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91st out of 236 books
—
191 voters
On Strike for Christmas
by
Sheila Roberts (Goodreads Author)
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...more
Paperback, 352 pages
Published
October 30th 2007
by St. Martin's Griffin
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If, like most grown women with families, you've often thought at holiday time that Mrs. Claus was the one who REALLY ran things at the North Pole, then I suspect that you will identify with this light hearted book.
The women of a small town knitting group join together to hatch a plan; turning the holiday tables on their unsuspecting, and seemingly ungrateful, husbands. This year, it will be the husbands who plan the christmas celebrations. The women, are on strike. In other words, the husbands w...more
The women of a small town knitting group join together to hatch a plan; turning the holiday tables on their unsuspecting, and seemingly ungrateful, husbands. This year, it will be the husbands who plan the christmas celebrations. The women, are on strike. In other words, the husbands w...more
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 hol...more
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 hol...more
I was surprised with this one. I'm not usually a fan of this kind of chic lit books, but on strike for christmas was a funny, light read for. Basically its about a group of friends from their knitting club(called the stich n' bitch, love that name) and they decide to go on strike this year for christmas. They want there husbands to feel what they go through every year.
I loved this book because I agree with the ladies in this group. Its not easy preparing for christmas. You got the shopping, coo...more
I loved this book because I agree with the ladies in this group. Its not easy preparing for christmas. You got the shopping, coo...more
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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 fi...more
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 sta...more
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.
Sha...more
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.
Sha...more
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 w...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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What would happen if all the women decided to stop doing everything that is expected, especially at Christmas? This is the story of several women in a small town who decide they've had enough of their husbands doing nothing while they do all the holiday shopping, baking, cooking, cleaning, children's costume making and mostly decorating. It remind me of a children's story about the Skinner family when mom goes on strike, too. As in that story, this one also gets attention from the media, in this...more
I'm a sucker for reading books about families and friendships, and that's why I absolutely loved this book. And with the holidays right around the corner, this book is perfect timing (it starts the day of Thanksgiving). Basically, this book follows the lives of a group of women who participate in a sewing class (bitchin' stitchen, or something like that) and get the great idea of 'being a man' for Christmas: namely, not doing anything that their hubbies wouldn't do so that the men can learn what...more
On Strike for Christmas begins with Joy Robertson deciding that she is going on strike for Christmas because her husband Bob doesn't appreciate that all the baking and decorating she does makes Christmas... well Christmas. She is hoping that by not doing anything Bob will come around to her way of thinking. When Joy goes to her knitting group and explains what she is doing the rest of the ladies decide that they are going to go on strike too. To make things even crazier, the newspaper decides to...more
This one hits close to home for just about every woman that I know. On the heels of Thanksgiving preparation madness and the start of yet another Christmas, the women of 'Holly' join forces with 'Joy'(got to love these names) and go on srtike. The premise has run through the mind of virtually anyone who has come to shoulder the responsibilities of pulling off a picturebook holiday. Frustrated with the lack of help their husbands supply, the women hand over the entire season to their spouse. Expe...more
on strike for christmas by sheila roberts, wow this was me a few years ago when i was no longer able to see.
I did go on strike and got a LOT OF help from my husband to help with all the Christmas chores. This is a very good book about how one woman can't take it anymore, doing it all for the holidays and her husband sits back and does nothing. she brings it to her knitting friends and they also want to go on strike for the holidays, make their spouses do it all this year.
this is hilarious but so...more
I did go on strike and got a LOT OF help from my husband to help with all the Christmas chores. This is a very good book about how one woman can't take it anymore, doing it all for the holidays and her husband sits back and does nothing. she brings it to her knitting friends and they also want to go on strike for the holidays, make their spouses do it all this year.
this is hilarious but so...more
Dec 08, 2009
Catherine
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
no one
Shelves:
books-i-didn-t-finish-or-wish-i-had
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 c...more
If you're a woman who does too much around Christmas time and feels like your husband does NOT, then this is the book for you! Humorously written, this book shows what could happen if a small town's women banded together to go on strike during Christmas time. That means they will not be shopping for presents, baking Christmas cookies or even taking the kids to get Santa pictures. If anything Christmas-related is going to happen, it's up to the husbands. I enjoyed this story and it did cause me t...more
A good, funny holiday read for women who feel they are taken for granted by the men in their lives. :)
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Old theme but entertaining story - at Christmas time, the female of the family group is saddled with 90% (or greater) of the Christmas work. The planning, decorating, cooking, baking, shopping, wrapping, entertaining, costume-constructing, Santa visiting and card sending are all hers. So what happens if the women go on strike?? This book uses that premise and follows several families in its story line. The events were typical and the ending predictable and I loved the book anyway. It made the Ch...more
Cute...holiday read. A little predictable but still fun to watch the menfolk muddle through the myriad of Christmas "to do's" we usually cram into the busy season. Bob "humbug" was one of my favorite characters. One of my favorite parts was when Dad took the kids to the mall for Christmas pictures with Santa. Another was the "online" shopping for gifts. Check it out for a quick lighthearted read. You'll laugh and maybe even re-evaluate some of the "must haves" on your list. I'm all for simplicit...more
funny, seasonal book -- fortunately my husband is not as clueless as the men portrayed in this book. Follows usual chick-lit formula -- women brought together by a hobby, in this case a knitting group, a dilemma -- tired of having to do EVERYTHING for the holidays and feeling unappreciated. Add some humorous incidents (love the guy stopped for speeding while racing out to get the party ice that somehow wasn't automatically in the freezer and cop lets off with a warning since his wife is on strik...more
This was a fun book. You know from the beginning everything is going to work out for the best, you just don't know how.
