Christmas in July?
It’s not even July yet! What am I, crazy?
So, I’m taking a bit of a two week ‘vacation’ from the devotional for a number of reasons. First and foremost, I try to stay two weeks ahead of schedule with each devotion and I’ve found myself lagging a bit. I want to have some time to get some more of them written and scheduled for release before proceeding. Second, is a much bigger reason. I’m currently working on steps to become a church planter in Northeast Florida with the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission’s Board (NAMB)! That’s super exciting and is taking quite a bit of time in prayer and preparation, not to mention applications, background checks, and all that jazz. And finally, I’m taking a bit of a two week vacation to complete some finishing touches to my upcoming book ‘The Case for Kringle: God’s Christmas Missionary’, which is scheduled for release on July 15!
“Um, Kent?” You might be asking. “Why are you releasing a Christmas book in July? Isn’t that a bit premature?”
I can see why you might ask that. After all, people (not me, mind you) get annoyed with stores putting up their Christmas displays the day after Halloween or with family’s hoisting up decorations before the Thanksgiving turkey is fully digested. I hear ya. I totally get where you’re coming from, even if I don’t agree with your Grinchy assessment. [That’s a joke! Seriously. Kind of.] But believe it or not, there’s a method to my madness here and wanted to share it with you.
The Case for Kringle: God’s Christmas Missionary is a fun, fast-paced nonfiction book and shouldn’t be confused with my upcoming murder mystery, The Knives Before Christmas (to be published by Keylight Books on November 18). Both have very divergent purposes and required very different release dates. One is a supernatural murder mystery full of Christmas magic and wacky suspicious suspects (and a mischievous elf and a guard-alligator who lives in the walls of a sentient house). The other is a lighthearted, but important look at the role of Santa Claus in the Christmas celebrations of Christians around the world. Of the two Christmas-themed books I’m releasing this year, The Case for Kringle, by far, is the most important in my mind, and I want families to have a chance to read my thoughts long before they start planning their Christmas season so they can make an informed decision about it all.
You see, I love Santa Claus! I always have. In fact, if I’d been given the ability to be anything in the world I wanted to be, the real Santa Claus would have been at the top of the list (just above Batman and the Six Million Dollar Man). As a matter fact, the moment I was “old enough” to pull on the big red suit and beard, I jumped at the chance and have been bringing Christmas joy to children every year since 2020.
But alas, not every one in the Christian community shares my views of Kris Kringle. Some see him as a villain. A usurper to the throne of God at Christmas. A distraction from Christ and an idol to replace Him in worship. Some see him as a form of child abuse (believe it or not) or a dangerous stumbling block to parental trust. Bewildered by all this, I set out to investigate these claims and decide for myself whether my love for Papa Noel was misguided or not. During my research, I identified five major charges against Kringle and, putting on my forensic investigator thinking cap, set to work analyzing them all as rationally and unbiased as possible.
The Case for Kringle: God’s Christmas Missionary is the result of that investigation. In it, as one reviewer pointed out, I act as both defense attorney and prosecutor of the big man in the red suit, highlighting the convicting evidence and revealing where the evidence falls short. I explore how Santa was exploited through the twentieth century to become what he is today and how Christians can take him back in a way that could very well build him into one of the greatest missionary endeavors of our times.
In the end, I hope you’ll read the book and decide for yourself what you think. The kids deserve the joy Santa brings to them every year. It’s up to us to decide how we want to represent him so that Christ isn’t overshadowed by Santa’s white fluffy beard. Pick up a copy of the book. Read it. Share it with friends and family, church members, and co-workers. Spread the word. Kringle might not be the big bad villain so many well-meaning Christians portray him to be.
I had the honor of having one of the most authentic professional Santas out there read the book and give me his thoughts. Michael Murray, pastor at Rocky Creek Baptist Church in Marianna, Florida and one humdinger of a Santa Claus, had this to say:
“Kent Holloway has written a wonderful book openly discussing the pros and cons of Santa, Kris Kringle, and his influence of faith in God. The book is encouraging, funny, and quite thought-provoking!”
Couldn’t ask for a better endorsement than that, right?