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Holly #1
On Strike for Christmas
Sheila Roberts' On Strike for Christmas is a humorous, heartwarming novel about a community of women who are tired of feeling unappreciated for all the hard work they do at Christmas ― so they stage a boycott.
At Christmastime, it seems as though a woman's work is never done. Trimming the tree, mailing the cards, schlepping to the mall, the endless wrapping― bah humbug ! So this year, Joy and Laura and the rest of their knitting group decide to go on strike. If their husbands and families want a nice holiday―filled with parties, decorations, and presents―well, they'll just have to do it themselves.
The boycott soon takes on a life of its own when a reporter picks up the story and more women join in. But as Christmas Day approaches, Joy, Laura, and their husbands confront larger issues in their marriages and discover that a little holiday magic is exactly what they need to come together.
Sheila Roberts gives the best gift of all in this funny, heartwarming novel that touches the very core of Christmas spirit.
At Christmastime, it seems as though a woman's work is never done. Trimming the tree, mailing the cards, schlepping to the mall, the endless wrapping― bah humbug ! So this year, Joy and Laura and the rest of their knitting group decide to go on strike. If their husbands and families want a nice holiday―filled with parties, decorations, and presents―well, they'll just have to do it themselves.
The boycott soon takes on a life of its own when a reporter picks up the story and more women join in. But as Christmas Day approaches, Joy, Laura, and their husbands confront larger issues in their marriages and discover that a little holiday magic is exactly what they need to come together.
Sheila Roberts gives the best gift of all in this funny, heartwarming novel that touches the very core of Christmas spirit.
339 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2007
105 people are currently reading
1725 people want to read
About the author
Sheila Roberts
108 books1,974 followersWith fifty books to her credit, both fiction and non-fiction, Sheila Roberts is a frequent USA Today and Publishers Weekly bestseller - and a fan favorite. Her books have sold over three million copies and have been turned into movies for the Hallmark, Lifetime and Great American Family channels. Before settling into her writing career, Sheila owned a singing telegram company and played in band. When she's not traveling, Sheila can be found hanging out with friends, playing tennis, and, of course, writing and reading. Sometimes she even remembers to post books she's read!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 324 reviews
November 30, 2018
A woman's work is never done, or so the women folk of downtown Holly would have you believe. Sheila Roberts' "On Strike for Christmas" was a fun, chick lit read that left me feeling warm and fuzzy in anticipation for Christmas. Having already watched the American movie of the same title I was looking forward to reading this book and although I still prefer the movie version I did find the book entertaining and heartwarming.
Joy Robertson believes her husband Bob to be turning into a stereotypical Christmas humbug and feels he needs to start having more fun since he is pulling her down with him. Meanwhile, Laura is feeling worn out with the constant parties her husband Glen throws on her at the last minute expecting food and drinks catered at a moments notice. When the two women get together with their friends at their regular knitting group they decide they've had enough and it's about time the men folk knew what it felt like to actually do what they do to ensure a perfect Christmas for them and their families, whilst still holding down a job. With the trees and houses to decorate, presents to buy, kids costumes to plan and Christmas dinner to make, can the men recreate exactly what the women do so easily? What could possibly go wrong? Although the women have been building their perfect Christmases for years, it was a little unfair to expect the men to be able to suddenly pick up where they left off, with cookies to bake and parties to plan. However it was enjoyable reading just how much the men actually failed at some of the more simpler things they needed to do and it was ingenious of Bob to come up with a fail safe plan to help the fellow husbands out. Once the local newspaper gets a hold of the story, the battle of the sexes truly begins but when things start to go monumentally wrong, the women start to realise they may have been a little hasty.
I'm sure every woman who reads this book will relate to the story in some way, from the frazzled 'yulezillas' to the widowed Carol who only has memories for company to Jerri, undergoing chemo for cancer. I'd highly recommend this book if you love Christmas and into chick lit, perhaps a few of these books should even be used as stocking fillers for men, maybe then the women of the future won't need to strike!
A funny, heartwarming and entertainingly read I thoroughly enjoyed and just perfect for the advent of Christmas!
4 stars
Joy Robertson believes her husband Bob to be turning into a stereotypical Christmas humbug and feels he needs to start having more fun since he is pulling her down with him. Meanwhile, Laura is feeling worn out with the constant parties her husband Glen throws on her at the last minute expecting food and drinks catered at a moments notice. When the two women get together with their friends at their regular knitting group they decide they've had enough and it's about time the men folk knew what it felt like to actually do what they do to ensure a perfect Christmas for them and their families, whilst still holding down a job. With the trees and houses to decorate, presents to buy, kids costumes to plan and Christmas dinner to make, can the men recreate exactly what the women do so easily? What could possibly go wrong? Although the women have been building their perfect Christmases for years, it was a little unfair to expect the men to be able to suddenly pick up where they left off, with cookies to bake and parties to plan. However it was enjoyable reading just how much the men actually failed at some of the more simpler things they needed to do and it was ingenious of Bob to come up with a fail safe plan to help the fellow husbands out. Once the local newspaper gets a hold of the story, the battle of the sexes truly begins but when things start to go monumentally wrong, the women start to realise they may have been a little hasty.
