Episode 52 - Is Santa romanceable? (The Truth about Mrs Claus and Stepfather Christmas)

It's almost Christmas and we're in a silly, silly mood. Father Christmas is a wonderful mythological figure with loads of room still to stretch and change and imagine him. Today, we're looking at the women who fall in love with him.

First up, it's a story about finding a place for yourself and your passions within a strong family legacy. The Truth about Mrs Claus, by Meena Harris and illustrated by Keisha Morris is about a little teddy-making elf named Amalia. She comes from a long line of teddy-makers, and there's huge pride in this, but she just... doesn't love making teddies. Could Santa help her? Well, he's not in, but a certain Sarah B. Claus has some nuggets of wisdom to share. With women of colour front and center, this is a sweet story with a strong message about the value of seeing others break the mould when you're trying to find your own way.

Next up, Stepfather Christmas by LD Lapinski. How would you feel if your mum, single for years, suddenly announced she was bringing her boyfriend home to stay over Christmas for two whole weeks? And then, what if he happened to have a white beard, a bit of a belly, wear all red and say "ho ho ho"? Harper is convinced her new stepdad is Father Christmas. How else can you explain all the post? And the amazing hot chocolates? And the reindeer tattoos? This advent story in 25 chapters answers the question : What if you really did see Mummy kissing Santa Claus?

We'll be back with a new season in 2026! If you'd like some bonus content, including both of Nina's advent stories for children, you can join our patreon here.

Another way to support us is to shop our picks on our bookshop here

What A Wonderful Day is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License by Shane Ivers of silvermansound.com