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Open House: A Life in Thirty-Two Moves
Moving house has never flustered author Jane Christmas. She loves houses: viewing them, negotiating their price, dreaming up interior plans, hiring tradespeople to do the work and overseeing renovations. She loves houses so much that she’s moved thirty-two times.
There are good reasons for her latest house move, but after viewing sixty homes, Jane and her husband succumb to the emotional fatigue of an overheated English housing market and buy a wreck in the town of Bristol that is overpriced, will require more money to renovate than they have and that neither of them particularly like.
As Jane’s nightmare renovation begins, her mind returns to the Canadian homes where she grew up with parents who moved and renovated constantly around the Toronto area. Suddenly, the protective seal is blown off Jane’s memory of a strict and peripatetic childhood and its ancillary damage—lost friends, divorces, suicide attempts—and the past threatens to shake the foundations of her marriage. This latest renovation dredges a deeper current of memory, causing Jane to question whether in renovating a house she is in fact attempting to renovate her past.
With humour and irreverence, Open House reveals that what we think we gain by constantly moving house actually obscures the precious and vital parts of our lives that we leave behind.
This is a memoir that will appeal to anyone whose pulse quickens at the mere mention of real estate.
There are good reasons for her latest house move, but after viewing sixty homes, Jane and her husband succumb to the emotional fatigue of an overheated English housing market and buy a wreck in the town of Bristol that is overpriced, will require more money to renovate than they have and that neither of them particularly like.
As Jane’s nightmare renovation begins, her mind returns to the Canadian homes where she grew up with parents who moved and renovated constantly around the Toronto area. Suddenly, the protective seal is blown off Jane’s memory of a strict and peripatetic childhood and its ancillary damage—lost friends, divorces, suicide attempts—and the past threatens to shake the foundations of her marriage. This latest renovation dredges a deeper current of memory, causing Jane to question whether in renovating a house she is in fact attempting to renovate her past.
With humour and irreverence, Open House reveals that what we think we gain by constantly moving house actually obscures the precious and vital parts of our lives that we leave behind.
This is a memoir that will appeal to anyone whose pulse quickens at the mere mention of real estate.
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First published March 24, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
March 30, 2020
As a real estate agent who adores renovating, I was entranced by the book. I have read all of Jane Christmas' books and this is the best of them. I like how the author weaved the tale of each home, from childhood in Canada to present day England. At the core, the house is less about renovating and more about ourselves as people. Loved it!
March 26, 2021
I’ve read all of Jane Christmas’s memoirs. Like the others, this one is beautifully done. I admire Christmas for the authenticity of her writing; her ability to structure a book so that the story flows yet is not chronological, and her self-deprecating sense of humour.
April 4, 2020
Jane Christmas is my favourite memoirist. Her clever, vulnerable, sassy voice stands the test of time and is always offering poignant stories that educate, include and entertain. Her newest book, Open House: A Life In Thirty-Two Moves is no exception. Perhaps her most revelatory thus far, Jane brings readers into her past through bedrooms, bathrooms and boxes. Jane opens the doors to houses past and offers readers a seat the dinner table and into the moving vans and shows us what it was like to live nomadic lifestyle as a child...scooting from house to house. It is clear that as Jane reflects back on her childhood, she cannot escape the way she learned to escape by moving over and over again. Along the house-studded mosey down memory lanes, Jane shows off her skills as adept researcher, essayist and detective. There are vast sweeps of history she dives into to better acquaint herself and her readers with the historical significance of the places she chooses to live in - from curb appeal to racism to teatime and real estate prowess (or not), Jane holds nothing back as she raves and rants. Open House is Open Hearted. Jane's opinions are steadfast and steaming - both examples of a deep bravery she is just beginning to recognize in herself, though to her readers, it's been evident from the start when she whisked herself and her daughter to a tiny island for her first memoir, The Pelee Project. Jane is sweet, but Jane is also sassy. She weeps but she also swears and fights ghosts. Open House - A Life in Thirty-Two Moves is Jane's newest literary gift to the reading world, that perhaps now, as we're all facing confinement to our 'homes' in the horrific wake of a pandemic, is quite the perfect book to snuggle up with and read. Jane's journalistic abilities juxtapose homelessness with hope, and frustration with patience. We learn much about Jane Christmas as she unwraps her past full of boxes and battles, but can also learn much about ourselves and our own relationships to the walls, stairs, rooms and ghosts of the places we call 'home'. It's no wonder Open House: A Life In Thirty-Two Moves is climbing up the Best Seller ladder. It belongs at the top of the heap with the best tea pots, best top-notch reality real-estate shows and best corner-bent home decor magazines. Jane is movin' in - make way!
