Why Mummy Drinks at Christmas

Why Mummy #5

by Gill Sims

For her fifth Why Mummy novel, Gill Sims gets festive! With little darlings Jane and Peter now eight and six, we see Ellen attempt to navigate a catastrophic Christmas (including a Lapland trip that shall not be repeated).

Genres: Christmas, Audiobook, Comedy, Chick Lit, Fiction, Family, Contemporary

Hardcover

First published October 26, 2023

About the author

Gill Sims is a bestselling British author and blogger.

Sims is the author of Why Mummy Drinks which was the Sunday Times Fiction Bestseller of 2017, Why Mummy Swears published in 2018, and Why Mummy Doesn't Give A **** published in 2019.

In 2016, she began her Peter and Jane blog, which quickly gained a viral following. Her blog offers a comical response to issues facing parents. She has also written postnatal depression for Netmums. Sims has been regularly profiled as a leading proponent of a "Mummy Blogger."

She lives in Scotland with her husband, two children and border terrier, 'Judgy Dog'.

Reviews

[Mickey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having loved the other books in this series, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. Waking up on Christmas morning to find the Mr had bought it for me made me incredibly happy and I instantly jumped into it.
However, I found that this one just missed the mark for me. It wasn't as funny as the previous books, and while it was amusing in parts, I found myself a little disappointed. That's not to say it wasn't a good book, because it was. It just wasn't my favourite from the series.

[Danielle Amor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Mummy Drinks at Christmas is a laugh out loud book that will be perfect for the festive season!

This was my first Christmas read of 2023 and it absolutely smashed it ☃️

My Top 5 things from this book:

•The John Lewis incident
•Eleventy Fucking Billion
•Granny Greens pickled beetroot
•Ellen’s “Visions”
•Practically Water darling!

[Jo_Scho_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen’s always loved Christmas, a chance to aim for the idyllic dream of smiling happy parents with serene delighted presents, say round a blazing fire opening presents like a scene from a Christmas card. Despite this never actually happening a woman can still hope right?

But then comes the dreadful news that Ellen’s now grown up children, Peter and Jane, will not be spending Christmas at home! Ellen is devastated. Christmas is ruined before it’s even begun.

With chapters harking back to Christmases past interspersed with the drama and disappointment of the current day, this book is definitely the perfect December read. It’s had me laughing and shuddering and will make you realise that no matter how crazy your own Christmases have been, you’ve got nothing on Mummy!

[Victoria Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it too early to talk Christmas?

I know so many people have been reading Christmas books, and honestly I read this in August but since it’s coming out this month I thought I’d waited long enough to rave about it!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Now for anyone who knows me, I absolutely adore Gill Sims’s Why Mummy series. And I was so disappointed when I thought it was over… but then the amazing @storytellinggroup contacted me to send me an advanced reader package of Why Mummy Drinks at Christmas!

And what a treat it was! For anyone who’s read the Why Mummy books, you’ll know that Ellens children are now a lot older then in the first books, but in this one Ellen takes us back over her most memorable Christmases. I couldn’t put it down! And with a special Louisa Christmas, you know you’re in for a treat!

I really say it so often. But go out and buy these books. Buy the first one and then go get the rest!

Thank you so much Gill Sims for the amazing journey this series has been! Oh and just a thought for your next book? Why Mummy Drinks on Holiday (I’m waiting patiently!).

[Danielle McGregor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mostly very enjoyable! Literally had some laugh out loud moments. If you are either in the trenches of Xmas (enjoyable moments) with young people or you are on the other side where perhaps you don’t see your kids at Xmas - this book is for you!

Lost a star for the Louisa sister scene at Christmas time at the ‘off grid retreat’. Unfortunately didn’t find that bit funny (as intended) but just stretched out and annoying! And a bit gross! Louisa - I just found her an annoying character in general!

I enjoyed all the present day sections of the story but some of the flash backs ruined the vibe!

Overall an enjoyable premise and Xmas book! I also hadn’t read any of the other books in the series but will probably go back and read some now!

3.5 - 4 stars

[Chez · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.5/10
A couple of chapters made me laugh and I liked the ending but I did skim read some pages.

[Sarah Finney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and festive! Loved it on audible.

[Kirstie Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
I have absolutely loved all the books in this series, but unfortunately this one wasn't quite as funny as the others and missed the spot slightly.
Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a bad book by any means but it just had a slightly different feel to the others, and at times I found it slightly boring.
But there were some really funny bits too, that made me snort out loud, and other reviews are very positive so it appears I am in the minority.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another wonderful romp through the mind of Ellen trying to make everything perfect for her family - this time at Christmas. I've been following the antics of Peter and Jane (and their mother, with dad as a bit of a side line and possibly third child) for years, and this is a fun book based around Christmases past and what's going to happen this year? Daftness abounds, but it all makes sense - that's the scary thing! You can see the logic path that Ellen happily starts off down, and wonders why she ends up in a complete fankle!

