Happy Christmas in July! Welcome to the 2022 Christmas in July Reader Blog Tour & Giveaway, which runs July 15-22, 2022 (contest closes at 8 p.m. Eastern on 7/22). At the bottom of each author’s blog post, you will find the name of a Christmas song. Write them all down and provide all the song titles (26 in total) on this Google form. Click here for a list of all participating authors and their links!
Note: You must grab all the song titles from every author in the 2022 Christmas in July Reader Blog Tour & Giveaway to be eligible to win the grand prize of a $520 Amazon gift card, plus a copy of each participating author’s book OR first place prize of a copy of each participating author’s book. At the end of this blog post is a link to the next blog, and so on, to the final blog post (26 authors in all).
I’m an Aussie who lives in the Southern Hemisphere, and we celebrate Christmas in the middle of summer. Christmas in July is fun to celebrate in Australia because it’s winter here with frosty mornings and the potential for snow. I live in Canberra, Australia, and we get excited to see snow fall and actually stay on the ground for a few hours. A white Christmas in July is a rare and special treat.
In Seaside Christmas, my novella set in Sydney, Australia, my characters enjoy an Aussie-style summer Christmas. I grew up on the northern beaches in Sydney where Seaside Christmas is set. When I was younger, my family would spend Christmas Day at my aunt and uncle’s home across the road from the beach. After a delicious hot Christmas lunch with roast turkey and all the trimmings, I’d head to the beach with my cousins and enjoy swimming in the ocean. I cherish those wonderful Christmas memories from my childhood.
Here’s the book description for Seaside Christmas:
Chelsea Somers is the girl he never called back.
Six years later, former bad boy Gus Donovan is intrigued by Chelsea, but his past mistakes continue to haunt him. Gus is determined to prove he’s a changed man—prove it to his friends, his family, his father. And prove it to Chelsea.
Chelsea has embraced the faith she once mocked, and she’s focused on furthering her career in health promotion and staying away from politics. She’s drawn to Gus, although his busy role as an advisor for an Australian senator doesn’t impress her. When she’s forced to confront her fears and deal with a past family tragedy, can Gus convince her to trust him and take a chance on him?
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Have you experienced a summer or winter Christmas at the beach? Does it snow where you live at Christmas? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please let me know in the blog comments.
Now, it’s time for my Christmas song title: White Christmas
Save the holiday song titles from each of the 26 blog stops, and when you reach the final blog, enter all the song titles on this form for a chance to win the grand prize of a $520 Amazon gift card and a copy of each participating author’s featured book OR first prize of a copy of each participating author’s featured book.
Thank you so much for visiting! The next author on the tour is Izzy James and her Christmas book, Rita. You can find it at this link. Remember, the 2022 Christmas in July Reader Blog Tour & Giveaway ends July 22 at 8 PM EST!
I lived for many years in NH with lots of snow for Christmas, but now that I am retired we spend Christmas somewhere warm. We now have a tradition to go to the beach on Christmas eve and build a “snowman” in the sand.
Hi Kimberly, Your snowman tradition at the beach at Christmas sounds fun! Thanks for stopping by. 😊
I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast where there are lots of beaches. It never snows here. I would love to travel someplace and see a real snowstorm.
Hi Margie, I’ve never seen a real snowstorm, either. It’s a rare occurrence in Australia unless we’re visiting the ski fields at the right time during winter. Thanks for stopping by. 😊
I lived in South Carolina, And while we are not guaranteed snow each winter, we usually get at least a little bit of snow or ice.
Hi Patty, We have frosty mornings, and so far this winter we haven’t seen any snow. I live in hope! Thanks for stopping by. 😊
Hey, Narelle. Most of our Christmases are on the cold side. Here in southeast Nebraska, we often don’t have snow. Growing up in the northeastern part of the state almost guaranteed a white Christmas.
Hi LoRee, One day I’d love to experience a real white Christmas in December. Thanks for stopping by. 😊
I live in west Texas, so every once in a while we will get snow on Christmas, which I love . One year I was in Puerto Rico on Christmas, no snow for sure, but it was very nice how they celebrate Christmas, I really loved it there.
Hi Alicia, I’ve seen photos of Puerto Rico, and it looks like a lovely place to visit for Christmas. Thanks for stopping by. 😊
No have not spend Christmas at the beach. It’s mainly rainy and chilly. OR warm and sun out here during Christmas day. We did one Christmas get just snow flakes that melted as they landed on the ground but the kiddo was thrilled to see them while they were falling down.
Hi Keren, It would be so fun to see snowflakes falling on Christmas Day! I usually check the weather forecast to decide if I’ll make a hot or cold Christmas dinner. Last Christmas was cooler than usual, but some years our temps can be 100F or higher. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I lived in Florida for 21 years and had many a Christmas on the beach but I missed the white Christmas from my home state of WV and have loved them when we have them here now that I have moved back home. Going to Australia is definitely on my bucket list!
Hi Lisa, I hope you’ll have an opportunity to visit Australia! Our Christmas weather would be similar to the parts of Florida that stay warm during winter. I remember being surprised to learn that it can snow in Florida. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Yes it does snow sometimes at Christmas. In Wisconsin
Hi Donamae, A white Christmas in Wisconsin would be a lovely treat to experience. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I live in Mississippi. We do not as a rule have snow at Christmas. Though I don’t live near the beach, it is not unusual for us to be wearing short sleeves or at least lightweight long sleeves.
Hi Shirley, It’s nice that your Christmas weather can sometimes be warmer than usual. Thanks for stopping by. 😊
Florida, so no snow, at any point. We get a few bitingly cold days before Christmas, usually an 80 degree rainy Christmas Day, and then as soon as New Year’s comes, it is finally winter for about 2 months- and often cold enough for snow. Our area did get a tornado downtown one Christmas morning. And because it was Christmas, people were awake and home, and no one died 🙂 !
Your Christmases sound unique and interesting- like your book 🙂 !
Hi Madie, Oh my, a tornado on Christmas morning in winter is not good. I’m glad no lives were lost. Back in 1974 in Australia, we had a terrible category 5 cyclone hit Darwin (far north) on Christmas Day. Almost fifty years later, Cyclone Tracy is still considered one of the worst cyclones due to the number of lives lost and the direct hit on the city of Darwin. A mild Florida Christmas sounds lovely. Thanks for stopping by. 😊