Skipping Christmas with the Kranks

John Grisham calls it a novel. More like a short story to me, and it reads like one, too. I estimate two hours if you read the book in one go.

The premise is simple, the Kranks have been celebrating Christmas since time immemorial - the crowded malls, the corny office parties, the unwanted presents, the annual Christmas Bash. This year, their only daughter is going away to Peru as a Peace Corps volunteer. Luther Krank figured if they skipped Christmas, they would be saving $6,100, and spend that instead on a 10-day cruise in the Caribbean. Their resolve and patience were tested - calls from the stationery store where they buy their Christmas cards, Christmas tree from the Boy Scouts, peer pressure from the neighbors for the community Christmas decor competition, calendars from the police force, carolers visiting them every night, fruitcakes from the fire department, etc.

All these they were able to thwart and resist. The killer blow came when their daughter called from the airport. She's coming home for Christmas...with her Peruvian fiance. Luther should've just said, "No! I already paid for the cruise. Go back to the jungles of Peru with your 1-week old boyfriend." But no, this is a Christmas story, so instead Nora said, "Sure, honey. The tree's all alight; ol' Frosty's up on the roof; and we're having the Christmas bash tonight just for you and your fiance." What happens next is pure pandemonium as there are no more turkey or ham to buy, all the good Christmas trees are sold out, and no one's available for the party.

Lest I give away the whole story, let's just say that if you believe in the Christmas spirit, and you're willing to break a leg to make amends, things will eventually work out. Luther even managed to make good use of those airline tickets and cruise passes.

By the way, the movie version is out already. Merry Christmas, everyone!