Blurb:
This was going to be the Christmas to end all Christmases! Not only would the super-touching, heart-rending reunion with Peter and Jane bring joy again to my lonely, shrivelled heart; it would also be a special chance for Simon and me to walk hand in hand through festively frosty fields, watching our marvellous children, who may be grown up and technically adults, but who still adore their ageing mama and papa as they frolick (a tick on the Perfect Christmas list) merrily (tick) with our wonderful dogs, before we return home for rapturously received gifts, bronzed turkey, misteltoe snogging and Christmas Queening (tick, tick, TICKETY BLOODY TICK).
Nothing, literally nothing was going to dent my Christmas plans this year. And then I got a phone call from Jane...

More blurb:
'Tis the season to get trollied!
Mummy has always loved Christmas. Sure, the kids turn into demons, the dinner gets burnt to a crisp and Aunt Louisa's general staggering inappropriateness sends Mummy reaching for the nearest maximum-strength festive tipple, but nevertheless, for her, Christmas is always special.
This year, she wants nothing more than to perfectly fig up the pudding and sit by the fire reading aloud from A Christmas Carol to a rapt, rosy-cheeked audience. But, just like all Mumm's best-laid plans, this year's Festive Vision is in danger of being totally derailed by her chaotic family. There's not much chance of any action under the mistletoe, and the kids are just not playing ball.
Can Mummy finder her silver lining after all and bring the whole family together for one moment of harmony? Or should she get stuck into the festive spirits and just let it all go?

If you want something funny and oh so relatable (even though I don't have kids or dogs!) with a festive spin, then this is your book. All the Christmas' past seem to get more and more daft, and they are thoroughly enjoyable. And I'm so glad that I've never had any Christmases quite like that....

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a great time catching up with Ellen, Simon, Jane, and Peter. Having read all the other books in the 'Why Mummy' series, I feel like I know the family as if they were distant relatives.

This new release has Ellen reminiscing about Christmases past, as both Jane and Peter are now grown up and pursuing their own lives, making it relatable to many readers. I could empathize with Ellen's desire to create the perfect Christmas for her loved ones, and I am sure that many other readers will feel the same way. The plot of past Christmases alongside the present was masterfully written.

As expected, the writing style is hilarious and had me laughing out loud, particularly the scenes featuring the unconventional sister-in-law. (IYKYK) I was delighted to see the return of familiar characters and enjoyed meeting some new ones. I'd love to see more from this series; it is one of my all-time favourites!

This book is a must-read for anyone seeking a good laugh and isn't easily offended by profanity or nudity. I wholeheartedly recommend it, and it would make an excellent gift for yourself or someone else.

To sum up, I strongly suggest purchasing this five-star festive read…I have no doubts about recommending it as a must-read this Christmas!

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A LOL hilarious story, with stories within the story, of Ellen, the MC, coming to terms with an empty nest during Christmas. As she remembers Christmases past, she goes through the realization that each Christmas, though stressful, crazy, infuriating, was special and magical in their own way - even if it didn't match the VISION. So funny, thoroughly enjoyable, and heartwarming!

[Jules (Never enough time to read) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not perfect, but it was a lot of fun to read.

At times it was more like a collection of stories rather than a fully plotted novel. But it had me laughing out loud more than once.

A fun festive read.

[Stephanie Faint · Rating 5 out of 5]

It may be a tad early for a Christmas read but I loved every second of this book. It resonated on so many levels. If you haven’t read any of Gill Sims books, I urge you to add one to your Christmas list!

[Mandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all of Gill Sims other books, so reading this was a no brainer but it just wasn't as good as the rest in the series.

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always makes me laugh out loud

[Sophie Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very funny and true to life story of all mums 'vision' of a magical xmas

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun book to read just like all the other why mummy books! Gives all the right christmas feels

[Hannah Veale · Rating 3 out of 5]

I previously had another book in this series and never got past the first few pages, and I did struggle with this one for a good few chapters. Once you get past the beginning it’s not to bad and was quite funny at times but I wouldn’t go out of my way to read any more of these books.

[Susan Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really, really enjoyed this. Had me laughing out loud so much. I even had to read it to friends to brighten their day! Only reason not 5 stars is, as ever, the hippie Louisa character feels OTT to me. However, I adored this book and will now go back and read those I’ve missed in the series.

[Rahdigras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had its funny moments but only OK overall.

[Danni (_forbookssake) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gill Sims’ Why Mummy series is one of my all time favourites, and this addition to the series has a sole focus on Christmas. A time of the year that is super magical and most people love, but we all know it can get also get very stressful, especially as a parent.