I'm sure every woman who reads this book will relate to the story in some way, from the frazzled 'yulezillas' to the widowed Carol who only has memories for company to Jerri, undergoing chemo for cancer. I'd highly recommend this book if you love Christmas and into chick lit, perhaps a few of these books should even be used as stocking fillers for men, maybe then the women of the future won't need to strike!
A funny, heartwarming and entertainingly read I thoroughly enjoyed and just perfect for the advent of Christmas!
4 stars
March 28, 2010
You know, there's a reason that I don't read much chick lit in any of it's forms. Even when it purports to be breaking stereotypes and questioning the status quo, most of the time it really just dresses both up in newish clothes. Such was the case with my book club's selection for December, On Strike for Christmas by Shelia Roberts.
The story follows the members of the Stitch 'n Bitch Knitting Club in their crusade to get their husbands to help out and appreciate all of their hard work at the holidays. The crusade is accidentally started by Joy (and yes, they all have annoyingly cutesy holiday names-the name of the town is Holly, for crying' out loud!), when she tells her scrooge of a husband (affectionately referred to as Bob Humbug) that since all he does is complain about the hubbub at the holidays, he can be in charge of their Christmas this year. This idea infects the other women, and soon the whole town is choosing sides in this battle of the sexes.
Battle of the sexes, really, Shelia Roberts? Are we still trotting out that old plot device? Most of the "conflicts" in the book could have been solved by a polite request or a quiet conversations. Your husband gets overwhelmed by your large family and needs to get away before you do-DRIVE SEPARATELY! Your husband invites people over without letting you know ahead of time-TELL HIM HE'S DOING THE COOKING! Or suggest he go to the nearest pizza joint for pizza and wings. What is it about our society that insists that men are helpless and can't do anything nurturing without a woman there to guide them? Really, not one husband in this books has ever wrapped a gift/cooked a meal/decorated a tree/hosted a party? Maybe it's the Pollyana in me, but I really refuse to believe that we are still raising our boys to be so helpless.
Of course, the other subtext of this story is that the women really love doing it all, they just want their husbands to pay more attention to them. I seem to remember reading an article from the 50s with a whole list of suggestions about how to do just that-are you really telling me we haven't moved past that yet? Since all of the women appeared to be intelligent, well-spoken women, perhaps they could have just, I don't know, said how they were feeling in a way that didn't reduce their husbands to caricatures of Fred Flintstone variety. I realize as a woman I'm supposed to be on their side in this little debate, but really, if you insist on having everything a certain way a la Bree Van De Kamp then you better be ready to do it your dammee.
I should say for fairness sake that several of my book club members really liked this book, and thought that it echoed some of the things in their own marriage. And these were younger women-not women in their 50s and 60s. Maybe it's the fact of my not being married to a man, or the fact that my own father never fell into those stereotypes to begin with (he wraps all the presents and makes Christmas dinner with the help of my mom, not the other way around), but this book and it's sexist message of women as long-suffering nurturers and men as bumbling idiots was not the Christmas gift I was hoping for.
The story follows the members of the Stitch 'n Bitch Knitting Club in their crusade to get their husbands to help out and appreciate all of their hard work at the holidays. The crusade is accidentally started by Joy (and yes, they all have annoyingly cutesy holiday names-the name of the town is Holly, for crying' out loud!), when she tells her scrooge of a husband (affectionately referred to as Bob Humbug) that since all he does is complain about the hubbub at the holidays, he can be in charge of their Christmas this year. This idea infects the other women, and soon the whole town is choosing sides in this battle of the sexes.
Battle of the sexes, really, Shelia Roberts? Are we still trotting out that old plot device? Most of the "conflicts" in the book could have been solved by a polite request or a quiet conversations. Your husband gets overwhelmed by your large family and needs to get away before you do-DRIVE SEPARATELY! Your husband invites people over without letting you know ahead of time-TELL HIM HE'S DOING THE COOKING! Or suggest he go to the nearest pizza joint for pizza and wings. What is it about our society that insists that men are helpless and can't do anything nurturing without a woman there to guide them? Really, not one husband in this books has ever wrapped a gift/cooked a meal/decorated a tree/hosted a party? Maybe it's the Pollyana in me, but I really refuse to believe that we are still raising our boys to be so helpless.
Of course, the other subtext of this story is that the women really love doing it all, they just want their husbands to pay more attention to them. I seem to remember reading an article from the 50s with a whole list of suggestions about how to do just that-are you really telling me we haven't moved past that yet? Since all of the women appeared to be intelligent, well-spoken women, perhaps they could have just, I don't know, said how they were feeling in a way that didn't reduce their husbands to caricatures of Fred Flintstone variety. I realize as a woman I'm supposed to be on their side in this little debate, but really, if you insist on having everything a certain way a la Bree Van De Kamp then you better be ready to do it your dammee.
