--- title: Santa’s Husband: Harper Design to Publish Book on Gay Santa description: A new picture book will depict Santa as a gay man in an interracial relationship, publisher Harper Design confirmed Tuesday. canonical: https://time.com/4715679/santas-husband-book-harper-design/ author: Melissa Chan article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-03-28T20:03:52.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:06:38.632Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Santa Is a Gay Man in an Interracial Relationship in This New Picture Book og:description: "Santa’s Husband" tells the story of a black Santa Claus and his white husband og:url: https://time.com/4715679/santas-husband-book-harper-design/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3bf60cbc076287dd/6988c04c2dce0105ff9eccca/santas-husband.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1443 og:image:height: 812 og:image:alt: santas-husband og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Santa Is a Gay Man in an Interracial Relationship in This New Picture Book twitter:description: "Santa’s Husband" tells the story of a black Santa Claus and his white husband twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3bf60cbc076287dd/6988c04c2dce0105ff9eccca/santas-husband.jpeg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Santa Is a Gay Man in an Interracial Relationship in This New Picture Book > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ## Video: An Inside Look at the Santa Industry [Watch (HLS stream): An Inside Look at the Santa Industry](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/OG5mscEL.m3u8) (5:16)  _Published 2014-12-22. Behind the most famous and mysterious man in the world this time of year, are actually thousands of men. Who are they?_  by [Melissa Chan](https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Mar 28, 2017 8:03 PM UTC  An upcoming book called "Santa's Husband" depicts Santa as a gay man in an interracial relationship. An upcoming book called "Santa's Husband" depicts Santa as a gay man in an interracial relationship. AP Quach  by [Melissa Chan](https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Mar 28, 2017 8:03 PM UTC A[ new picture book](https://twitter.com/kibblesmith) will depict Santa as a gay man in an interracial relationship, publisher Harper Design confirmed Tuesday. The book, _Santa’s Husband_, goes on sale Oct. 10 and tells the story of a black Santa Claus and his white husband who both live in the North Pole. Santa’s spouse frequently fills in for his husband at malls, according to a description of the book Harper Design provided to TIME. Daniel Kibblesmith, who is a staff writer for _The Late Show with Stephen Colbert_ and co-author of _How to Win at Everything_, penned the parody children’s book after [tweeting](https://twitter.com/kibblesmith/status/846731734364426240) in December that he would only tell his future child Santa was black. “If they see a white one, we’ll say ‘That’s his husband,’” Kibblesmith wrote. A [photo](https://twitter.com/kibblesmith/status/846735996427390980) Kibblesmith tweeted Tuesday of the book’s original concept art shows the couple, both wearing Santa suits, looking dreamingly into each other’s eyes. Harper Design said the book is meant for all ages. ## Transcript [ NOISE ] Ho, ho, ho. My father was really into Christmas too and one of the things that he said to me when he was told there was no Santa, it was well, if there's no Santa then there's no God, which I thought was wow, that was really pretty powerful [ MUSIC ] My name is, Andrew Wainwright. I'm sixty- four years old and I'm kind of transitioning out of the work that I've worked in for all of these years. I'm a licensed nurse. I'm a certified alcohol drug counselor. I see this as kind of launching into a whole 'nother chapter of my life and I like it and I enjoy it. Happy holidays. Are you kidding? [ LAUGH ] Happy holidays. Happy holidays to you. If I put on that suit and I walk [ LAUGH ] out the door, I have to be ready for anything, you know? [ UNKNOWN ] Oh, a lot of people come up and say, oh, hi, Santa, you know, and they want a picture and. [ INAUDIBLE ] They want them to know that they've been good. I get an understanding of what it might be to be like a celebrity, you know? I think Santa Claus is like a celebrity, you know. You better get some toys up here. Keep it up. You're on my good list. All right. Thank you. [ NOISE ] This is too small. I asked for a larger car. Very problematic. [ LAUGH ]. You know, I said, two people I wanted a larger car. I didn't want a small car. Santa doesn't ride in a small car. I'm just about to make Joe up for his Christmas makeup eh, as Santa. I'm Santa Joe. Joe Mayone. [ LAUGH ] Joe Mayone. Joe Mayone who's Santa Joe. [ LAUGH ] And I'm Mrs. Mayone. Mrs. Santa. I don't think I would do it if, she didn't do my makeup, cuz I know that there's a big difference when you walk in with makeup on it, that makes you look good. It makes you special. Yeah, it makes you special. Yes. People see you, nice and clean and weird. Rosy cheeks. Rosy cheeks, yeah. You know, you've been outside in the woods. Yeah. With the reindeer. I compliment his face. He has a round face, and he has a little bulbous nose. So I emphasize all those things. As you would as if you were going on stage. Oh, Santa Clause I. I [ CROSSTALK ], but I go to bed with Joe. [ LAUGH ] Keep in mind, Jeb, you know the Coca Cola, there was a Coke. That's what he reminds me of, the Coca Cola Santa. Or the, the one on The Miracle on 34th Street. Yes. Yes. That kind of look. Right. Now just like that. Fine. [ NOISE ]. Most Santa Clauses are overwhelming and kind of scary. He's not. He's a very happy, jovial Santa Claus. And I hope everybody sees him that way. Oh the bi, the biggest thing is when you, when you, soon as you walk in. They grab you. They hug you. They hug your leg. They won't even let you walk. They won't even let you walk sometimes. I'm just walking in and they run over to you and they hug your leg and they hold on to your leg. They really believe. Their parents have to pull them off. Isnt' that a wonderful thing they believe? Such nice make believe. [ MUSIC ] Good afternoon. Santa speaking. As Santa Clause, I'm as old as my tongue, and a little older than my teeth. As the person who changed his name to Santa Clause, I'm 56. Before I was Santa Clause, I was just. Okay, I'll say it. I was just Frank. And I had long, black, curly hair. And a black beard and a black mustache. At first I wore a wig and I wore a glue- on beard. And I was at a daycare center and a little baby was crawling up my, my arm and she grabbed my hat, my hair and pulled and everything shifted, and I was mortified. So I decided that I would ask my wife if I could color my hair so that would never happen again. I changed my life since. On my truck it says Santa's Sleigh. That helped a little bit. But they still see me get in and come on prove it. Prove that you're Santa. So I did the whole Supreme Court thing and I changed my name. What is the best thing I could be doing. I can get into people's lives. And I can mean something to them. That's what I want. Yeah. 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