We all wish to create the most beautiful, magical Christmas, and Ellen Green strives for it more than most. She has been trying her entire adult life to achieve this, but chaos seems to surround Ellen at all times. Whether it be with her mother-in-law who has never really approved of her and still treats her husband like an innocent little boy who can do no wrong, a sister-in-law who’s family live the most unconventional lifestyle and like to get naked at every opportunity, or a mother who is constantly criticising and always choosing her sister first, there’s never a dull moment, and Christmas is where all of it comes together in one big whirlwind of drama.

I loved that with this book, we not only got present day, but we also went back to past Christmases. There were so many laugh out loud moments throughout those years, and a personal favourite was the year of the dreaded family chicken pox outbreak. Amongst the past Christmases, we visit some from Ellen’s childhood, which I felt gave us more of an in depth understanding than we’ve ever had of Ellen, especially in regards to her behaviour towards Christmas.

As always, Gill Sims has written a hilarious book, which shows the reality of parenting. I can’t get enough of this series, and this is possibly one of my favourite books in it!

[Hedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious! There were many moments where I laughed out loud, which hasn't happened in a long time.

Ellen wants to have the best Christmas with her family, but both her children, Jane and Peter, announce that they will not be coming home for this Christmas. Ellen is frustrated and starts reminding past Christmases over the years. One comical situation follows another, but in the form of these memories, it begins to become clear to Ellen that the current situation is actually not so bad.

I recommend reading this book, it is funny and a quick read. An absolute page-turner.

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are all just so real and funny!!

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review incoming ……

Title - what mummy drinks at Christmas
Publisher - harper Colins
Released - 2024
Rating - 4 ⭐️

Official blurb - Mummy has always loved Christmas. Sure, the kids turn into demons, the dinner gets burnt to a crisp and Aunt Louisa’s general staggering inappropriateness sends Mummy reaching for the nearest maximum-strength festive tipple, but nevertheless, for her, Christmas is always special.
This year, she wants nothing more than to perfectly fig up the pudding and sit by the fire reading aloud from A Christmas Carol to a rapt, rosy-cheeked audience. But, just like all Mummy’s best-laid plans, this year’s Festive Vision is in danger of being totally derailed by her chaotic family. There’s not much chance of any action under the mistletoe, and the kids are just not playing ball.
Can Mummy find her silver lining after all and bring the whole family together for one moment of harmony, so they can finally proclaim ‘Verily You Are the Queen of Christmas’? Or should she get stuck into the festive spirits and just let it all go?

My thoughts - picked this one up from the library because the title made me think it would be funny! How right that was! This book made me laugh out loud more than any other book I’ve ever read. It does have my push the boundaries sense of humour in parts, the comment about the NSPCC advert from the gran has me laughing even now 😂

It was told from one POV but it was so relatable, and I don’t have kids. If you do I think it would possibly be even more funny! I will absolutely be getting the others in this series. The reason for 4⭐️ was that rhe parts with the sister in law and the yurt weren’t as funny and bored me a little, but the rest of the book was cracking! Didn’t like the long chapters though! Im a short chapter gal!

Overall an absolutely fab read spoke 100% recommend!

#bookstaggram #bookcommunity #comedybooks #christmasreads #booklover

[Dha loves books · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟✨️
Overall - 4.75 out of 5
Genre - Christmas/women's Fiction
Emotional rating - 😂😂😂😊😊
Speed and ease to read - 🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️🏃🏾‍♀️
Number of pages - 310
Publication Year - 2023
Makes you think about a bigger topic -  No
Recommend the book - ✔️

▪️Synopsis

Mummy has always loved Christmas. Sure, the kids turn into demons and the dinner gets burnt to a crisp but nevertheless, for her, Christmas is always special.

But, just like all Mummy’s best-laid plans, this year’s Festive Vision is in danger of being totally derailed by her chaotic family. Can Mummy find her silver lining after all?

▪️ How I found the book

This was a great book that had me laughing out loud so many times.

Ellen's children have now grown up and are not returning home for Christmas so she is trying to come to terms with Christmas without her children. I haven't read a 'Why mummy drinks' book but that didn't take any enjoyment away from reading this book or understanding the characters.

However I'm not sure I would enjoy the book as much if I didn't have children, work with them or understand them as a lot of the fun is being able to relate to the daily chaos that comes with children.

The book is set through the month of December and some of the story goes backwards in time reminiscing about previous Christmas incidents when the children were younger. Some of the scenes were slower so it felt like a rollercoaster with the pace of some of it.

However I haven't laughed out loud at a book for a long time so it was nice to have a chuckle. And this one did live up to the name - many books claim it but can't raise more than a smile.

