Ivy Perkins is starting a new chapter to her life, and she did it by moving to a small town and buying herself an old farmhouse sight unseen. She drove up to The Four Roses to find out that the online photos had been from better days, and she actually needs some work. But her dog Punkin and her box of chicks seem okay with it, ready to make themselves at home.

When Ivy shows up and finally meets realtor Ezra Wheeler in person, she’s a little surprised that he’s waiting for her at the front door. But he explains that the door lock is a little tricky and helps her get in. And when she does get in and finds out the family who owned the farm had left behind a lot of furniture and . . . well, everything else, he offers to help her clear everything out before her furniture arrives from Atlanta. But when she finds the box in the bedroom closet with the Santa Claus suit in it, she finds out who the Roses really were.

Every year, Bob played Santa Claus for the town, and his wife was Mrs. Claus. They would light up the farm so that people would come for miles to see it. They were Christmas to the town, until they passed away. The farm had sat empty ever since, their children not ready to sell it. And then Ivy came along, the right buyer at the right time. But she’s just fresh from her divorce, from getting bought out from her half of their shared business, and after moving to a farmhouse that needs more work than she anticipated, that’s cold to boot, she’s not really ready to make a big deal of Christmas.

But the Santa suit has other plans.

Ivy finds a young girl’s letter in with the Santa suit. She’s asking for him to bring her father back from the war, and Ivy is really moved by her words. In fact, as she goes to the courthouse to get all her paperwork in place, she asks about the girl, to see if the family is still in town. As it turns out, she meets a young woman who works there whose mother used to live across the street from the family. Ivy ends up going to the street and meets someone else with another piece of the puzzle.

As the days go by and Ivy tries to find the answers she’s looking for, about what happened with the young girl and her family, she also finds herself opening up to her new life and taking chances. And as she makes friends and adds Christmas decorations to her farmhouse, she finds that the magic of Christmas isn’t just for kids. The magic of the Santa suit can bring warmth and joy to people of all ages!

Mary Kay Andrews’ gift to readers this year is her novella The Santa Suit. Filled with sweetness and holiday cheer, it’s a sweet reminder of the magic of Christmas in times that are challenging or less than ideal. Filled with inspiration and hope, it’s a quick read that can restore a sense of family, of belonging, and of a future.

I am not one of those people who just wait for the holiday season to watch all the heartwarming holiday movies one after another. I am more of a Grinch person myself (too many years working retail, perhaps?). But even so, I found this lovely Christmas story a reminder of all those reasons we love Christmas and work so hard to find some magic. Download it and enjoy it anytime you’re needing some of that holiday magic!

Egalleys for The Santa Suit were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.