May 3, 2021
By page 3 I was desperate to have coffee with the author. A coffee that runs cold, and the cafe closes from a never-ending conversation about homes, architecture, design trends everything.
In the book, she writes how some reads fall into your lap at the right moment - and this is definitely one of them. I’m on the verge of buying my first house. The ability to do that before 30, on my own, in this economy (!) is no small feat and I am processing all the broad strokes of emotions that go along with it.
Open House captured all of that, and specifically the security and independence that comes with owning a home as a single woman. What is means to stand on one’s own two feet.
Of course the current injustices of the housing crisis and inaccessibility for young people and new immigrants were touched on. Which in the end really brought to light of critical home ownership is. How much of a social injustice we’re facing and how our votes should be cast to resolve it.
Terrific read that I’ll be thinking back to time and again as I cross the renting-to-owning threshold on my own two feet soon.
In the book, she writes how some reads fall into your lap at the right moment - and this is definitely one of them. I’m on the verge of buying my first house. The ability to do that before 30, on my own, in this economy (!) is no small feat and I am processing all the broad strokes of emotions that go along with it.
Open House captured all of that, and specifically the security and independence that comes with owning a home as a single woman. What is means to stand on one’s own two feet.
Of course the current injustices of the housing crisis and inaccessibility for young people and new immigrants were touched on. Which in the end really brought to light of critical home ownership is. How much of a social injustice we’re facing and how our votes should be cast to resolve it.
Terrific read that I’ll be thinking back to time and again as I cross the renting-to-owning threshold on my own two feet soon.
October 13, 2020
Having read and enjoyed all Jane Christmas's books to date (although I did think she was a bit mean to her mother during their European trip) and having moved an awful lot myself and gone to more schools than Jane, I had high expectations for this latest book. The subject definitely has a lot of potential but I think it must have been written in a rush or the writer was having difficulty focussing because the book has turned out boring, the sentence structure and syntax are terrible, I got tired of the cutesy name for her husband and her theories of the differences between the Brits and Canadians are just plain wrong.
If the book was written to fund her renovation project, I wish her well. But I won't be recommending it to anyone.
If the book was written to fund her renovation project, I wish her well. But I won't be recommending it to anyone.
December 7, 2023
I adore Jane Christmas (one of two authors who I've actually had the pleasure to meet) and this book didn't disappoint. Her witty writing and philosophical meanderings are something I can't help but enjoy.
This book is both a timeline of her last move and the total renovation that followed of a Victorian terrace house in England, but also of all the moves and houses that came before. Since she is somewhat local (Toronto born and Hamilton lived in) I appreciated her retellings of childhood homes - ones that were on the verge of Toronto are now very much in the city proper.
The journey of finding what makes her yearn to move and renovate was interesting as I too am someone who finds herself weekly on real estate pages. It made me question if I too was looking for a clean slate. 🤔
This book is both a timeline of her last move and the total renovation that followed of a Victorian terrace house in England, but also of all the moves and houses that came before. Since she is somewhat local (Toronto born and Hamilton lived in) I appreciated her retellings of childhood homes - ones that were on the verge of Toronto are now very much in the city proper.
The journey of finding what makes her yearn to move and renovate was interesting as I too am someone who finds herself weekly on real estate pages. It made me question if I too was looking for a clean slate. 🤔
December 31, 2024
If you love home renos and HGTV, this book is for you.
November 13, 2020
Open House by Jane Christmas is a most entertaining look at moving house, renovating and exploring reasons as to why the author is a serial renovator.
Jane Christmas has lived in thirty two houses. She is a Canadian now living in Bristol. Apparently Canadians move regularly in contrast with the British who are move adverse. The say opposites attract. The Husband, who is British and doesn’t like either moving or renovating, has been uprooted from London to Bristol via Brixham! The result is very amusing as the reader looks in but the tension is palpable.
I loved Jane Christmas’ style of writing. She was warm, friendly, honest and open. It felt like reading a letter from a dear friend.