It's funny because unless you live your life in a blissful bubble EVERY woman has experienced what drove these women to go on strike. Male apathy!
I thought I was the only woman in the world who had a man that thought things got done w/ the swipe of a magic wand. Really? I work all day to come home & see you sprawled on the couch because YOU had the day off? You ask me 'What...more
It's funny because unless you live your life in a blissful bubble EVERY woman has experienced what drove these women to go on strike. Male apathy!
I thought I was the only woman in the world who had a man that thought things got done w/ the swipe of a magic wand. Really? I work all day to come home & see you sprawled on the couch because YOU had the day off? You ask me 'What...more
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 u...more
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 u...more
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I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great read and diversion from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Basically, the women of a small town appropriately named Holly decide to go on strike and let their husband's prepare for Christmas. It's funny, amusing and a realistic study in men/women/relationships. The differences between the sexes and multiple details of holiday planning are expanded on. While the celebrating in Holly that year was a little less "perfect" and tradition...more
From the moment I started reading I couldn't put this book down. Every page had some similarity to my life during the holidays. As I read it I remembered that my husband went on strike last Christmas but didn't have the decency to tell me! Needless to say I threw the book in his direction immediately after I finished it! It's still sitting on the coffee table...hopefully he reads it prior to December!! Totally recommend this book to every husband and wife that celebrate any holiday at their hous...more
When her husband invites his moocher friends for Thanksgiving dinner and leaves her with all the work Laura decides that enough is enough. She decides to let her husband Glen do all the work for Christmas: decorating, baking, cooking, and even making their daughter’s costume for the holiday concert. Soon other wives and women are joining the strike and the results are funny and sometimes unexpected. Readers who enjoy Fannie Flagg’s books will find much to like in this pleasant holiday tale.
Funny how we all think it.....what would happen if we women all went on strike and let the men do it all for Christmas?! Well Kevin would actually be quite happy and think it was all a lot of fuss for nothing and he would probably have a happier wife to boot! Cute, quick read with a heartwarming happy ending.....and no it isn't just a rag session by women so don't worry!
To be read before Christmas this or another year.
To be read before Christmas this or another year.
This was a fun read. It got me more in the mood for Christmas. I loved how some of the guys handled everything and how it put some of the women in a funk. I think some of the men in the book came to appreciate their wives after things did not come out as perfectly as the men planned--and the wives came to the rescue a couple of times. It was a great book and I would recommend it do any of those who enjoy reading "Christmas" books at Christmastime.
I really liked the premise of this book but it wasn't accomplished as well as it could have. There were just too many characters to track and I kept getting them confused with each other. Also, if the knitting group is central to how the women know each other, I think more time should have been spent with them in that particular setting. Oh well. Overall it was decent.
Another light Christmas read, but found myself relating to much of the story line, being married to a man whose idea of Christmas helping was putting the leaves in the table and then sitting back to enjoy a football game. HOWEVER, this year he really pitched in and did so much for me. We even had discussion about the book this morning, I think he finally understands what is all involved in preparing for the holiday.
This book was recommended by a friend of mine who read it last Christmas. It was our book club read for this month and I am glad I didn't read it until AFTER Christmas. I think I might have gotten all wrapped up in the women of Holly's strike and joined in myself! I do have to admit that it would have been really tough for me to carry out the whole strike...not buying presents and baking. I could have easily given up the decorating part though!
Even before reading this book, I decided I didn't n...more
Even before reading this book, I decided I didn't n...more
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Sheila Roberts lives on a lake in the Pacific Northwest. She’s happily married and has three children. Her books have been best-sellers, Amazon top ten romance picks, and her popular holiday novel, "On Strike for Christmas" was made into a movie for the Lifetime channel. When she’s not speaking to women’s groups or at conferences she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s...more
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