Sean Dietrich had under consideration as a title for this book The Grinch Actually Succeeded This Year or Deck the Halls with Disinfectant. Considering some other Christmases during the Depression, World War II, and the year of the Spanish flu, he decided that maybe we can’t call this the worst Christmas ever – at least not for sure. Instead, he collects some of his Thanksgiving and Christmas blogs and essays taken from his columns to bring some joy into this year’s season since it is surely in the running for the title.
Communicating with his readers on a personal level forms the underlying idea behind these essays and blogs, as he regularly addresses them as though they are in his thoughts. (I understand that feeling!) He says that if this does turn out to be your absolutely worst Christmas, he hopes his stories make you feel a little bit better.
In his initial piece, he tells about writing his first 250-word blog, and from that point keeping his readers in mind wherever he goes. Again, I can relate. Any small oddity that happens along life’s journey draws a comment from my husband, “That’s going to wind up in a blog, isn’t it?” I’ve got his four years of blog-writing beat since I have been at it for nine. However, I don’t have any books of blogs out, so I guess I’ll let him have that! I do share his sentiment of loving the connection with my readers and keeping them on my mind as I live life and as I write.
Sean tells stories of holidays past, many of them headed for contention in the “worst Christmas” category and ways redemption came instead. He mixes touching tales with humor so they do not become schmaltzy, has a few brushes with the spirit world, and returns to his own not-so-perfect Christmases in ambivalent memories of his father. It is helpful to have read his previous book that I reviewed, Will the Circle Be Unbroken, but not necessary. I would say this is not a book to sit and read all at once, but to keep handy for a story or two when things start looking bleak around you on this strange Christmas
Sean ends the book with, “Happy New Year. It’s going to be a good one.” I join him in the wish for each of you and sincerely hope that he is right!