A Christmas story you’ll want to share year after year.
A Forgotten Writer. A Hidden Message. A Christmas Mystery.
In December 1903, Jim Carpenter—a once-brilliant reporter turned janitor—gets one final chance to write again. When a child’s letter arrives asking, “Who is Santa Claus?”, no one expects Jim to answer it.
But the article he leaves behind hides a message so profound it changes everything—and everyone who reads it.
After his quiet passing on Christmas Eve, the newsroom discovers what they missed all along: a simple man with initials J.C. who wrote words that revealed the true heart of Christmas.
If you love It’s a Wonderful Life or Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus, this story will capture your heart in the same way—warming your spirit and reminding you that redemption and grace often arrive in the humblest forms.
❤️ A story of hope and second chances
📖 A quick, cozy read—perfect for Christmas Eve
🎁 An unforgettable gift for friends, family, or parish staff
✝️ Subtle Christian symbolism that deepens with every read
Phil Baker first wrote The Odd Christmas Letter for his family’s annual Christmas newsletter nearly 20 years ago. The story, which hid a secret message, lingered in his mind until he finally completed it—“faster than my kitchen remodel,” he jokes.
Phil and his wife, Cassie, live in Omaha, Nebraska, where they are parishioners at Mary Our Queen Catholic Church. Their two grown children have both served with NET Ministries.
Make It a New Tradition
Some books you read once. This one you’ll return to every Christmas.
Bring home The Odd Christmas Letter—and rediscover the quiet beauty of the season.