I should say for fairness sake that several of my book club members really liked this book, and thought that it echoed some of the things in their own marriage. And these were younger women-not women in their 50s and 60s. Maybe it's the fact of my not being married to a man, or the fact that my own father never fell into those stereotypes to begin with (he wraps all the presents and makes Christmas dinner with the help of my mom, not the other way around), but this book and it's sexist message of women as long-suffering nurturers and men as bumbling idiots was not the Christmas gift I was hoping for.
January 17, 2015
I got the book a few days ago at the dollar tree and read it quickly. On Strike For Christmas isn't a book I would normally start mid January but for a dollar. Anyway the premise that the women in the small town of Holly (with names like Joy) are feeling stressed and unappreciated because their husbands expect Christmas to happen for them rather than with their help, is old fashioned and frankly ridiculous. That doesn't mean it doesn't ring true for some people. Anyway, the women jump on the bandwagon quickly when one of them decides to go on Christmas Strike. The men are bewildered but even so their responses are loving and they try to step up. The book read quickly and made me laugh.
It also made me remember my younger self.
I'm 51 and have been with my husband 33 years. When we were younger I felt that same sense of being ignored and the same stress to make it perfect. He didn't really put those expectations on me. I did that to myself. But when I was young and insecure I wanted him to love doing what I did and worried that if he'd rather be doing something else that it meant he'd rather be with someone else. Thankfully as I grew into adulthood and a sense of confidence I became happier doing only what I really wanted too and sharing that with him became easier. As we were together longer and learned to trust each other and ourselves it became fun to sometimes refuse to go to his party so I could go to my own and then talk about both together later.
I wasted a lot of tears and anger fighting battles with silence or strikes before I learned to talk about what I expected and needed. So in this sense, this old battle of the sexes didn't seem impossible to me. The hardest thing to accept was the loving and gentle responses of all the men, or the fact that there wasn't one really angry refusal to go along or one couple where the man was the one who did most of the holiday prep.
Still for a feel good, lighthearted, book for Christmas lovers. I enjoyed it a lot
It also made me remember my younger self.
I'm 51 and have been with my husband 33 years. When we were younger I felt that same sense of being ignored and the same stress to make it perfect. He didn't really put those expectations on me. I did that to myself. But when I was young and insecure I wanted him to love doing what I did and worried that if he'd rather be doing something else that it meant he'd rather be with someone else. Thankfully as I grew into adulthood and a sense of confidence I became happier doing only what I really wanted too and sharing that with him became easier. As we were together longer and learned to trust each other and ourselves it became fun to sometimes refuse to go to his party so I could go to my own and then talk about both together later.
I wasted a lot of tears and anger fighting battles with silence or strikes before I learned to talk about what I expected and needed. So in this sense, this old battle of the sexes didn't seem impossible to me. The hardest thing to accept was the loving and gentle responses of all the men, or the fact that there wasn't one really angry refusal to go along or one couple where the man was the one who did most of the holiday prep.
Still for a feel good, lighthearted, book for Christmas lovers. I enjoyed it a lot
December 25, 2019
I really enjoyed this light-hearted and heartwarming book. It was perfect in the run up to Christmas and made me feel extra festive.
There are 24 chapters, so I approached it like an advent and read 1 chapter a day. It certainly made my holidays more enjoyable!
I love the added extra of the characters recipes at the end. I will be keeping the book to try baking some of these myself!
There are 24 chapters, so I approached it like an advent and read 1 chapter a day. It certainly made my holidays more enjoyable!
I love the added extra of the characters recipes at the end. I will be keeping the book to try baking some of these myself!
December 6, 2014
Now then, I’m not one for Christmas. Very Bah Humbug me. I think it starts too early, goes on too long, has become way too commercial and is all about the stuff. Buy this buy that – if you can’t afford to get your children THE gift of the year SHAME ON YOU… and oh heavens have you SEEN how much food people buy to cover 2 days? The magic has been lost somewhat…well an awful lot. So it was interesting for me to read this novel to see if Sheila Roberts could ignite some Christmas spirit in me…
Well she did. I really enjoyed it – not my type of book usually to be fair, but I rattled through it at a fair pace, often giggling and totally absorbed. As the Knitting club band together to try and get their husbands more involved in the nitty gritty of Christmas, it is a very enjoyable and what I call “popcorn” read – perfect for the season. By the end I was actually quite excited to get wrapping up presents, looking out the tree decorations and generally feeling much more like I was going to enjoy the holiday…
Ms Roberts writes with a very bubbly style that is quite old school yet enchanting. Bob Humbug had me laughing away and as the strike takes on a life of its own in the media and everyone gets involved, there is a little moral here about what I was mentioning earlier – the really important stuff, how we treat each other and how we support each other, especially within close relationships. So overall then as a fun read with a bit of a message it was really very good.
For me there was a little niggle – this is very throwback – using a gender stereotype when it comes to the roles men and women play in family life, roles which are so often reversed these days – the families in this story were very 50’s if you know what I mean. It was appropriate to the tale being told of course, but on a very personal note I kind of wished that Sheila Roberts had mixed it up a little – but thats just me and overall it was a highly enjoyable story.