The reader gets an intimate glimpse into the author’s life. We hear about her being raped (the subject of a previous book) in 1983 which has forever defined her life since then.
Jane Christmas is very open about her struggles – not just the rape - but her desire to be loved by her parents. “I craved my parent’s attention and love.” Her parents believed “Property first, people second.” It is very sad to read that.
There are many rich experiences found within the houses she has lived. A house is more than just a house. “Human history has shaped this place… Grief and love have intermingled in its mortar.”
The reader becomes acquainted with some of her previous houses. I found the account of the house with the ghost very chilling.
Open House is a fun read. I recognised myself in many of the British traits – I knew we were a nation of tea drinkers but had no idea that we were so fixated on doors!
Open House is a perfect read for a dark autumnal day as it will inject light and life and humour into our lives.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
Jane Christmas has lived in thirty two houses. She is a Canadian now living in Bristol. Apparently Canadians move regularly in contrast with the British who are move adverse. The say opposites attract. The Husband, who is British and doesn’t like either moving or renovating, has been uprooted from London to Bristol via Brixham! The result is very amusing as the reader looks in but the tension is palpable.
I loved Jane Christmas’ style of writing. She was warm, friendly, honest and open. It felt like reading a letter from a dear friend.
The reader gets an intimate glimpse into the author’s life. We hear about her being raped (the subject of a previous book) in 1983 which has forever defined her life since then.
Jane Christmas is very open about her struggles – not just the rape - but her desire to be loved by her parents. “I craved my parent’s attention and love.” Her parents believed “Property first, people second.” It is very sad to read that.
There are many rich experiences found within the houses she has lived. A house is more than just a house. “Human history has shaped this place… Grief and love have intermingled in its mortar.”
The reader becomes acquainted with some of her previous houses. I found the account of the house with the ghost very chilling.
Open House is a fun read. I recognised myself in many of the British traits – I knew we were a nation of tea drinkers but had no idea that we were so fixated on doors!
Open House is a perfect read for a dark autumnal day as it will inject light and life and humour into our lives.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
April 13, 2020
I found Open House: A Life in Thirty-Two Moves by Jane Christmas, on the display across from the register at my local independent bookseller. The title alone prompted me to pick it up. I too have moved quite frequently over my life and the characteristic invites questions—Why so many moves? Where? With whom? How did they go? Flipping the book and reading the back, I was confident that these questions would get answered. Ten pages in, I knew they’d be answered with a dose of humour and well-paced storytelling.
There was another question, though—one that was more of quiet wonder born of a deeper personal knowing—Will this go further? Will she reflect on how moving so often has shaped her? I was curious how someone else would write about that piece of lived truth…because I know that it has certainly shaped me…and left me with both grace and challenge. Jane Christmas does indeed reflect on that, especially toward the end of Open House. I was grateful for the larger tour through the geography and architecture of her thirty-two moves and especially glad to conclude with time spent in what felt like the most comfortable room of all…where one might muse with depth, ease, and shared, thoughtful, quiet. The succinct clarity of her expression brought a strange relief to this nomadic soul. Jane Christmas is a consummate host…self-reflective, real, engaging, and interested…her invitation is one I will accept again.
There was another question, though—one that was more of quiet wonder born of a deeper personal knowing—Will this go further? Will she reflect on how moving so often has shaped her? I was curious how someone else would write about that piece of lived truth…because I know that it has certainly shaped me…and left me with both grace and challenge. Jane Christmas does indeed reflect on that, especially toward the end of Open House. I was grateful for the larger tour through the geography and architecture of her thirty-two moves and especially glad to conclude with time spent in what felt like the most comfortable room of all…where one might muse with depth, ease, and shared, thoughtful, quiet. The succinct clarity of her expression brought a strange relief to this nomadic soul. Jane Christmas is a consummate host…self-reflective, real, engaging, and interested…her invitation is one I will accept again.
September 19, 2020
Open the wonderful gift that is Open House!
I absolutely adore Jane's writing and when each new book is published it feels like Christmas! (pun intended.) Jane writes with brilliant humour and unflinching candour, and I relish her wonderful, insightful way with words. Open House is on one level a great memoir set against the backdrop of all the various houses she has inhabited and renovated. But it is also a journey of self-examination and personal discovery. Jane is never afraid of baring her soul and revealing her flaws, and I respect her so much for this. There are few authors whose books I must own (rather than the ephemeral experience of borrowing from the library) and Jane is definitely at the top of my list. After devouring Open House, I encourage you to go back and read her earlier works (e.g. The Pelee Project; What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim; And Then There Were Nuns) to delve even deeper into these fascinating and transformative periods of her life. I reread them often when I am waiting for "the next Christmas" to arrive!
