David Sedaris

Christmas laughs old and new from the comedian who made his name with "The Santaland Diaries."

Holidays on Ice

David Sedaris's beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. Along with such favorites as the diaries of a Macy's elf and the annals of two very competitive families, are Sedaris's tales of tardy trick-or-treaters ("Us and Them"); the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to the French ("Jesus Shaves"); what to do when you've been locked out in a snowstorm ("Let It Snow"); the puzzling Christmas traditions of other nations ("Six to Eight Black Men"); what Halloween at the medical examiner's looks like ("The Monster Mash"); and a barnyard secret Santa scheme gone awry ("Cow and Turkey"). No matter what your favorite holiday, you won't want to miss celebrating it with the author who has been called "one of the funniest writers alive" (Economist).

Colton Ray

This was just okay. I've already forgotten most of the stories here. Nothing really sticks with you.

A Dutch parent has a decidedly hairier story to relate, telling his children, “Listen, you might want to pack a few of your things together before going to bed. The former bishop of Turkey will be coming tonight along with six to eight black men. They might put some candy in your shoes, they might stuff you into a sack and take you to Spain, or they might just pretend to kick you. We don’t know for sure, but we want you to be prepared.”
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I am a first time reader of David Sedaris's books, and I suppose the experience was not unlike receiving socks for a Christmas present when 8 years old. It might be a very exciting and apt gift for another me further down the timeline, but right now, bursting with holiday excitement and seeing so much potential everywhere as a young one, just to find a pair of socks, it is just disappointing.

To be fair, Holidays On Ice did have its genuine laugh-out-loud moments, where the joke lands right on point and most unexpectedly. However, those moments were few and far in-between for me. The rest of the stories were filled with humor trying too hard to be dark and reactionary for the sake of being reactionary. Where it was supposed to be unexpected, it felt too obvious, roughly handled, and on the nose. I finished the book finding nothing particularly dark or unexpected in the humor, just a regular asshole judging everything around him. And we see plenty of those out in the wild on a normal day.

I don't want to be too mean about the book, for I feel like perhaps at another time I might have enjoyed it more. However, for the moment, it was not what I was waiting for.

2.5/5

Laura Mauler

I like the non-fiction stories so much better than the fiction; if this was just the non-fiction it would be a solid 5 stars.

alma

I was given this book for Christmas when I was eleven years old which may not have been the best idea. I don't think I got what I should've out of it or so I've thought for the past years. But maybe just maybe it's something different. 
The first essay in this book, The Santaland Diaries, is just sososo fantastic. But the rest of the pieces in this book don't really keep up with it, in favor of a kind of sensationalization. I've read one other David Sedaris book and a few other scattered essays and I think that these essays, apart from the first, are the Sedaris essays that I've read that feel like they're really trying the hardest to garner a reaction from the reader. 
But it wasn't a not-enjoyable experience— David Sedaris is a fantastic writer as always.

Marisel 

Three of the stories I had just read in other collections, so it only took a few hours to finish this one. I will probably reread it at Christmas time ; it’ll be an antidote to any saccharin nostalgia— or as a friend recently put it “it cleanses the palate”. Looking forward to that.

Sarah Vaughan

I liked it. Good short stories, none really connected but they all focus on a different aspect of the holidays.

Andrew Molina

Delightfully wicked. I find myself hearing some of his characters voices within me. The judgements, the ridiculousness. The stories are unexpected and refreshing and help you see your own family’s crazy in a lighter way. 

As a writer, he also helps expand my sense of what I can do with little pieces of my real life, or how I can exaggerate to the point of narrative interest.

Megan Parrott

Helen Bright

Erin G.

James Dziemianzuk 

Melissa Railey

Will Vunderink

Eric Smith

Michael Ernst

David Sedaris's beloved holiday collection is new again with six more pieces, including a never before published story. Along with such favoritesas the diaries of a Macy's elf and the annals of two very competitive families, are Sedaris's tales of tardy trick-or-treaters ("Us and Them"); the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to the French ("Jesus Shaves"); what to do when you've been locked out in a snowstorm ("Let It Snow"); the puzzling Christmas traditions of other nations ("Six to Eight Black Men"); what Halloween at the medical examiner's looks like ("The Monster Mash"); and a barnyard secret Santa scheme gone awry ("Cow and Turkey"). No matter what your favorite holiday, you won't want to miss celebrating it with the author who has been called "one of the funniest writers alive" (Economist).

Holidays on Ice

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