Category: Christmas

Hot Weather & Sweating: Christmas in July?
Christmas · My Thoughts

Hot Weather & Sweating: Christmas in July?

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Christmas in July - hot

Hot July weather! How about a transport to a cooler time of year like Christmas? Yes, Christmas is months away, but some advertising genius came up with the idea of “Christmas in July,” so how about a snowball fight?

How Did Christmas in July Start? Was it Too Counterbalance the Hot Weather?

Baby, it's warm outside - hot

I found two interesting stories on the internet vying about the origination of this idea.

“Christmas in July’s meaning is simply to share joy and recreate the wonderful feeling of Christmastime. In the United States, the idea was born in a girls’ camp out of creativity and enthusiasm for the holiday. In Europe and Australia, apart from the strong fervor for the holiday spirit, this occasion is also related to the weather. Europeans longed for the coolness of December, while Australians associated their July winter with the cold Christmases of countries in the Northern Hemisphere.”

https://www.balsamhill.com/inspiration/all-about-christmas-in-july

“The U.S. Post Office and U.S. Army and Navy officials, in conjunction with the American advertising and greeting card industries, threw a Christmas in July luncheon in New York in 1944 to promote an early Christmas mailing campaign for service men overseas during World War II.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_July#Origins

So, whoever thought it up—thank you because as a relief from the hot weather, Christmas in July gives us a focal respite.

So, kick off your shoes, grab a cool ice-cold drink and let’s look at a cold chapter in my book, Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir.

Chapter Fourteen

CHRISTMAS CAROLING IN MY TWENTIES

I continued the Christmas caroling activity from my youth into my twenties. My ex-husband (let’s call him Rudolph) and I moved to Loveland, Colorado in the late 70s and attended All Saints Episcopal Church. At that time, several couples our age attended our church, and we did lots of activities together. And our whole church was very active.

When Christmas came around our first year there, someone suggested Christmas caroling. Immediately I returned to my caroling experience in Branson, Colorado, and I whole-heartedly agreed, “Let’s do it!”

Cold feet - hot

Someone from the congregation provided a flatbed trailer, and we stacked bales of hay on it to sit on. The much-anticipated night arrived, and I layered and bundled up! Yes, this would be fantastic.

I loved the multi-generational participation of our church. We had older people, teenagers, and young couples with their children. We had all ages!

I knew it was cold, but singing familiar Christmas songs and the fellowship warmed me through and through—until we stopped in front of a bank and saw the temperature on its marquee: six degrees below zero! I heard a collective gasp as we realized how cold it was! At the sight of that thermometer, the songs and fellowship no longer warmed us.

See, Loveland is about 250 miles north of Branson, where I grew up, and that makes a lot of difference in the weather. In Loveland, we got lots more snow and colder weather. When I thought of Christmas caroling, I thought of the cold of south‐ eastern Colorado, not northern Colorado.

Immediately, my face froze. My fingers and toes tingled, and I gasped—six degrees below zero! Numb and painful!

Others near me stomped their feet and seemed to react to the low temperature. We still had several stops before hot chocolate and cookies.

Pulling my snow cap down over my ears, I snuggled close to the people sitting next to me. Then I wrapped my scarf around my head and mouth. Turning to my friend next to me, I only saw eyes peeping through her cap and scarf; we laughed at our get-ups. So, I pulled the wool blanket draped over my legs up to my chin.

I continued singing my familiar Christmas songs as best I could, even though I started to shiver with the cold, but I noticed our singing had become muffled. I looked around, and everyone with a scarf had it wrapped around their mouths. Children had moved in close to their parents, seeking warmth and comfort. Somehow, those familiar songs didn’t warm me the way they did before I knew how cold it was outside!

I suffered through the rest of the evening, but the extreme cold made the reward of the hot chocolate and cookies at the end that much more warming and delicious. After warming up when the crowd dispersed, a festive air remained. But I still shudder at that thermometer reading and the hours I sat on that trailer, cold to the bone! Yet I was happy out Christmas caroling!

