How to Survive Christmas

by Jilly Cooper

A revised and updated edition of the guide to the festive season in which Cooper captures the essence of the season's inevitable conflicts and attempts to provide advice on surviving Christmas. Includes a poignant and wholly recognizable view of how an imaginary family celebrate Christmas.

Genres: Christmas, Nonfiction, Humor, Comedy, British Literature

144 pages, Paperback

First published December 23, 2010

About the author

Dame Jilly Cooper, OBE (born February 21, 1937) was an English author. She started her career as a journalist and wrote numerous works of non-fiction before writing several romance novels, the first of which appeared in 1975. She was most famous for writing the six blockbuster novels the Rutshire Chronicles.

Reviews

[Laura..devouring books like crumpets · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was let down this read wasn't so much a story rather that all the disappointment Christmas can have on broken family's spurned lovers and the other woman.....

It still had the Jilly cooper country/ southern British feel to it being from Hampshire and growing up with horses its my go to author when im homesick as i live in Greece now that's why it gets the extra star.... I would have loved an actual story though where i could get to know the characters, still the Narrator was fun.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

My MIL's Christmas decorations include a stack of festive themed books she leaves around the house should anyone want something to flick through, mostly in the bathrooms. This one was on the side table in the downstairs loo, the one with lovely green paint, Victorian tiles and the hottest radiator in the house. Sometimes I sit in there and lock the door just for some cosy, quiet peace and nothing more, which is perfectly in keeping with the tongue-in-cheek spirit of this tiny book.

It's just a silly book written with acerbic wit on the expectations and trials of Christmas, and while it was written in the 1980s there's a lot in there that still rings true today, even if other reviewers found it distasteful. If you have a sense of humour and don't nitpick from 40 years ago just because, this is still a fun Christmas toilet or bath book, especially if you're in there hiding from visitors.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the day Cooper was my absolute go to author and I devoured every novel she's ever written. This was the one that got away, so I figured it only apt to read it whilst navigating my way through the Christmas carnage.

Although the content is rather outdated now, by over thirty seven years at least, it was a brilliant and timely flashback to the time when Christmas wasn't over commercialised and things were as simple as leaving a book in the loo for your guest to read.

I'm in no doubt that they're will be several 'snowflakes' that will find the content offensive in places, rather than taking it tongue in cheek how it's supposed to be.

Full of eighties references, fun and definitely one to rehash to your guests over a sherry or two.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly amusing look at Christmas. A little dated and upper-middle class but hilariously funny and I think however we spend Christmas and whatever our feelings about it we can all find things to make us laugh, nod in agreement at and empathise with in this book!

[Diana Jaques · Rating 4 out of 5]

How to survive Christmas by Jilly Copper is a book that will accompany you through the Christmas chaos leaving you smiling, nodding, and laughing in agreement.

This book is built up of Christmas experiences from the author, her friends, family and newspapers of the time. All of these fragments are pieced together to make this guide to surviving Christmas. Though it is now 2025 and some of the things mentioned in the book no longer exist, (e.g. Woolworths) the reader can still relate heavily to the calamity of the Christmas season.

Alongside the tales of experience, Jilly creates a fictitious family at the very beginning of the book, in which she refers to throughout the book. This family follows the subject of the text as they undergo their own Christmas endeavours.

If Christmas is stressful and a little too much, this book lends a warm hug whispering in your ear that you are not alone at this maddening time of year. The surface joy, merriment and happiness is all great but behind the scenes, the rush of shoppers, hurried cooking and endless entertaining is something we can all relate to this time of year.

Jilly Cooper's work is accompanied by often hilarious illustrations by Timothy Jaques.

I recommend this book to those tormented by the festive season. I really believe this book will leave you reassured that in many ways you are not alone no matter how your Christmas is going. Whether you are dreading your in-laws, feeding the five hundred or committed to entertain many.

[Plum-crazy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing look at the problems Christmas with family brings in typical Jilly Cooper style - all boarding schools, parties, hunts & char ladies. Published originally in 1986 this edition is supposed to have been up-dated but despite being revised in 1992 & a hardback issued in 1998 it still seems dated - video recorders being the latest thing....oh & not being very PC on occasions.

That said it's still a fun read that will make you smirk on the odd occasion & despite it being in a different class to my family Christmas there's still things to identify with :o)

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed to read at this time of year - hilarious.

[Adele · Rating 1 out of 5]

Inthought this was going to be a great story, but it turned out to be quite boring and about all the negative aspects of christmas.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favourite books about Christmas since I first read it at about 11, also explains a lot about me.

[Boadicea · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dated. Mildly amusing, but could be considered slightly offensive by some. I think probably best avoided, unless there's an updated version that is more politically correct.

[Franziska Self Fisken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and witty guide to how to cope with Christmas entertaining.

[Henrietta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just excellent. A classic - I can see myself reading this in the bath every Christmas Eve!

[Heidi Drake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Amusing but dated and very class-ridden as I suppose is to be expected. It did raise a chortle in places though.

[Gillian Woodcock · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit dated now but still funny in places. Not sure how many women, certainly under 40, would be happy to be the total doormats we were in the 1970s.

[India Lodgexx · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love Jilly

[Katharina Christenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Light and witty xmas romp xx perfect

[D Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jilly Cooper is always amusing and this was a light and easy read that often made me smile.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some really funny bits in it, but there were a lot of things I think you had to be British to get. But it was still a fun, light read and just what I needed this time of year. Now, who can explain to me what an "Aga" is?

[Lysergius · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only way to survive Christmas with spirits intact, is to spend the duration in some pleasant Islamic country where they tolerate alcohol!

[Joyce Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was written in 1986 so is quite dated, but I still enjoyed it.

[Amanda Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book during the countdown to Xmas which I think is probably the best time to read it. It has its funny moments but had lots of references to the eighties when it was written.