I absolutely adore Jane's writing and when each new book is published it feels like Christmas! (pun intended.) Jane writes with brilliant humour and unflinching candour, and I relish her wonderful, insightful way with words. Open House is on one level a great memoir set against the backdrop of all the various houses she has inhabited and renovated. But it is also a journey of self-examination and personal discovery. Jane is never afraid of baring her soul and revealing her flaws, and I respect her so much for this. There are few authors whose books I must own (rather than the ephemeral experience of borrowing from the library) and Jane is definitely at the top of my list. After devouring Open House, I encourage you to go back and read her earlier works (e.g. The Pelee Project; What the Psychic Told the Pilgrim; And Then There Were Nuns) to delve even deeper into these fascinating and transformative periods of her life. I reread them often when I am waiting for "the next Christmas" to arrive!
March 21, 2021
I started off this book thinking that it was going to get a five out of five from me, then thought that I was going to DNF about 3/4ths of the way through, but ultimately ended up having enjoyed it for the most part. The paranormal parts sometimes were a bit much for me, and the chapter regarding gentrification was... cringe, tone-deaf, and perhaps unnecessary, in my opinion. Stating in one sentence that she knows what it is life for young adults because she has young adult children, only to later blame lifestyle creep for young adults’ inability to afford homes!? Bit too “stop eating avocado toast and you can afford a house” for me. Regardless, I enjoyed reading about the home renovation and kind of wish that there were pictures included in the book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2020
What makes a house a home? Is it how the morning light shines through the bay window, offering the promise of a new day? Perhaps it is the sound of little footsteps running across the hardwood floor, or the smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven? For Jane Christmas, it is all about the thrill of the chase—the pursuit of a new house, wooing the selling agent, purchasing, and finally, renovating the heck out of her latest love interest.
In Open House by Jane Christmas, the author is candid about her obsession with finding the perfect home, which led to thirty-two moves throughout her life. The book begins when Jane and her hubby, The Husband, purchase a fixer-upper in Bristol, England. As any homeowner knows, elaborate renovations are exciting. Still, they can also be time-consuming, stressful, and cause friction between married couples. In Jane’s case, the renovation also reopened the old wounds of her traumatic childhood.
This exquisite memoir was witty and eloquently written—a literary masterpiece. Open House was like no other book I had ever read; I gleaned valuable information about renovating homes and the stark contrast between owning a home in Canada—where the author grew up—and being a homeowner in England. In addition to the knowledge I acquired, the book was also emotionally charged. It offered a glimpse into Jane’s tumultuous relationship with her mother, her insatiable thirst for perfection, and the feelings of loneliness that go hand in hand with continually uprooting.
I find it fascinating anytime an individual is so unapologetically passionate about something. This was the case with Jane’s effervescence regarding home buying and renovating—she lit up at the mere mention of it. I also loved the transparency and humor infused in her writing when accepting that she had an addictive tendency to seek out the perfect house. I giggled at her outlandish statements. When comparing sex and renovating, she wrote, “Sex toys? Forget it. But give me a pencil and a floor plan and, oh, baby, I can reach ecstasy before you can say, ‘stud wall.’ ”
Another thing that resonated with me was reading about Jane’s childhood—particularly her strained relationship with her mother. Her mother had a penchant for frequently moving, which caused Jane much anguish. Every move her mother put her through meant Jane had to leave her friends behind, but her mother seemed to put her desire to find the perfect home above the well-being and mental health of her daughter. When feeling particularly downtrodden about the situation, her mother scoffed at her reservations. She said, “Friends do not matter. You’ll forget them the moment we’re in our new home. New home, new friends.” As someone who was quite shy as a child and had a difficult time making friends, I can empathize with Jane for feeling resentful towards her parents for not validating her feelings about leaving friendships that she worked so hard to cultivate.