Group out in the cold - hot

That was the last time I did Christmas caroling outside in the cold, sitting on a bale of hay. I have moved to a warmer part of the world—New Mexico—but caroling never came up here. I cherish that memory from so long ago, but not the cold!

Larada Horner-Miller, Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir, (Horner Publishing Company, 2023), 63-66.

Finally,

Hot, hot, hot

So, did that help the heat right now in July during this run of hot weather? Six degrees below zero! Hopefully, you enjoyed a cool drink, sitting in your air-conditioned living room, and felt relief.

If you haven’t bought this book yet, I’m running a “Christmas in July Special” on the e-book as an early Christmas gift—FREE—from July 16-20. So head on over to Amazon this Tuesday for a great deal to counterbalance the hot weather! If you forget on Tuesday, you can go Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday!

Check out my recent interview at Southwest Writers.

Buy My Audio Books:

This Tumbleweed Landed

This Tumbleweed Landed audiobook cover

Let Me Tell You a Story 

Let Me Tell You a Story audiobook cover

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Memoir Audiobook

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir audiobook cover

Enjoy my interview on the podcast, The Writing Table

I Witnessed Branson’s Birth!
Christmas · family · My Thoughts

I Witnessed Branson’s Birth!

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
I witnessed Branson's birth
Branson Layne

IIn 2009, I witnessed the birth of my great nephew, Branson Layne. This special event has connections back to July 2005. Here’s what happened!

In July 2005, my sister-in-law died. At the time, her youngest daughter was pregnant with her first child, due in October. My niece asked me if I would come and be with her when her baby came the evening of her mom’s memorial service—to step in for her mom! In a mixture of sorrow and joy, tears and laughter, I said, “YES!”

To understand the importance of this for me, I have no children. So, this offered me the experience of childbirth—yes, from an observer’s point-of-view, but a full view of the experience, and the opportunity to assist my dear niece.

So, I saved my Southwest points so I could fly to California at the drop of hat. As her due date neared, I packed a bag to be ready! I was so excited! At 6:00 AM on October 4, 2005, I got the call. Her water broke—it was here! Immediately, I booked a flight with my points, got to the airport and flew away, hoping to be there on time. I’m the eternal optimist!

The sad news: I landed in Sacramento, California when he came, and they lived a couple hours away, so no first-hand experience with his birth. However, I did enjoy being there within hours of his birth. Also, I stayed several days to help out as best I could, and I loved it!

Fast forward, four years. My niece announced her pregnancy of her second child and had two possible due dates—December 19 & 21 because he was measuring “big.” Again, she asked me to be present at his birth—this looked promising. Being a teacher, I got out of school for Christmas break, Friday, December 18. I didn’t want to miss this one.

So, I flew out that weekend, and the waiting game began. Her due dates came and went. Her husband and I walked her around Walmart to get things stirred up. No, not yet. My poor niece looked miserable. We had pizza; we walked. We did everything we could think of to bring that baby out, but nothing worked.

Christmas 2009 came and went. My brother and I attended Midnight Mass at the Catholic church in their small town on Christmas Eve. What a memorable night that was! I barely remember Christmas day, with my eyes and heart glued on my niece.

December 26 passed by slowly at a snail’s pace. My niece had been told that they would induce the baby on December 27 and to be at the hospital at 8:00 AM. She had trouble sleeping that night, so excited, so they arrived there at 7:30 AM. As soon as she got her hospital gown on, she felt a huge “pop.” She said it felt like a champagne bottle uncorking. Her water broke and it was starting.

