Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

Rating: 4.0

What it's about:
Luther and Nora Krank are fed up with the chaos of Christmas. The endless shopping lists, the frenzied dashes through the mall, the hassle of decorating the tree... where has all the joy gone? This year, celebrating seems like too much effort. With their only child off in Peru, they decide that just this once, they'll skip the holidays. They spend their Christmas budget on a Caribbean cruise set to sail on December 25, and happily settle in for a restful holiday season free of rooftop snowmen and festive parties.

But the Kranks soon learn that their vacation from Christmas isn't much of a vacation at all, and that skipping the holidays has consequences they didn't bargain for...

A modern Christmas classic, Skipping Christmas is a charming and hilarious look at the mayhem and madness that have become ingrained in our holiday tradition.

My thoughts:
Skipping Christmas is a fun little Christmas tale surrounding the Krank family and their attempts to forgo the holidays for a tropical cruise. After Thanksgiving, Luther and Nora Krank's only daughter joins the Peace Corp and is off to Peru for a year. The holidays just won't be the same without her. Luther, an accountant, sees that last Christmas they spent over $6,000 on the annual party, tree, gifts, cards and everything else that encompasses the Krank family Christmas. He and Nora decide to forgo everything related to the holiday and instead leave on Christmas day for a 10 day cruise in the tropics. If only it were that easy! The neighbors harass them to put up the decorations so the street can win the neighborhood Christmas contest. The Fire and Police Departments want to sell them their annual calenders and fruitcakes. Everybody is talking about them behind their backs and calling them Scrooges. Then on Christmas Eve, their daughter calls from Miami and is coming home for Christmas! The Kranks then have about 10 hours to figure out how to acquire a tree, string the lights, hang the decorations, get a turkey, plan a party and buy gifts. Mayhem, chaos and laughs ensue. Skipping Christmas is entertaining, amusing, and at times a little over the top. Although this book is silly and comical, the ending is truly heartwarming.

As a side note: Skipping Christmas was made into a movie called Christmas with the Kranks starring Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd.