kindle:  relinks.me/B0D4R6MB1Y

Paperback:  relinks.me/B0D4TR686Q

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All images are either the property of the author, or used with permission, or from free sources.

Copyright © 2024 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

All rights reserved.

53 thoughts on “Happy Summer & More on Christmas in July”

  2. Like a progressive dinner party! This sounds fun, Teagan. If any of the good chocolate desserts disappear, it wasn’t me who took them. And I’m sure you totally believe that statement.

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. Thanks for the reminder. I have an idea, but I need to find the references. I do have at least one idea of where to look…I’m writing it down on the to do list.
    I’ll manage at least one post. We all need some smiles! (K)

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. I don’t know if you know, but in one of my former lives I was a sweater designer. I did manage to find photos of some of those tacky Christmas sweaters I designed. I’m sure I can work them into at least one post/poem.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  8. My husband is a huge fan of Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries! As far as I know, we’ve seen every episode, including the one you spoke about. I think it was good of Santa to lose a few pounds before donning his hot weather attire.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I hear that Mrs. Clause always helps him get back into “Santa shape” during the holidays.
      I had to use metered Interned for nearly 2 years (that was all I could get). With very little data on that plan, I bought the entire series on DVD. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  9. Teagan,

    I do have 3 ideas. I think I have time to make one happen.

    I need to mull them over… which one?

    LOVE the image with you and the Scoobies. What fun.

    Take care! I worry about the fires.

    Hugs

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Resa. Still okay here. Here we got some very good rain. However the area where the fires (still) are got an intense storm, so now any place that isn’t on fire is flooding. Mother Nature is a strange and frightening thing.
      I hope you have time to do one of your ideas. Re-running a post is fine too. Hugs winging back to you.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  12. Does sound like fun, Teagan. I may have to do an original story for this one since I don’t have “holiday” things in my past writing. Giving it some deep thought. (Have to be careful about deep thought. For security I have one hand on the present.)

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  13. We need more fun and whimsy in our lives. Great idea. Santa is looking pretty buff, and I love the image of you and your kitties with a summery Christmas tree.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I agree, Tim. It seems like many people just thirst for sad things… But I need bright happy things.
      Daphne aspires to be as tall as her cartoon counterpart. LOL. It kept giving me gigantic ginger cats, or maybe very short redheads… one or the other. Happy Caturday. Hugs.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  18. Thanks, Teagan. I’ll have to give it some thought, and I’m not sure I’ll have the time and imagination to contribute something, but I’m sure I’ll enjoy visiting all the posts. Have a fun weekend and thanks for organising this!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. As a little child, I loved snow, although we didn’t get huge, deep snowfalls. However, as an adult, needing to drive on dangerous roads, and shovel the steps and sidewalks, or dig my car out… I quickly came to hate it. Although the fantasy of it is fun. Thanks for commenting. Hugs from Daphne, Velma, and me.

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