Jane revealed that her marriage to The Husband was her third, and she had moved from Ontario, Canada, to be with him in England. Right from the get-go, I had an immense amount of respect for The Husband, because he seemed to have so much patience for Jane and her eccentricities. I enjoyed learning about how their relationship was tested throughout the renovation process. The Husband did not seem to be keen on moving or having to endure another renovation at their mature age. Still, he supported Jane’s quest for the perfect home.
The book was professionally edited and engaging; I have chosen to give it a rating of five out of five stars. Who knew a book about housing and home renovations could be so intriguing?
Readers who have a love for interior design and renovating fixer-uppers won’t be able to put Open House down. Jane Christmas is very knowledgeable about all aspects of housing, from pursuing a home to moving in, and everything in between. The book has a few swearing instances. It covers some heavier topics like rape and suicide, so I would dissuade younger people from reading it.
In Open House by Jane Christmas, the author is candid about her obsession with finding the perfect home, which led to thirty-two moves throughout her life. The book begins when Jane and her hubby, The Husband, purchase a fixer-upper in Bristol, England. As any homeowner knows, elaborate renovations are exciting. Still, they can also be time-consuming, stressful, and cause friction between married couples. In Jane’s case, the renovation also reopened the old wounds of her traumatic childhood.
This exquisite memoir was witty and eloquently written—a literary masterpiece. Open House was like no other book I had ever read; I gleaned valuable information about renovating homes and the stark contrast between owning a home in Canada—where the author grew up—and being a homeowner in England. In addition to the knowledge I acquired, the book was also emotionally charged. It offered a glimpse into Jane’s tumultuous relationship with her mother, her insatiable thirst for perfection, and the feelings of loneliness that go hand in hand with continually uprooting.
I find it fascinating anytime an individual is so unapologetically passionate about something. This was the case with Jane’s effervescence regarding home buying and renovating—she lit up at the mere mention of it. I also loved the transparency and humor infused in her writing when accepting that she had an addictive tendency to seek out the perfect house. I giggled at her outlandish statements. When comparing sex and renovating, she wrote, “Sex toys? Forget it. But give me a pencil and a floor plan and, oh, baby, I can reach ecstasy before you can say, ‘stud wall.’ ”
Another thing that resonated with me was reading about Jane’s childhood—particularly her strained relationship with her mother. Her mother had a penchant for frequently moving, which caused Jane much anguish. Every move her mother put her through meant Jane had to leave her friends behind, but her mother seemed to put her desire to find the perfect home above the well-being and mental health of her daughter. When feeling particularly downtrodden about the situation, her mother scoffed at her reservations. She said, “Friends do not matter. You’ll forget them the moment we’re in our new home. New home, new friends.” As someone who was quite shy as a child and had a difficult time making friends, I can empathize with Jane for feeling resentful towards her parents for not validating her feelings about leaving friendships that she worked so hard to cultivate.
Jane revealed that her marriage to The Husband was her third, and she had moved from Ontario, Canada, to be with him in England. Right from the get-go, I had an immense amount of respect for The Husband, because he seemed to have so much patience for Jane and her eccentricities. I enjoyed learning about how their relationship was tested throughout the renovation process. The Husband did not seem to be keen on moving or having to endure another renovation at their mature age. Still, he supported Jane’s quest for the perfect home.
The book was professionally edited and engaging; I have chosen to give it a rating of five out of five stars. Who knew a book about housing and home renovations could be so intriguing?
Readers who have a love for interior design and renovating fixer-uppers won’t be able to put Open House down. Jane Christmas is very knowledgeable about all aspects of housing, from pursuing a home to moving in, and everything in between. The book has a few swearing instances. It covers some heavier topics like rape and suicide, so I would dissuade younger people from reading it.
January 14, 2025
I stumbled across this book by accident at my library. It just so happens I'm house hunting myself at the moment so it caught my eye. Whether I hoped this book would encourage me, talk me out of moving altogether, or provide a relatable experience I could commiserate with I'm not sure, but I had a good laugh and thoroughly enjoyed my journey through the author's renovations and reminiscences nonetheless. There were many things I could relate to in this story. I've had the experience of buying a beautiful house that in winter seemed like a fortuitous find only to discover it's a little hellish in the summer, and I've definitely experienced my share of house hunting fatigue. I also grew up with an emotionally distant mother and struggled to make friends as a shy, rather introverted child.
