Santa's Husband

'Santa's Husband' — A Christmas book that celebrates how normal it is to be different

Illustrated colorfully by Ashley Quach, the book tells the story of Santa and his husband and how they work together, and dance, and play games and occasionally get in arguments before making up over a plate of cookies. Their lives, we see, are little different than most married couples, with the notable exception of feeding flying reindeer and dealing with elf labor disputes.

And that is the beauty of this holiday tale. The fact that Santa Claus is black and gay has little bearing on the story. What it’s really about is accepting that every family sees Christmas in a different way.

“If the book is about anything, it’s about there being room for everybody’s Christmas traditions to be equally valid,” Kibblesmith told me. “And arguing against people who sort of want to keep it for themselves and become outraged when its purity is questioned. More than anything, it’s a Christmas book. It’s really about your own family being unique, and special and having its own unique and special Christmastime.”

In the book, Kibblesmith writes: “Maybe Santa Clauses can come in all shapes and colors and sizes! Just like the families that Santa Claus visits all over the world.”

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