Christmas reading

During the Holiday season, you hear and see much about Christmas television specials. (There's a new one this year -- I think on ABC Family -- about a dog who saves Christmas. That in itself is insipid enough but it also has the voices of Mario Lopez and -- gag me with a spoon -- Paris Hilton. UGH!!!!!)

Don't get me wrong. There are loads of great holiday movies and TV specials. Some of my favorites include: Holiday Inn (I watch this while wrapping gifts), It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, How the Grinch Stole Christmas {TV version}, A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Santa Clause, and The Holiday (I watched that last night) ... to name a few.

But there is also good reading. Though my children are older now, before we go to bed on Christmas Eve I always read them The Night Before Christmas.

Of all the holiday-themed books, there is one book I read every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is not a classic, if only because it's not that old -- less than a decade, actually. But for me, it is a very enjoyable read. And I looked forward to sitting down and opening it this afternoon.

It is Skipping Christmas by John Grisham.

It's not a legal thriller. It's not a thriller of any sort and there are no lawyers or judges in it.

It's about an accountant named Luther Krank and his wife Nora. The Krank's 20-something daughter is off to Peru for the Peace Crops, leaving them along for Christmas for the first time. And Luther comes up with the brilliant idea to TOTALLY skip the trappings of Christmas for one year, thus saving $6,000 on everything from stamps for Christmas cards to the electricity he won't use to light a large Frosty the Snowman on his roof. He's not really a Scrooge because he plans to spend $3,000 of the savings on a cruise with Nora starting on Christmas Day.

They barely weather an intense storm of anger and criticism from friends, colleagues and (in particular) neighbors when they receive a call on Dec. 24, from their daughter Blair who will be home in six hours and is looking forward to sharing a traditional Krank Family Christmas with her new fiance.

I love it. It's funny because it is written with a lot of wit. And the end is touching.

So, between all the turkey and stuffing, and the cookies, pies and cakes, and between watching football games and television specials, find a favorite book and enjoy it as if it's the first time you are reading it and not the Nth time. And if you can't think of one, pick up Skipping Christmas.

Have a good Holiday season and thanks for reading.