Holidays on Ice: With Six New Stories

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In Sedaris’ Holidays on Ice, the disorganization and randomness of the stories was often confusing to follow and even tiring at times. In 2004 I was in a relationship where partner and I had very different ideas of what the holidays should look like. I read it a few years ago and have bought it for a friend who dressed up as an elf for a party even more years ago.

When it was my turn I explained that I wanted to be an elf because it was one of the most frightening career opportunities I had ever come across. The worst part is that after I have accumulated three hundred dollars I have to remove two hundred, fill out half a dozen forms, and run the envelope of cash to the drop in the China Department or to the vault on the balcony above the first floor. The problem this time was the inclusion of some fictional shorts in addition to the riotous autobiographical entries. After so much anticipation, I expected a lot and the book didn't quite live up to those expectations.I understand that these stories have previously been published except for one, so I can see how that would be disappointing for those who wanted more original stories to read.

Just think of a barnyard, the problems being a Secret Santa might pose for the animals, and a very sinister cow. Like most people, I have often laughed at the strange humor David Sedaris illuminates in his past books, Naked being the funniest, IMO. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. 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”).

His description of becoming a Christmas Elf at Macy's is a true guilty pleasure; scathingly unkind and screamingly funny. I suppose there’s also the potential for too many mediocre reviews, and I guess that’s the guy whom everybody thinks can’t make up his freaking mind.