I run hot and cold on Christmas. One day I am walking around humming “Joy To The World” and the next I’m yelling “THE KID IS A SCAM ARTIST!” when I hear that Christmas Shoes song (my friend and I agree that he probably sold those shoes on eBay because Daddy wouldn’t buy him any Bakugans!)
And it has been said that I have a slightly dry sense of humor. Sahara-dry, actually.
So when the publishers of “Christmas Sucks: What to Do When Fruitcake, Family, and Finding the Perfect Gift Make You Miserable” (by Joanne Kimes) asked me to read and review the book, I jumped at the chance. I love these kinds of books (I had little use for “What to Expect When You Are Expecting” and instead relied on “The Girlfriends Guide To Pregnancy” and “Pregnancy Sucks“, also by Joanne Kimes)
And this book delivers.
What does it deliver? Practical advice as well as plenty of humor. With chapters titled: “Black (and Blue) Friday”, “Where to Store All the Crap” and “Damn That Martha for Making It Look So Easy”, there is plenty of advice to get you through the season..perhaps a little wiser and absolutely laughing a bit louder! The best part of reading this book was that I realized that Ms. Kimes has written a whole slew of “Sucks” books. I’ll be placing an order for “Menopause Sucks” (for my mother), “Teenagers Suck” (for my sister) and “Dieting Sucks” (for me).
But back to “Christmas Sucks”….
Where can you get this book? One place you can get it is RIGHT HERE. I was sent an extra copy to give away to one of my readers. To enter, simply leave a comment here with the one thing that you consider most Sucktastic about Christmas (c’mon – I don’t care if you are Clark W. Griswold – there is something about Christmas that you can’t stand!).
Want to get the book before that? It’s only $9.95 on Amazon and eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping.
Entries will be accepted until Thanksgiving Day at 10:00pm (or whenever I return from my sucky long drive home from my sister’s house) at which point I will close the thread and pick a winner
Edited to add: due to a death in my family and my need to travel, I will close comments at 8:00pm EST on Thanksgiving and immediately contact the winner via email. The book will be shipped on Monday, December 1st
The most sucktastick thing about Christmas for me (as a mother of 3) is opening up all those toys and taking forever to get all those little twist ties off (after I’ve just taken forever to get the stupid plastic casing off!). Of course, the entire time I’m pulling them off and hubby is busy trying to get the batteries in, the kids are whining and carrying on because they want their toy already. Can’t blame ‘em.
Bravo, Mandy, I didn’t even think of that you but it is so true!
My sucktastic thing is searching and searching for the right gift for someone and have them open it and not like it. They don’t even pretend they like it. That happens to me every year!
My most sucktastic thing is the stupid plastic they put around everything now. Come on, I’m bad with knives anyway and they want me to cut through all this plastic!
My most sucktastic thing is the fact that we live right smack in the middle of our parents which both happen to be two hours away from us and they both expect us to “be home” for Christmas. We drive 2 hours to one parents’ house, spend Christmas Eve there, and then drive 4 hours to the other parents’ house and spend Christmas Day there, then turn around and drive 2 more hours back to our home.
What is most sucktastic about Christmas, in my less-than-humble opinion, is that we have all managed to turn a season (regardless of your faith – Bodhi day, Winter Solstice, Christmas, Diwali, Hanukkah, and whatever else I missed) of gratitude, peace and joy into a giant potlatch. It is nauseating. And I hate that I don’t have the courage YET to do something about it on a more personal level.
Daisys last blog post..Apparently, I have been promised extra energy…
My sucktastic thing is trying to plan ahead so that one arguing relative is not confronted with another arguing relative. Keeping peace among relatives just to plan, even before the holiday gets here, is tough. Thanksgiving is so much easier. Just eat.
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sounds like my kind of book.
My least favorite: spending considerable effort to find suitable gifts from the approved list (supplied by parents) only to have the recipients be so busy ripping packages that they don’t even know your gift exists. And don’t expect a thank you card, either.
The most sucktastic thing about Christmas for us is living in King of Prussia and having to go to the mall for something. Most of the time, we just give up. All of the most completely insane people come here from hundreds of miles away just to visit our dear mall. And, they do not know the traffic patterns, so you are really risking your life even driving by the mall between Halloween and New Years! Mindi, I have a feeling you know what I’m talking about…
[Yes I do...which is why we make exactly ONE trip to King of Prussia at Christmas - to get the kids pictures taken with the most wonderful Santa in the world (at the Plaza) and do a little shopping. If I can't get what I need on that day, it's all online shopping! - Mindi]
The most sucktastic thing about Christmas is Black Friday! I’m not into getting poked, prodded and who knows what else by huge, smelley people, trying to get the so-called bargains. ICK.
The most sucktastic part of Christmas is having to deal with family members that only appear for gifts, and couldn’t remember your name if you saw them on the street any other day of the year.
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I’m the author of “Christmas Sucks” and I’m so glad that you liked the book! I read all of your “suctastic” parts of the holidays, and I’m very relieved that I covered each and every one of them in my book! When we thought of the title (the 10th in the Sucks Series), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and the book practically wrote itself! I wish you all a wonderful, stress-free Christmas!
Best,
Joanne Kimes
First I think it is totally awesome that the author even came and left a comment!! That’s just plain neat!
My sucktastic moment might sound a little selfish, but I hate the thoughtless gifts from my husband. =( He waits until the very last minute and usually ends up having his mother do his shopping and well its never very good.
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This sounds like a great book!
I generally love Christmas, but the most sucktastic thing is the planning of when I have to see my in-laws. They really ruin the fun of Christmas
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The most sucktastic thing for me is trying to find the time to
go X-Mas shopping (food, presents, decorations), WITHOUT my 2 little
muchkins (ages 3& 2). Hubby and I work opposite shifts, family members have young children also and can’t babysit. And who can afford to pay a babysitter so I can go spend more money? So it’s usually a heartfelt plea to the grandparents (who already watch them
when I’m at work)to please keep them another 3-4 hours – on top of the nine that they’ve already been there, or please come another day so I can go get their presents
For me its having to wrap everything as if finding it all wasnt hard enough. Love your site. Thanks
As a Christian I feel everyone has lost focus on the whole purpose of Christmas. We celebrate by purchasing gifts for everyone spending money we won’t get paid off until next Christmas. We have to be at three different places in a four day period and pretend to be perky and happy when we just want to leave so we can get home to rest. We have to have dinner at every place pretending it is the best ever when we just had turkey an hour before. By the time we are finished we are broke, ready to have a nervous break down, gained ten pounds, and need to return several items because our families don’t know us at all. I think we should all focus on the real purpose by relaxing and thanking God for all that he has done for us which is hard to think about when your on the verge of a melt down.
I hate all the “holiday” songs. It’s Christmas! Don’t be ashamed to say (or sing) the word. “Winter Wonderland” is not a Christmas carol.
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The most suctastic thing about Christmas is gift cards. What kind of gift is that?
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The most sucktastic thing about Christmas is baking….not because I don’t like it, but because my family thinks I can’t cook so I get designated the cookies.
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I often swear at Martha Stewart. Then I have to remind myself she wouldn’t be nearly as creative if she had a half dozen ‘I WANT…’ kids running around her all day.
My biggest sucktastic thing would also have to be the food. I don’t want to gain weight so please don’t tempt me.
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It’s sucktastic that I can’t resist all the party mix and homemade fudge and coconut cakes etc.