So if you are a little bar humbug this year – pick up a Christmas story, it does help! This one might work nicely.
Well she did. I really enjoyed it – not my type of book usually to be fair, but I rattled through it at a fair pace, often giggling and totally absorbed. As the Knitting club band together to try and get their husbands more involved in the nitty gritty of Christmas, it is a very enjoyable and what I call “popcorn” read – perfect for the season. By the end I was actually quite excited to get wrapping up presents, looking out the tree decorations and generally feeling much more like I was going to enjoy the holiday…
Ms Roberts writes with a very bubbly style that is quite old school yet enchanting. Bob Humbug had me laughing away and as the strike takes on a life of its own in the media and everyone gets involved, there is a little moral here about what I was mentioning earlier – the really important stuff, how we treat each other and how we support each other, especially within close relationships. So overall then as a fun read with a bit of a message it was really very good.
For me there was a little niggle – this is very throwback – using a gender stereotype when it comes to the roles men and women play in family life, roles which are so often reversed these days – the families in this story were very 50’s if you know what I mean. It was appropriate to the tale being told of course, but on a very personal note I kind of wished that Sheila Roberts had mixed it up a little – but thats just me and overall it was a highly enjoyable story.
So if you are a little bar humbug this year – pick up a Christmas story, it does help! This one might work nicely.
January 6, 2018
This is hysterical! Finally a tell-all expose about how hard it truly is to make Christmas happen. Most men (sorry, guys!) just think all the holiday cheer just coincidentally 'happens.' Not so! Behind every great party, holiday dinner & platter of Christmas treats is a very tired woman. In this story a group of ladies go on strike for Christmas for a wide variety of reasons causing the husbands and daddies to step up and cover to try to save Christmas. Hilarity ensues! Besides the usual, predictable things like burned cookies & ugly holiday photos all the characters learn important things about themselves. Ms. Roberts writes with great wit and surprising insight to the male point of view. So while you will laugh out loud frequently, maybe you'll take away a new point of view about what other people feel about holiday celebrations and all the hoopla leading up to Christmas. I really loved it!
March 24, 2017
Sheila Roberts has created quite a unique story in this book. It is all about some wives that are totally miffed as their husbands don't seem to help with all of the tasks that they so busily attend to each year in the run up to Christmas.
The list of their tasks seems enormous. So I can see why they were annoyed when they didn't ever get any help from their husbands. But this book is not just about that.
Each family involved in this strike has a different story to tell. So each copes in different ways. They also each have their possible breaking point.
Negotiations to end the strike seem to fall unheard as the wives try to keep their steely resolve and stick to their side. But that is easier said than done.
Some of the men seem to cope better with the fact that they now all have to do the Christmas tasks instead of their wives. Other falter and seem to go from one disaster to another.
The intricate way in which their lives intermingle is written well. You can almost feel the tension in the air from some of the situations described. Knowing glances are often exchanged. But do each of them really know better than to question their motives?
This is a story of love, choices, self care, new adventures, thought provoking ideas, and lots more.
Worth a read.
The list of their tasks seems enormous. So I can see why they were annoyed when they didn't ever get any help from their husbands. But this book is not just about that.
Each family involved in this strike has a different story to tell. So each copes in different ways. They also each have their possible breaking point.
Negotiations to end the strike seem to fall unheard as the wives try to keep their steely resolve and stick to their side. But that is easier said than done.
Some of the men seem to cope better with the fact that they now all have to do the Christmas tasks instead of their wives. Other falter and seem to go from one disaster to another.
The intricate way in which their lives intermingle is written well. You can almost feel the tension in the air from some of the situations described. Knowing glances are often exchanged. But do each of them really know better than to question their motives?
This is a story of love, choices, self care, new adventures, thought provoking ideas, and lots more.
Worth a read.
December 17, 2012
Why I read this book: I read this book because I like to read Christmas themed books at this time of year and it was the book my pen pal and I decided to read.
What I didn't like: I wish we could have had a little more about Carol. I did not like how grumpy she was and kind of mean at times to the girls but it was kind of explained why she was this way.
What I did like: I like the theme of the book and the way it was very light and easy to read. I also liked how in the end each story was summed up and there was an actual ending to each couples situation.
Overall Impression: I enjoyed reading this book. How many of us think at this time of year - I wish I could go on strike and not do all of this. My family does not do a lot of baking and partying but just the stress of the season and making sure you get the right gift, will your kids be happy with what you got them, the crowds in the stores, and the way people forget what the season is about. Well this little town of Holly decided to do just that. The women were tired of doing it all with no help and went on strike. It was nice to read each of the couples stories and how they coped with their husbands taking over and how the husbands how to figure out how to get everything done that their wives did. I think I liked Glen and Laura because even though Laura made Glen do everything she still felt sorry for him and Glen handled the situation the best out of all the husbands to me. I think Joy finally understood that her husband just did not get into the same things as her but that was ok, we are not all the same and when she realized this then things started getting better and then Bob made a big turn and effort to try to understand that she enjoys parties and such and would just like him to be a part of it. I really felt sorry for Glen at the school Christmas program. I thought it was kind of funny how most of the town followed in the knitting groups plans to strike and how the paper followed the story. Very enjoyable book. 5 stars.
What I didn't like: I wish we could have had a little more about Carol. I did not like how grumpy she was and kind of mean at times to the girls but it was kind of explained why she was this way.
What I did like: I like the theme of the book and the way it was very light and easy to read. I also liked how in the end each story was summed up and there was an actual ending to each couples situation.
Overall Impression: I enjoyed reading this book. How many of us think at this time of year - I wish I could go on strike and not do all of this. My family does not do a lot of baking and partying but just the stress of the season and making sure you get the right gift, will your kids be happy with what you got them, the crowds in the stores, and the way people forget what the season is about. Well this little town of Holly decided to do just that. The women were tired of doing it all with no help and went on strike. It was nice to read each of the couples stories and how they coped with their husbands taking over and how the husbands how to figure out how to get everything done that their wives did. I think I liked Glen and Laura because even though Laura made Glen do everything she still felt sorry for him and Glen handled the situation the best out of all the husbands to me. I think Joy finally understood that her husband just did not get into the same things as her but that was ok, we are not all the same and when she realized this then things started getting better and then Bob made a big turn and effort to try to understand that she enjoys parties and such and would just like him to be a part of it. I really felt sorry for Glen at the school Christmas program. I thought it was kind of funny how most of the town followed in the knitting groups plans to strike and how the paper followed the story. Very enjoyable book. 5 stars.
October 31, 2015
On Strike For Christmas by Sheila Roberts is another delightful offering, and just perfect for a heart warming read on an Autumn evening.
As Thanksgiving ends and Christmas approaches, Joy and Laura, fed up with doing all the preparations and parties single handed, decide to go on strike for Christmas. If Christmas is to happen, then their husbands will be organising it. The local paper hears of the strike, and soon many more women have joined it. The men of the town of Holly are going to find out just how much hard work goes into making Christmas appear to run smoothly.
On Strike For Christmas was a highly amusing read, as men all over town launched from one disaster to another, with very humorous results. It was a compulsive read that had me smiling throughout.
Setting the amusement aside, the novel showed several different marriages and family make-up's. it had the themes of love and commitment within its pages. Not all the characters had families, but they were all searching to belong and be loved.
Everyone wanted to celebrate Christmas but Sheila Roberts showed that while we all yearn for a happy, cosy Christmas, sometimes the reality is hard. What about the widow? The single parent with little money? The person fighting cancer? Sheila Roberts sensitively and lovingly covered all these different situations within the novel, bringing a tear at times to my eyes.
Within On Strike For Christmas there was a wonderful feeling of small town community. People looked out for others, offering advice and friendship. I should love to be part of the town of Holly, who wouldn't?
The novel celebrates Christmas but it also celebrates marriages in their various shapes and sizes. Sheila Roberts shows spouses having differing opinions and having moods with each other, but underpinning it all, is love.
This is the third Christmas novel that I have read by Sheila Roberts, and I have enjoyed them all. She writes with warmth, with humour and with an infectious Christmas spirit. I fully intend to search out more novels by this wonderful author.
As Thanksgiving ends and Christmas approaches, Joy and Laura, fed up with doing all the preparations and parties single handed, decide to go on strike for Christmas. If Christmas is to happen, then their husbands will be organising it. The local paper hears of the strike, and soon many more women have joined it. The men of the town of Holly are going to find out just how much hard work goes into making Christmas appear to run smoothly.
On Strike For Christmas was a highly amusing read, as men all over town launched from one disaster to another, with very humorous results. It was a compulsive read that had me smiling throughout.
Setting the amusement aside, the novel showed several different marriages and family make-up's. it had the themes of love and commitment within its pages. Not all the characters had families, but they were all searching to belong and be loved.
Everyone wanted to celebrate Christmas but Sheila Roberts showed that while we all yearn for a happy, cosy Christmas, sometimes the reality is hard. What about the widow? The single parent with little money? The person fighting cancer? Sheila Roberts sensitively and lovingly covered all these different situations within the novel, bringing a tear at times to my eyes.
Within On Strike For Christmas there was a wonderful feeling of small town community. People looked out for others, offering advice and friendship. I should love to be part of the town of Holly, who wouldn't?
The novel celebrates Christmas but it also celebrates marriages in their various shapes and sizes. Sheila Roberts shows spouses having differing opinions and having moods with each other, but underpinning it all, is love.
This is the third Christmas novel that I have read by Sheila Roberts, and I have enjoyed them all. She writes with warmth, with humour and with an infectious Christmas spirit. I fully intend to search out more novels by this wonderful author.
April 20, 2009
i didn't finish this one - i was simultaneously trying to get through the Twilight series, which just makes any book suck in comparison, but it also just wasn't good enough for me to bother coming back to it. the characters were annoying, at best - i guess i just don't relate to a housewife who cooks, cleans and decorates her house for a living, only to complain about all the cooking, cleaning and decorating that she has to do. out of 10 or so people in book club, i think only 2 or 3 bothered finishing it, and the rest of us stopped at various points in the book (from page 12, to page 200+). none of us really liked it - it was just too cheesy and corny (pun kind of intended). i give it 2 stars partially because it still had a few cute parts, plus i'm not likely its intended audience, and in all fairness, i didn't actually finish so it ought to get some credit for what it could have been?
December 22, 2011
I must be missing some gene that allows one to enjoy puerile, superficial plots. The book has good reviews, but I really have to wonder *why*? This is about a group of women who decide to go on strike for christmas. What does that mean? They make their husbands take over the details of holiday domestics while they sit back and mock their ineptitude. I hoped there would be a deeper meaning or revelation at the end, but not really. It's embarrasing to see how much selifishness, consumerism and status displays play a front role in our American society during the holiday season. I sure hope the values in these character's lives are not representative of our values as a society--they sure aren't in my life. The book is a light, pleasant read with a very sad moral undertone. Please, can someone suggest a holiday story (aside from the obvious biblical reference) that is actually a worthy read?
December 8, 2009
I read this for a bookgroup. I think if I had just been reading it on my own I wouldn't have bothered finishing it. It read like a bad TV sitcom or Holiday movie. The characters weren't believable and were just based on stereotypes. The thing that irritated me the most about it was that every event was totally predictable (e.g. as they are leaving wife tells husband to make sure that the holiday costume he is bringing to their child's school is the right one - he arrives at the school and then checks the bag and it's the wrong one). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy cheesy holiday books and movies with the best of them but they have to be better written than this.
November 13, 2017
I'm happily surprised that I liked this as much as I did. I was a little afraid it was going to be dark humor, but it turned out to be a happy story in the end. There were a few little vulgarities that I found unnecessary and out of character with the bulk of the story, But some sweet, heart-warming moments made up for that. I wonder how the movie stacks up? I'll have to watch it and judge for myself.
New note: 11/26/15 - the movie is nothing like the book at all. Skip the movie. Read the book.
New note: 11/26/15 - the movie is nothing like the book at all. Skip the movie. Read the book.
December 3, 2008
On Strike for Christmas was a nice, feel good, get in the Christmas spirit type book. As I’m sure you can determine from the title alone, the book is about several women who decide to go on strike during Christmas. They feel overworked, underappreciated and totally taken advantage of during the holidays. There are four main characters:
Joy - married to "Bob Humbug"; he detests everything Christmas.
Laura - married to Mr. Popularity; he’s always the perfect host but never willing to lend a hand.
Sharon - married to a laid back, whatever happens, happens, type of guy; she’s a perfectionist.
Kay - married to Mr. Penny Pincher himself; she has to buy gifts for her own step kids because he won’t even spend on that.
It was uproariously funny to read chapters of the poor husbands tackling normal everyday Christmas chores the wives would normally handle -from getting an Advent Calendar, to buying and putting up the Christmas tree. I confess there were several times where I was actually laughing out loud. Especially when it was Glen (Laura’s husband) that you were reading about.
I felt the women were a bit self-centered and didn’t think much about their families and how this "strike" would affect their marriage, but in the end the story had a very touching ending (with me shedding a tear or two - I’m such a sucker for these things). So, if you want to read about families, friends and Christmas fun, this is the book for you this holiday season.
Joy - married to "Bob Humbug"; he detests everything Christmas.
Laura - married to Mr. Popularity; he’s always the perfect host but never willing to lend a hand.
Sharon - married to a laid back, whatever happens, happens, type of guy; she’s a perfectionist.
Kay - married to Mr. Penny Pincher himself; she has to buy gifts for her own step kids because he won’t even spend on that.
It was uproariously funny to read chapters of the poor husbands tackling normal everyday Christmas chores the wives would normally handle -from getting an Advent Calendar, to buying and putting up the Christmas tree. I confess there were several times where I was actually laughing out loud. Especially when it was Glen (Laura’s husband) that you were reading about.
I felt the women were a bit self-centered and didn’t think much about their families and how this "strike" would affect their marriage, but in the end the story had a very touching ending (with me shedding a tear or two - I’m such a sucker for these things). So, if you want to read about families, friends and Christmas fun, this is the book for you this holiday season.
July 16, 2009
I enjoyed this book for different reasons then most Christmas books I read. In this book some women decide to go on strike because they feel like they do everything to make the holidays nice for their husbands and family and nobody helps them. I often read articles about people who simplify their Christmas celebrations and really enjoy the experience but I have a hard time imaging Christmas without all the fun things we do. What I really think needs to happen is that people need to communicate with their families, particularly to their spouses about how to spend the season together. I can see how people could easily get burnt out so its important to choose as a family what to do. So thanks to this book Mark and I had a nice chat about our expectations for Christmas and Holidays in general. It was a fun book.
December 28, 2016
I found this book really annoying I dnfed on page 13! That's how bad and annoying I found the character. Even the concept of the book seemed boring; I don't know why I picked this up in the first place (I think I bought it this time last year! Probably looking for something christmassey, fun and uplifting...)
To me this book just consists of women complaining about men and then refusing to 'do christmas' pretty boring to me. I can't be bothered to read a book about complaining.
To me this book just consists of women complaining about men and then refusing to 'do christmas' pretty boring to me. I can't be bothered to read a book about complaining.
December 7, 2016
This book is overall a wholesome read but does have an occasional swear word in it.
I would have enjoyed reading more about all the secondary characters, but maybe the book would have been too long.
I recommend this book for anyone who feels like Christmas is overwhelming and that they are stuck doing everything themselves.
I would have enjoyed reading more about all the secondary characters, but maybe the book would have been too long.
I recommend this book for anyone who feels like Christmas is overwhelming and that they are stuck doing everything themselves.
December 15, 2008
This is a wonderful book. It is the perfect book for Christmas time. It reminds one to be thankful for those who work hard to make the holiday special at home and it also reminds one to help out too.
December 27, 2010
Since I've been on strike at Christmas for the last several years, it was nice to know that I'm not the only one who is disillusioned and disappointed in how Christmas plays out in my home. I AM NOT ALONE! This would make a cute little holiday movie for TV.
December 15, 2010
A good, funny holiday read for women who feel they are taken for granted by the men in their lives. :)
August 13, 2013
There isn't a woman alive who hasn't felt the way these women do. This book is funny and so very accurate and just a great read.
November 30, 2019
When one wife gets fed up with having to do everything for Christmas while her husband kicks back with friends and enjoys the big game, she decides to strike. All she wants is for her guy to realize what she does and that she'd appreciate some recognition as well as help. She gets so much more, and so do her friends who join her in the strike. They each have different reasons for pulling out of the holiday preparations, and they each achieve different results.
This was a fun reading retreat for the start of the holiday, and I might even test some of the recipes at the end.
This was a fun reading retreat for the start of the holiday, and I might even test some of the recipes at the end.
December 11, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this festive story. There are some great characters. It was such an easy and fun read. I especially recommend it to any women who think their husbands or boyfriends don't do enough to prepare for Christmas. This had me properly laughing in places, as the men struggled to get a grip of the situation. For any men out there wanting to help their hard working women with Christmas, this may be the book for you, or at least a book to buy for your wives and girlfriends, so they can have a giggle. But be warned, you'll be helping out with Christmas next year!
January 15, 2023
Would resonate with any busy woman who is taken for granted! A funny, feel good book which was hard to put down. I personally felt involved in every character’s life and wanted to know more about how Jerri was getting on - but the people are fictional and it’s a story! 🤣 📖
November 28, 2024
Really enjoyed reading this book, I loved how the women got together to go on strike for Christmas tired of doing it all no help from husband's. It was funny have the men do it, some of things that happened what went wrong in the end it all worked out. They came together,
December 11, 2023
Super cute, fun Christmas read!! Anyone who is married can probably relate to these characters!
November 23, 2018
Nice Christmas Story
It was a fun and easy read,the characters were likeable and funny. I enjoyed the strike and how the men handled it with good humor.
It was a fun and easy read,the characters were likeable and funny. I enjoyed the strike and how the men handled it with good humor.
December 3, 2021
I had trouble keeping up with all the characters and remembering who was who and who was married to who. Much of the story just kind of plodded along for me, but the last third picked up and I got much more interested. Not my favorite by this author.
December 10, 2018
Silly and cute and perfect for the season.
December 24, 2014
Originally posted on Becca's Books ~ http://beccasbooooks.blogspot.co.uk/
Firstly, a huge thank you to the fabulous Clara Diaz from Little, Brown UK for getting in touch and sending me a gorgeous paperback copy of On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts which, of course, was in exchange for a fair and honest review! Also, I'd like to wish the author Sheila Roberts a very happy publication day!
When Clara first got in touch with me, it was On Strike for Christmas which immediately caught my attention, mainly because right away, I had an image in my head of what Christmas would be like if my own mother decided to go on strike. I could not wait to get started and to see how the magic within would unfold, and I was not disappointed at all!
In On Strike for Christmas, we're introduced to Joy, her husband Bob, Laura, and her husband Glen. There's also Sharon, Carol, Kay, and a whole bunch of other characters who really bring this story to life, but I did feel like Joy, Bob, Laura and Glen had the main focus on them throughout the majority of reading. Joy, in finding that once again, preparation for Christmas has been left entirely in her hands, decides to go on strike. At first, it's just a silly day-dream idea, she can't imagine actually leaving the preparations to her Scrooge of a husband Bob, but once she airs her idea at the local stitch n' bitch group, Laura can't believe how genius it is! Neither can Sharon and Kay, as it happens. Before Joy knows it, the women who share her hometown of Holly, are determined to make a strike happen, and it's not long before the men are left in charge of Christmas whilst the women kick back and relax with a large mug of tea.
Let me just say, I absolutely loved On Strike for Christmas. Really, really loved it! It was entertaining, extremely comical, and so interesting. I mean, I think Sheila was really onto something when she came up with this idea. Leaving the men to deal with Christmas? It was fabulous, and I would just love to see how that would go down back home. There was a lot of truth within the story. Women do normally end up juggling everything that comes along with the Christmas period, whether that be writing the Christmas cards, cooking and serving the Christmas dinner, or buying and wrapping the presents! When Sheila took that and turned it around, I was turning the pages so rapidly I'm surprised flames didn't flicker from my fingers! When Bob and Glen were handed the Christmas responsibilities, I couldn't wait to get right down to it.
From creating the children's Christmas costumes to baking the Christmas cookies, Bob and Glen tackle their to-do lists determinedly, and to be fair, they didn't do too bad, despite the monster tree and the children's annual Christmas photograph. And besides trying to get their men to finally realise how much work goes into each Christmas, Joy and Laura begin to miss all the things that Christmas means to them.
Not everybody agrees with the strike though, and I think this added the perfect balance to the entire book. Carol, another character who Sheila introduces to the reader, doesn't agree, because this Christmas, she's alone. In her eyes, it's actually the women on strike who are taking their family for granted, and she'd give anything to have what they have. Carol added such a warm tone to the book. She was selfless, sad, and was definitely in need of cheering up. From the mayhem of the Christmas strike, Carol's character mellowed it all down and brought the reader right back to the heart of the story.
I adored this book. It was gorgeous, and such a perfect read for the festive season! It's full of family, mischief, chaos and all of those things that make Christmas what it truly is. Becca's Books is rating On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts with FOUR GORGEOUS CUPCAKES! A warm, fuzzy book that made me want to snuggle up and sip on a hot, sweet drink.
Firstly, a huge thank you to the fabulous Clara Diaz from Little, Brown UK for getting in touch and sending me a gorgeous paperback copy of On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts which, of course, was in exchange for a fair and honest review! Also, I'd like to wish the author Sheila Roberts a very happy publication day!
When Clara first got in touch with me, it was On Strike for Christmas which immediately caught my attention, mainly because right away, I had an image in my head of what Christmas would be like if my own mother decided to go on strike. I could not wait to get started and to see how the magic within would unfold, and I was not disappointed at all!
In On Strike for Christmas, we're introduced to Joy, her husband Bob, Laura, and her husband Glen. There's also Sharon, Carol, Kay, and a whole bunch of other characters who really bring this story to life, but I did feel like Joy, Bob, Laura and Glen had the main focus on them throughout the majority of reading. Joy, in finding that once again, preparation for Christmas has been left entirely in her hands, decides to go on strike. At first, it's just a silly day-dream idea, she can't imagine actually leaving the preparations to her Scrooge of a husband Bob, but once she airs her idea at the local stitch n' bitch group, Laura can't believe how genius it is! Neither can Sharon and Kay, as it happens. Before Joy knows it, the women who share her hometown of Holly, are determined to make a strike happen, and it's not long before the men are left in charge of Christmas whilst the women kick back and relax with a large mug of tea.
Let me just say, I absolutely loved On Strike for Christmas. Really, really loved it! It was entertaining, extremely comical, and so interesting. I mean, I think Sheila was really onto something when she came up with this idea. Leaving the men to deal with Christmas? It was fabulous, and I would just love to see how that would go down back home. There was a lot of truth within the story. Women do normally end up juggling everything that comes along with the Christmas period, whether that be writing the Christmas cards, cooking and serving the Christmas dinner, or buying and wrapping the presents! When Sheila took that and turned it around, I was turning the pages so rapidly I'm surprised flames didn't flicker from my fingers! When Bob and Glen were handed the Christmas responsibilities, I couldn't wait to get right down to it.
From creating the children's Christmas costumes to baking the Christmas cookies, Bob and Glen tackle their to-do lists determinedly, and to be fair, they didn't do too bad, despite the monster tree and the children's annual Christmas photograph. And besides trying to get their men to finally realise how much work goes into each Christmas, Joy and Laura begin to miss all the things that Christmas means to them.
Not everybody agrees with the strike though, and I think this added the perfect balance to the entire book. Carol, another character who Sheila introduces to the reader, doesn't agree, because this Christmas, she's alone. In her eyes, it's actually the women on strike who are taking their family for granted, and she'd give anything to have what they have. Carol added such a warm tone to the book. She was selfless, sad, and was definitely in need of cheering up. From the mayhem of the Christmas strike, Carol's character mellowed it all down and brought the reader right back to the heart of the story.
I adored this book. It was gorgeous, and such a perfect read for the festive season! It's full of family, mischief, chaos and all of those things that make Christmas what it truly is. Becca's Books is rating On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts with FOUR GORGEOUS CUPCAKES! A warm, fuzzy book that made me want to snuggle up and sip on a hot, sweet drink.
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