01/01/2026
This is our annual letter to our clients for 2026. Client or not, each of you have spread the word and encouraged us to make Kris & Holly possible, and we're profoundly grateful. Thank you, one and all.
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A happy and joyous new year from Kris & Holly!
We wanted to thank you for helping make our dreams possible and to tell you about exciting plans for 2026.
* What’s new in 2026:
New! Kris & Holly’s 2026 CSLP Program – "I Love to Rrrrrrread!-Dino Edition" We’ve updated our popular “I Love to Read” program to be a full Kris & Holly performance that will change each year with the Collaborative Library Summer Program (CSLP) theme. And this year, it’s dinosaurs! Join us for a dino-sized 45-miute program full of our favorite dinosaur-themed children’s books illustrated with original songs, magic, balloon sculpture, and more from Kris & Holly. “I Love to Read” programs feature lots of audience participation and are ideal for ages 3-10. Performances are $350 and are available now for booking dates starting May 1, 2026.
Our other popular shows, “The Magical Mother Goose Show”, “K&H and the Museum of Lost Colors”, and the original “I Love to Read” programs are also available immediately for booking, as are our magic, balloon twisting, and clowing services.
Formalized Pro Bono Christmas events – In 2025, Kris & Holly successfully made Christmas pro bono events available to many charities and nonprofit organizations. Over 25% of all Santa & Mrs. Claus appearances last year were donated. This year, we want to formalize that tradition. Effective 2026, booking Christmas events prior to November 1, 2026 (which we encourage you to do soon as we fill up quickly) will be charged at our standard rates. After November 1, 2026, any remaining weekday slots between Black Friday (11/27/26) and 12/23/26 will be available to hospitals, homeless shelters, independent libraries and other nonprofit/charitable child-facing organizations free of charge. Contact Kris at [email protected] for details.
* Kris & Holly Charitable Efforts in 2025
The mission of Kris & Holly is to be a sustainable, top-tier family entertainment company that delights, educates, and supports the people of Delaware and Eastern Maryland. We don’t boast about our success in helping local charities and non-profits (we’re all about Matthew 6:2 and Maimonides’ Hierarchy of Tzedakah). However, you helped make that success possible, and we want to show you the people who benefited from your hiring Kris & Holly:
Tip Jar Beneficiaries – 100% of all tips at public events go to either the charity/non-profit of the client’s choice or a default set of charities. This year’s beneficiaries included: The Food Bank of Delaware, The Center for Neighbors in Need, The People’s Church of Dover, The Believable Foundation, Harrington Fire Company, Clayton Fire Company, and others. In total, we raised approximately $1000 in tips and donated it across these charities. The default beneficiaries for 2026 are the Food Bank of Delaware and the Dover-based Center for Neighbors in Need.
Pro Bono Christmas events – This year, Kris & Holly donated over 25% of its Christmas events to hospitals, homeless shelters, independent libraries, and other charitable/non-profit organizations. It is our goal in 2026 to increase that amount to a consistent 33%.
* 2026 Rates
As of January 1, 2026, all rates are unchanged from last year with the following exceptions:
• All staged shows (CSLP programs, Mother Goose, I Love to Read) are $350
• Christmas home visits are $250 for new families. Legacy family visits are permanently $200.
* Thank you
It was just over seven years ago that a Santa and a clown met in a Middletown diner. We fell in love with each other. And at the same time, we each fell in love with the potential of what we could bring to families in the region. We could delight and entertain children from January to October with shows, magic, balloon designs, and characters never seen before. In the winter, we could bring the spirit, wonder, and joy of the Christmas season to those same families. And all the while, we could find ways to contribute to the community, shining a light where it was most needed.
You helped make that possible. You included us in your festivals, your libraries, your schools, your homes, and your businesses. You helped us bring delight to thousands. You made it possible for Kris & Holly to educate, delight, inspire, and give back to Delaware and Eastern Maryland. We could not achieve all we have without you. And we cannot wait to bring all we have to you again in 2026. Thank you, profoundly, for being in our lives.
Our best regards,
Michael & Renate Sheinbaum
Kris & Holly