My niece's husband continued to walk her - I witness
My niece’s husband continued to walk her

My brother and I got the phone call we’d been waiting for. I grabbed my camera and off to the hospital we went. Even though her water broke, her husband continued walking her! Her painful agony broke my heart—such pain. Shortly support arrived: my nephew’s wife and a close girlfriend. Both of these women supported her through the birth process. My nephew sat out in the waiting room with his two young daughters with my brother. I took a seat in the background, in awe, and took lots of pictures because I wanted to have a record of this event.

Originally my niece asked for no epidural prior to the birth as a part of her birth plan, however she begged for one in the midst of it all because of the severe pain, but our little boy came too quickly so she was able to have him without it.

My niece had a wonderful relationship with her doctor which made it all so much better. When Branson was born, the doctor allowed me to move in close and take amazing pictures. What an absolute miracle birth is! I had never realized how thick the umbilical cord is!

Branson came into the world screaming—such a welcoming sound when you’re waiting for a baby to be born. And the whole birth wasn’t as bloody as I thought it would be! The nurse gave him to his momma to cuddle close. Then the nurse took him aside to a place with bright lights to do all the necessary tasks for a new born—clean him up some, put salve in his eyes and measure him. They let me photograph it all! I was in heaven. This big strapping boy weighed in at 9 pounds, 6 ounces! She also measured his head—interesting! And he continued to cry!

After all the necessary medical things, his dad held him for the first time, admiring his new son. Then his auntie held him and thrilled at him. They brought his four-year-old brother in to see him for the first time and the meeting was precious! Our family and the young couple’s friends surrounded our new born Branson. Finally, I got to hold him—what a miracle! Following me, my brother—Poppa got to hold his new grandson!

It was time for Branson to feed, so my niece put him to her breast for his first feeding. Then another friend came by.

Branson's First Bath with Aunt Larada - I witnessed
Branson’s First Bath with Aunt Larada

Then they gave him his first bath and he screamed some more. The parade of relatives continued when another uncle and aunt came to meet his new nephew. And his other grandad came also. This was truly a family celebration!

It all felt so surreal to watch this unfold before me—Branson’s birth and the expression of love and celebration by so many.

We brought Branson home the next day, and family continued to surround them with love. Then on December 31, 2009, he ended up back in the hospital with jaundice. They put him under certain medical rays in a “blue box” to combat the jaundice, protecting his eyes with covers. My niece and I spent the night in the hospital with him, and we donned silly 2010 sunglasses trying to stay positive. Branson was released the next day—New Year’s Day.

In the blue box with eyes covered
My niece and I celebrate New Year’s Eve in the hospital
Branson’s yellow eye

The day I left, our family met at their favorite restaurant, and we celebrated our new youngster. I choked up, not wanting to leave this family and their two boys!

Aunt Larada with Jace, Branson’s older brother
Aunt Larada with Branson–sad to leave!

Now fourteen years later, as I prepared for this blog, I so enjoyed going back through my pictures and reliving this special time for me. This young couple gave me a gift of a lifetime—seeing Branson’s birth touched me deeply and quieted a deep sadness I’d felt for so many years.

Finally, I witnessed Branson’s birth, certainly a privilege. Have you ever witnessed a birth? If so, how did you feel?

Here’s Branson above the town of Branson, Colorado at the Saddlerock picnic area in 2022! Just an aside—he’s named after the town I grew up in—Branson, Colorado!

Branson, 2022 - I witnessed
Branson, 2022
Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir - I witnessed

~ Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir available in audiobook format. On sale for $2.99 until January 6, 2024 at:

~Shop at my Shopify store for six more days to end my 12 Days of Christmas Blow Out Sale. Email me at larada@laradasbooks.com to see what book is 50% off for what day!

Our Christmas Letter: A Busy Year!
Christmas · Germany · My Thoughts · Scotland

Our Christmas Letter: A Busy Year!

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Our Christmas letter - header

Our Christmas letter overflows with our busy year! We traveled to Scotland in May and Germany in September. Throughout the rest of the year, we kept busy with our two passions: Lin’s gardens and my books!

