John Grisham, a name synonymous with legal thrillers, ventured into a different genre with Skipping Christmas. The premise, as encapsulated in the question “Who would ever dream that two otherwise sensible adults would skip Christmas and go on a cruise?” seems simple enough. Yet, the novel unfolds into a bizarre exploration of neighborhood conformity and the surprising backlash against a couple daring to opt out of the festive frenzy. This begs the question: is Skipping Christmas a lighthearted holiday tale, or does it reveal something more unsettling about societal expectations?
At the heart of Skipping Christmas are Luther and Nora Krank, a middle-aged couple facing an empty nest for the first time. With their daughter Blair serving in the Peace Corps in Peru, the Kranks are confronted with the exorbitant costs and overwhelming traditions of Christmas. Luther, a tax accountant by profession, proposes a radical solution: skip Christmas entirely and use the money for a Caribbean cruise. This rational, financially sound, and arguably appealing idea in the face of holiday stress is met not with understanding, but with outright hostility from their neighbors on Hemlock Lane.
The novel quickly pivots from a simple decision to a social pariah status for the Kranks. Their primary antagonist emerges in the form of Vic Frohmeyer, the self-appointed enforcer of neighborhood Christmas spirit. Vic’s obsession with ensuring every house displays a Frosty the Snowman decoration becomes a symbol of the enforced conformity that Grisham seems to be satirizing. However, the satire feels less like a critique and more like an endorsement of the very intolerance it portrays.
The neighbors’ reaction escalates from passive-aggressive comments to active harassment. They trespass on the Kranks’ property, plant accusatory signs, and even organize carolers to disrupt their peace. This over-the-top response to a personal decision highlights the novel’s central, and somewhat disturbing, theme: the pressure to conform to holiday norms in suburban America. The book paints a picture of a community where individuality is sacrificed at the altar of Christmas cheer, and any deviation is met with swift and merciless social punishment.
Grisham attempts to draw a parallel to A Christmas Carol, suggesting that Luther, like Scrooge, undergoes a transformative experience. However, the lessons are starkly different. While Scrooge learns about social responsibility and compassion, Luther is essentially browbeaten into submission. His lesson isn’t about the spirit of giving, but rather the inescapable consequences of bucking tradition. The “Yuletide Gestapo,” as the original review aptly puts it, ensures that Luther and Nora ultimately succumb to the pressures and reinstate Christmas, albeit begrudgingly.
One of the most unsettling aspects of Skipping Christmas is the portrayal of the characters. Luther, despite his initial logic, is depicted as abrasive and unsympathetic. Nora is often reduced to a caricature of a bewildered and somewhat shallow wife. Even more problematic is the subtle discomfort surrounding the arrival of Blair’s Peruvian boyfriend, Enrique. The Kranks’ initial concern about his skin tone, quickly dismissed when he turns out to be “not dark at all,” introduces an uncomfortable undercurrent of racial anxiety, further muddying the novel’s supposed satirical intent.
Ultimately, Skipping Christmas struggles to land as effective satire. While it aims to critique the excesses and pressures of the holiday season, it often feels as though Grisham is validating the intolerant behavior of the neighbors. The humor is strained, the characters are largely unlikeable, and the underlying message is muddled. Instead of a heartwarming or thought-provoking Christmas story, Skipping Christmas comes across as a somewhat cynical and ultimately unsatisfying exploration of holiday hysteria. For readers seeking a genuine dose of Christmas cheer or insightful social commentary, Skipping Christmas might be one holiday tradition best skipped.