For a light-hearted and literally laugh out loud book then I would recommend this one.

[Vicki Swift · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me, it's not my usual read, but I really enjoyed it! I expected it to be about a mum with young children, but Ellen's kids are actually grown up and she's facing the prospect of her first Christmas without them at home. The story is formed of a series of flashbacks to previous festive periods, as she examines how our memories aren't necessarily the truth of what happened, and what really makes a good Christmas.

The book is actually very funny and I found myself chuckling aloud and wanting to share the jokes with my husband who would also appreciate the parenting laughs. I was surprised that it also touches on the not-so-funny side of motherhood, addressing how we're always told to feel blessed and grateful when our kids are young because they grow up so fast, when in reality it's a really tough time which most mothers find very challenging and even boring. I found myself nodding along thinking YES, the '#soblessed' brigade can go get stuffed by their Christmas turkey.

Altogether this was the perfect read for the holidays. I really liked the characters, so I'm going to read Why Mummy Drinks on Holiday next to see what the author does with them at the opposite side of the year.

[Joanna Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why Mummy Drinks At Christmas is a funny, relatable book that makes you feel better about your own parenting experiences.

Firstly I have been a huge fan of this series from the start and have enjoyed following the family through all their ups and downs. The story is told from the present day as Mummy tries to come to terms with the possibility of a Christmas without the kids and through a series of flashbacks detailing Christmases past. As a mum of three I found this book hugely relatable and often found myself laughing out loud from all of their Christmas experiences. I did find the book unexpectedly emotional too as it made me think about Christmas’s in the future when my kids might not be around. It definitely made me want to embrace the chaos of Christmas more while I could.

I thought this book had a great pace to it and even in the quieter bits I was just happy reliving Christmas with the family and glad that the chaos described wasn’t happening to me for once. This book had a lovely message to it that it’s best not to try and get to stressed about Christmas or to stop making it too perfect as it will never happen as you think.

Huge thanks to Indie Thinking and Harper Collins for my copy of this book which was perfect for curling up with over the festive period.

[Jessica Huntley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The title made me buy this. Didn't even read the blurb! I was hoping that it was a Mummy with young children like my son so I could relate to her more but when I started I realised she had grown up children and they'd left home.
Never mind. I continued. But actually what happened were flash backs to previous Christmases when the kids were young so I could relate to these a lot more.
I actually ended up enjoying this book a lot despite the ridiculously over the top characterizations of most of the characters. (Louisa for a start).
Yes, it was funny. The writing style was unique even if the sentences were too long at times but I think that's what made it funnier as she often went off on rambles.
I felt like this book was actually written about me in places! Her love of Bailey's made me take her side on numerous occasions! Granted I've never taken a bottle of Bailey's out to the garage and cried 🤣
All in all a funny, Christmassy account of a mother who only wants her grown up children around for Christmas. Just be prepared for some annoying characters and long winded random tangents! 🤣

[Kayleigh G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ellen’s 2 children have both grown up and are living their own lives. Jane is at university and Peter is off travelling the world. Ellen can’t wait for Christmas when her babies will return home to her where she can host the most perfect Christmas ever. So imagine her disappointment when Jane tells her she is going on a skiing holiday with her boyfriend and his family and Peter has decided to stay on the beach!

Ellen reminisces about all the Christmases that have passed and the effort she has put it each year to try and provide the perfect Christmas for her children. Each Christmas story features a disaster or funny moment which makes Ellen realise that maybe all the effort isn’t worth it! Can Ellen find a way to enjoy a quiet Christmas this year with her husband Simon or will it all be a disaster.

My thoughts: I’ve been following Ellen and her parenting journey since book 1 and I love her. She is so relatable, honest, and funny. I really enjoyed the stories of the past Christmases, Louisa (sorry, Amaris!) is hilarious. I definitely recommend this book if you want a lighthearted Christmas read.

[Maloney Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth instalment in the ‘Why Mummy…’ saga. I read ‘The Saturday Night Sauvignon Sisterhood’ last year assuming it was part of this series (it wasn’t), so it was good to visit with Ellen and Simon again after a break away.

If you like Gill Sims’ other ‘Why Mummy’ books you will enjoy this one - same writing style, same language, all the original characters pop in to say hello; the only thing I wasn’t 100% keen on was the travelling back to Christmasses-past, it felt like those episodes of your favourite tv series where they throw in some ‘how they got here’ moments but they often just feel like fillers. Don’t get me wrong, they were fun but didn’t feature in her other books. I was also unsure why, during all of these back stories, there was no hint or mention of Simon and Ellen breaking up and getting back together again?

Nice easy, festive read to end 2023 and start the new year. A strong 3.5 ⭐️ .