May in Scotland

Lin & Larada in Scotland -

Edinburgh, Scotland – notice my nose!

Lin and I enjoyed two amazing trips this year: Scotland in May & Germany in September. In May, we went with two square dance couples on a 12-day tour, Backroads of Scotland, and we saw some amazing sites. 

We started in Edinburgh and went in a couple days early so we could visit the city on our own. I had a nasty fall, and my face ended up badly bruised and skinned, but I didn’t miss a beat! 

The tour took us to some amazing places: St. Andrews and it’s famous golf course and then on north to Inverness. The historic site of Culloden fascinated me with its brutal Scottish history. We went on to Loc Ness but didn’t see the monster. From Thurso, we rode a ferry to the Orkney Islands. We visited the village of Skara Brae and the mysterious Ring of Brodgar. We also revisited  a small chapel built by Italian prisoners during World War II. Lin and I originally saw it in 2019. The next day, we enjoyed a sunny day over the sea to the isle of Skye and saw “Hairy Coos,” the red long-haired cattle gracing the hillsides. On we went to Glencoe, another  site of historic significance. We ended our tour on the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond and on to Glasgow.

We extended our trip in Glasgow and had a delightful time with an international friend of mine, Eleanor, from my meditation group. Eleanor and her husband, Jim, hosted an evening in their home with delicious food, hearty conversation and Jim entertaining us on the guitar. The next day, Jim and Eleanor showed us some of their favorite places in Glasgow! 

We connected with our Scottish heritage along the way! What a trip!

September in Germany

Reit im Winkl, Germany� - Our Christmas Newsletter

Reit im Winkl, Germany

Lin and I had signed up for a 14-day square dance trip to Germany with a square dance caller from Tucson in 2020 which was canceled because of COVID. We finally made it and what a fabulous trip! We flew into Munich and then stayed in Grassau, a small town ideally situated between all of our destinations, so we never had to change rooms! I liked that! We did day trips out of Grassau and returned each evening, square dancing often.

First, we visited Amerang Farmers’ Museum, and the next day we went to Berchtesgaden and went down in the Salt Mines, going down two slides to get to the bottom. We also visited Eagle’s Nest, Hitler’s hideaway. How eerie it was to think he had been there.

A major highlight of the trip was visiting the Munich Oktoberfest! It’s a major carnival and beer party. I loved the oompah music and the enthusiasm of the participants. During the tour, we visited two of King Ludwig’s castles: one on Herrenchiemsee Island and the famous Neuschwanstein castle. I loved the village of Oberammergau where I bought Lin a cuckoo clock for his birthday. It was back to Munich the next day. Timed perfectly, we headed to the Marienplatz to see and hear the Glockenspiel. We ended up at the Hofbrauhaus and sat right across from the band—and enjoyed sauerkraut and sausage!

The next day it was on to Innsbruck, Austria. The mountains surround the city—no wonder it’s a winter sport paradise. Then we visited a beautiful mountain village: Reit im Winkl and enjoyed a Bavarian Traditional Schuhplattlers Show that night with dancers of all ages! They are keeping their traditional dances alive!

Next day, we headed to Salzburg, Austria and I felt Julie Andrews and the “Sound of Music” all around me. We visited the fortress on the hill and experienced the thrilling sound of the church bells when they rang out together  in the late afternoon. We ended the evening at a Salzburg Mozart Dinner Concert!  

Both of us would return in a heart beat we had such a great time!

Life at Home with the Millers

Lin's garden & Larada's new book

Lin continues to enjoy his garden! We hosted our second Annual Garden Party, and what a joy it was to show off all his hard work. Lin also enjoys his sports teams: the Liverpool soccer team and Philadelphia Eagles. We had the pleasure of going to the NFL Experience in Phoenix, AZ in February before the Super Bowl. His good friends, Bob and Linda, hosted us and we had a blast seeing the Super Bowl rings display, and Lin had his picture taken with the Eagles’ cheerleaders.

