By Crystal Caudill, Cara Putman, and Angela Ruth Strong

Looking for an entertaining Christmas collection that’s not on the Hallmark Channel? Check out the We Three Kings novella collection from Kregel Publications. Three Christian Christmas stories set across different times, all connected by themes found in the carol, We Three Kings, and weaving in the gifts of the Wise Men.

“Star of Wonder” is set in the Gilded Age world of high society and trans-Atlantic voyages. Aldrich Weise and his ship, the Golden Gestirn, are having a memorable maiden voyage: between stowaways, murder, and Christmas, he has his hands full. But his biggest conundrum is Celestia Isaacs. How can he marry the love of his life when he is shackled by his responsibilities on the high seas? (5 Stars) (Winner of the 2024 Short Form Christy Award)

“Beauty Bright” takes the reader to the dark days of Germany post WW2. As a Monuments Man, Lt. Charles Weise is tasked with sorting through the vast array of artwork that had been stolen by the Nazis. But what sounds like a noble task begins to cross the lines of ethics when he is ordered to ship the art to the US. Will he be able to find his family’s treasured artwork and return it to his grandparents before it’s lost to bureaucracy? (3 stars) (Nominated for the 2024 Short Form Christy Award)

“Perfect Light” is the collection’s modern-day novella. Pregnant and abandoned by her cheating husband, Lacey Foster is just trying to survive the holidays. But her demanding event coordinator job has her running a massive outdoor Christmas celebration for the Oil of Joy essential oils company. She can’t add falling in love with the well-meaning owner, Brendon Wise, to her chaotic life – or can she? (4 Stars)

Pros: I loved following the Weise (turned Wise) family through their history. Each story was like a Christmas present of different writing styles and snapshots of oft-overlooked areas of business and history. Like a family reunion at Christmas, you got to visit with the various generations of the family and see what they had done with their gifts and the legacy that had been passed down to them.

Cons: The only problem with a mixed bag of Christmas stories is that… It’s a mixed bag. Some stories will resonate, and others, by comparison, will be less entertaining.

Bottom Line: For the busy Christmas season, novella collections are the way to go!