Birthdays and Holidays and Books (Oh My!)

July is always a little crazy. Not as chaotic as December or May, mind you, but close. We have several birthdays (including mine tomorrow), Independence Day, and loads of summer activities for starters. Since becoming an author, I’ve had fun adding bookish events such the FaithBooks Free Book Blast and Christmas in July to the already jam-packed month too.

As I write this, my youngest daughter is having a birthday party with the youth group from our church. I’m listening to the soundtrack of teenage laughter as they play crazy games and eat chicken nuggets like they’re going out of style (spoiler alert—they aren’t and never will LOL). While the introverts in the house are struggling with the invasion, I’m in my happy place. I love having people in my home enjoying themselves, eating well, and lifting one another up in unconventional ways. Birthdays aren’t an over-the-top occasion for us, but we always try to find personal ways to make the honoree feel special.

A week and a half ago, our home was filled with extended family celebrating my in-laws’ 50th wedding anniversary. It was such a blessing to celebrate their marriage and the impact they’ve had on so many people over the years. And then, in between those two parties, we had family here for the night of Independence Day. Each event was different in terms of the work put in, stress level, guests, menu, and even the overall vibe. And yet all three had one thing in common: love of family. (Okay, and we ate too much. Every. Single. Time.)

In my youth, we didn’t often have a big extended family to celebrate these not-so-everyday occasions with. Our relations were spread across the US and none of us had the financial freedom to travel except every few years for a centrally located reunion (which was always a great time). When I married into a family with locally based roots branching out as deep and wide as the city itself, those first few years were overwhelming. We found ourselves setting boundaries and becoming protective of our nuclear family when it came to celebrating both big holidays and smaller ones. Finding balance between the extremes was a key part of those early marriage and parenting years.

Now, we’ve established our traditions. We’ve gained some experience. And we’ve grown more comfortable opening our home (at least, I have. My poor introvert hubby doesn’t always handle it so well). Our house has become the landing pad, the gathering place, the holiday zone. Maybe not for every event, but for a lot of them. It’s a blessing, this home of ours, which is less about the walls and what fills them and more about how we love, how we come together, how we pour into one another. Like I said, it’s my happy place.

You know, until the pandemic, I never really liked Christmas in July. Back then, Christmas was more than a little overwhelming. Demanding. A season of stress. Yes, we did what we could to keep Christ at the forefront, but inevitably with our massive extended family, three children, school/church/extracurricular activities, work, donations, projects, programs, blah blah blah, there was a lot going on in December. I thought, why would I want to taint my summer with that kind of insanity and stress? It’s better now, as we’ve gotten older and come through the pandemic with a greater appreciation for slowing down. But Christmastime can still be… well, a lot.

Now in July (though as I’ve established is still a little crazy) we don’t have quite so many demands. It’s summer where we live. I can catch up on sleep (praise God for the ability to stay home with my kids, I know not everyone is able to or wants to do so). I can move at a slower pace than during the school year (maybe not this year, but usually LOL). I can read more (yay!) and write more (double yay!). And I can finally carve out a little more time to celebrate my Christmas books. And READ Christmas books. It’s hot here right now, so reading about snow and chilly winter air is an escape. And I have a friend Down Under who’s said she enjoys Christmas books in July because that’s when it’s winter for her. So either way, it makes sense!

Plus, I mean, who doesn’t love sprinkling a little more Christmas love throughout the year? It’s like attending a midweek service or Bible study—sometimes we need a reminder of what God has done for us to keep us going through the second half. This year, I am all in for Christmas in July. Let’s make it a real thing!

Let’s share the love of Christ. Do nice things for people we forget to do other times of year. Revel in the beauty of the season we’re in. Think about others more than we think of ourselves. Do all the things we want to do and try to do in December!

And buy more books. LOL! Because it’s fun. And there are, like, a gazillion book sales happening right now.

Including SEVEN of my books offered for 99¢ or less. WHY did I put 7 books on sale? I’m glad you asked. 1) Because it’s Christmas in July; and 2) Because tomorrow is my birthday and I like giving people things; and 3) Because today we’re talking BIRTHDAYS and HOLIDAYS and BOOKS (oh my)!

If you haven’t yet joined my reader community, be sure to head over to https://jayceeweaver.com/newsletter and sign up. You’ll receive a lovely little book for free right away and then be among the first to know when I have crazy sales like this or new books available.

Before I sign off, I’d like to hear from you! How can YOU celebrate Christmas this month, despite the official holiday being nearly half a year away? (I mean, does it really matter when the official holiday is, since Christ was not actually born in December, but sometime in March or April?) What’s one way you can bring a little Christmas joy to those around you right now? I can’t wait to read your answers and chat in the comments.

Until next time,

PS — If you’re looking for a LOT of clean, inspirational Christmas books without having to spend a fortune, you can click HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE for some fantastic no-signup-required promos! Disclaimer: I haven’t read every single author in these lists, so please read descriptions and choose at your own discretion. They all do claim to have only clean/wholesome/sweet/inspirational/Christian content.