Larada continues to write and has released her seventh book, Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir. She just finished recording an audiobook of it in her make-shift recording studio in their walk-in closet. She also received a second New Mexico/Arizona book award for Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? in the self-help category. Larada and Lin also enjoys trips their family ranch as often as they can!

They continue to square dance as much as possible and still host the Hot August Nights square and round dance festival. They just did their 17th year!

Sad to say, they lost their cat, Jesse, this year. He was 20-years-old and had feline diabetes. Jesse had been failing for over a year. He died in October while Larada was at the ranch—what a loss for both of them!

Our Christmas letter summarizes our year every year and is a delight to write! I hope you enjoy reading it!

Do you do a Christmas letter? Do you like receiving them?

50% off - Our Christmas letter

Celebrate Christmas & the 12 Days of Christmas with me and big savings at my Shopify store, Larada’s Bookstore: 50 off individual each day, starting with

  • Christmas Day – This Tumbleweed Landed – Discount Code: TTL50%OFF
  • December 26 – Hair on Fire: A Heatwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir – Discount Code: Hair50%OFF

Keep an eye out until January 6th for daily 50% off specials!

A Risk: Writing A Christian Memoir?
Audiobooks · Christianity · Christmas · My Thoughts

A Risk: Writing A Christian Memoir?

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Risk

A risk in writing? When I wrote my Christmas memoir, I never thought it would be a risk, a Christian memoir, but it was. Let’s see why.

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”

~T. S. Eliot

Writing about Christmas for me had to be about my Christian beliefs, but what a risk it was. Many people today don’t want to make the connection between Christmas and Christ. It’s Santa Claus, gift exchanges and a big holiday meal. My new book, Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming Christmas Memoir focuses on my beliefs.

When I was writing it, I never realized how much of it focused on my beliefs until I reread it to do the audiobook. Then I realized my focus—isn’t that funny? My Christian beliefs come naturally—I don’t think about them separately. So I didn’t write it with that in mind, yet that’s what it became. As I’ve promoted it, I realized the Christian focus more so.

As I’ve thought about my writing and my Christian beliefs, I’ve realized my God is present in most of them. In my book, This Tumbleweed Landed, I mention going to church in my little country church in Branson, Colorado as a child and that’s where I met Jesus and my faith began. Also, in my grief and growth memoir, A Time to Grow Up: A Daughter’s Grief Memoir, I reference the Higher Power I found in recovery. Surprisingly, my faith grew deeper during the pandemic and I recorded my spiritual journey in Coronavirus Reflections: Bitter or Better? So, I’m not new to this risk.

My faith has wavered over the years, especially when my first husband divorced me in my late twenties. Because of that, we lost the baby we had been waiting three years to adopt. Devastated, I turned my back on God for many years, but then I found a new, deeper faith in recovery. Recovery gave me permission to find a God of my understanding, so I took years to identify my God, a loving, caring Jesus who resembled a dark-skinned man I could turn to in any situation. Also, I found a new church home, Hope in the Desert Episcopal Church, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I have gone deeper on my spiritual path.

But in this Christmas book, I opened up the topic totally. I risked, unknowingly, and I am proud of the statement I made. I feature a couple of chapters, focusing on Mary and Joseph in the birth of Christ. Throughout the book, Jesus peeks out often—I love that.

In this crazy world, where people either share too freely their religious beliefs and try to strong-arm you and then convert you. Or others who quietly live their beliefs every day, changing their world with their presence and actions. I took a risk, the in-between road, and shared deeply about how much I have placed Jesus in the middle of my Christmas celebration and my life.

Finally, I took a risk, and it paid off. Do you risk sharing your religious beliefs? If, not why? If so, what happens?

Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir - risk

~ Hair on Fire: A Heartwarming & Humorous Christmas Memoir available in audiobook format: