(Book)Skipping Christmas by John Grisham

[Ivy]

The story focuses on how Luther Krank and his wife Nora tried to avoid doing the traditional Christmas chaos and frenzy.
The plan was hatched by Luther himself after he and his wife took their daughter Blair to the airport for a year long mission to Peru with the Peace Corps. After calculating how much money they spent last Christmas, Luther decides to take a 10-day Caribbean Cruise with his wife this year instead of celebrating Christmas the usual way. No Christmas shopping, no Christmas trees, not even the traditional Christmas party they hosted. Nora reluctantly agreed at first but as the day of the cruise approaches she thinks it's a great idea as they all miss the crazy commotion people had to endure during the season.
However, Blair suddenly calls on Christmas Eve to tell them that she's at the airport in Miami, FL and she's coming home with her fianceé as a surprise for them. Blair also told them that her fianceé hasn't been to the U.S.A. and would like to see how they spend Christmas, after Blair told him about the decorations, music, snow and the Christmas party their family always hosted.
All of a sudden the Kranks have to prepare a Christmas party in 4 hours, and get the house decorated in time for the arrival of Blair from the airport.
Luther's view on Christmas changes a lot throughout this novel. In the beginning he is looking forward to his cruise on the Island Princess. The ten day cruise, full of food and fun was a must. In the end of the book, Luther realizes that family is more important as he reluctantly decides not to go on the cruise.

This book is full of wonderful Christmas cheers, laughs, love, and the contains what most are slowly forgetting when the presents start to pile up under the tree, "The Discovering of What The True Meaning of Christmas Really Is." I loved this book from beginning to end, and since its release, I read it everytime the Christmas Season begins and then grab some popcorn and soda and pop in the movie, "Christmas With The Kranks", which is an adaptable re-creation of the book, with noticable differences, but still a great Christmas movie none-the-less.