Decades ago, the late Ian White developed a Christmas story for family and friends. Eventually, he began to perform it as part of a holiday story time event at Toronto’s Sick Kids Hospital.
The book, titled Snowball: A Christmas Dilemma, lived on via White for many years. As he reached the end of his life, he wanted to make it available for anyone to enjoy. He was helped along the way by actor and musician Timothy Gentle, who has always called him ‘uncle’.
Ian passed away a couple of days ago. Before that, however, he lived to see his story take shape as a published work, and become the official children’s book of the 2025 Toronto Santa Claus Parade. Gentle, who served as editor of the book, has also presented it during interviews on Global TV and in a country music radio station in Bracebridge.
Snowball: A Christmas Dilemma
The story takes place on Christmas Eve. Santa is ready to get into his sleigh to deliver toys around the world — but he can’t find his iconic red hat! It sets off a mystery in rhyme. The 100% Canadian produced book includes 40 pages of pencil crayon illustrations by BC artist Sarah Cowan.
The book developed over many years, beginning about 30 years ago, as Gentle explains.
“That was in the early 90s, or the late 80s. He just had little pieces of it that he was tinkering with,” Gentle says. White had his mind set on creating a Christmas story. “It just kind of grew from there.”
New passages were added, and revisions made, over the years. “He’s like a scientist working on a theory with this book, and it’s been a lifelong project,” Tim adds.
The result is a story that strikes a chord with many people. “People have really responded when they hear about the story behind the story, and then look at the book and beautiful illustrations. They’ve been really enthusiastic about it.”
The illustrations of the final version by Sarah Cowan of part of the book’s appeal. “We were super lucky to get her,” Gentle says. “She’s responsible for the illustrations. They’re based on the ones that he drew originally.”
Story Time And Beyond
White used an older version of the story for his Sick Kids Hospital performances, even constructing a faux hearth as a set. “He had a version of the book that he would flip through to keep in pace.”
How did White end up performing at Sick Kids?
“I think he just called them up,” Gentle says. The Hospital already had a Story Time area and regular facilitator dressed up as a clown. “It’s a beautiful program.”
While he wasn’t a professional writer, Gentle says that White always loved the English language. “He was a word guy.” He loved to rhyme, and looked at it as a kind of puzzle he’d put together.
Tim was introduced to Ian by his father, who was White’s co-worker when both were in their 20s. He became a treasured family friend. “They worked at the Toronto Star together.” White worked in circulation and other aspects of the newspaper business for The Star and other outlets — but not as a writer.
White grew up in England during the Second World War, and came to appreciate books and literature. Snowball: A Christmas Dilemma wasn’t the first or only story that he shared with friends. “He went to a Weight Watchers group,” Time recalls. White wrote a poem for them called Too Heavy For Heaven. “He just loved these little puzzles,” he adds.
White and Tim’s father shared an ongoing golf rivalry. “He would send my dad kind of taunting golf rhymes,” he says. “He just loved to throw rhymes around.”
He came upon the idea for Snowball: A Christmas Dilemma after he made the decision to attempt a longer, full-length story. His idea for combining a mystery with a Christmas theme in a children’s story was unique.
“In my mind, his storytelling is worthy of that level of being [included] in the traditional Christmas canon,” Tim says. “It’s been a private thing that our family and his friends and a few people have enjoyed over 30 years.”
Making it public was the culmination of his dream. “It’s a special thing for him. It’s always been a legacy project,” he adds. “It’s a way to share his life, and one of his great life works. He’s admitted this is one of the best things [he’d] ever done.”
His recent passing makes his wish to publish it particularly poignant, ensuring the story will live on after him.
“It’s a great story to read and to hear,” Gentle adds. He points out that White wrote it as much for the adults who read it as for the children who’ll hear it.
“He was just a fun dude to hang around with.”
- Find Snowball: A Christmas Dilemma [HERE].
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