Other things in the book I had a harder time relating to. Her reaction to her neighbour Ali being evicted and her thoughts on gentrification left me cold. Ouch! I'm more inclined to her husband's view on renovations. If the roof keeps out the rain, the windows are well sealed, the foundation is sound and the plumbing works I couldn't care less if the fittings are all circa 1978 and look like an old granny picked them out so long as they're clean and functioning. My thoughts on home ownership as a savings plan are also kind of ambivalent. Especially if you're moving and renovating that much! The tally of the realtor commissions for each sale and the closing costs for each purchase alone must be mind-boggling :O.
But Christmas is a skilled story teller making her housing woes both engaging and hilarious, while including some interesting nuggets on the architectural history of Victorian terrace homes and the British home buying process. Some of the interactions between her and "The Husband" had me laughing out loud. I do feel some trigger warnings may not of been out of place at the beginning because she does touch on some serious topics and past traumas which readers might find triggering. Just something to be aware of.
Solid four stars. I'll definitely look out for other books by this author.
Other things in the book I had a harder time relating to. Her reaction to her neighbour Ali being evicted and her thoughts on gentrification left me cold. Ouch! I'm more inclined to her husband's view on renovations. If the roof keeps out the rain, the windows are well sealed, the foundation is sound and the plumbing works I couldn't care less if the fittings are all circa 1978 and look like an old granny picked them out so long as they're clean and functioning. My thoughts on home ownership as a savings plan are also kind of ambivalent. Especially if you're moving and renovating that much! The tally of the realtor commissions for each sale and the closing costs for each purchase alone must be mind-boggling :O.
But Christmas is a skilled story teller making her housing woes both engaging and hilarious, while including some interesting nuggets on the architectural history of Victorian terrace homes and the British home buying process. Some of the interactions between her and "The Husband" had me laughing out loud. I do feel some trigger warnings may not of been out of place at the beginning because she does touch on some serious topics and past traumas which readers might find triggering. Just something to be aware of.
Solid four stars. I'll definitely look out for other books by this author.
November 21, 2020
I was attracted to this unique memoir as I have only moved 4 times in my life I was intrigued to find out what makes someone move this number of times. The journey from Jane’s life in Canada to the Walthamstow flat where her husband has lived for many years. They are bewitched by the Devon seaside town of Brixham sadly the love affair does not last long as they chased away by the tyrannical seagulls and holidaymakers. I enjoyed how the author takes us back to her childhood where she was moved around with her parents. One of the quotes that really stuck with me was from the authors mother :
“People are important, but they will not get you ahead in life. Only property can do that. Remember that. Property first, people second.”
As a parent it seemed like the complete opposite of what I would tell my own children. Her parents were very tough on Jane and her brother they worked hard and were treated more like as adults then their children. I loved the honesty that Jane shares in her writing, she is not afraid to share warts and all, it was sad to read how her mother was so critical of her and how her father was unwell and tried to take his own life on a number of occasions. Which eventually leads try to take her own life at a young age. I was fascinated with what she calls her addiction to moving and after leaving Brixham they move to Bristol. Jane has had a tumultuous life and attributes her addiction to this desire to move to a past trauma when she was raped. Her husband is calm, gentle and quiet and goes along with Jane as she navigates her way through another move this time with major renovations will they stay here ? Or will Jane be compelled to move again.
I loved this book, Jane’s writing is so accessible and inviting and I loved the dynamics of Jane and her husband and it was a engaging and enjoyable read and I will reading some of Jane’s other books and heartily recommending this one.
***** 5 Stars
“People are important, but they will not get you ahead in life. Only property can do that. Remember that. Property first, people second.”
As a parent it seemed like the complete opposite of what I would tell my own children. Her parents were very tough on Jane and her brother they worked hard and were treated more like as adults then their children. I loved the honesty that Jane shares in her writing, she is not afraid to share warts and all, it was sad to read how her mother was so critical of her and how her father was unwell and tried to take his own life on a number of occasions. Which eventually leads try to take her own life at a young age. I was fascinated with what she calls her addiction to moving and after leaving Brixham they move to Bristol. Jane has had a tumultuous life and attributes her addiction to this desire to move to a past trauma when she was raped. Her husband is calm, gentle and quiet and goes along with Jane as she navigates her way through another move this time with major renovations will they stay here ? Or will Jane be compelled to move again.
I loved this book, Jane’s writing is so accessible and inviting and I loved the dynamics of Jane and her husband and it was a engaging and enjoyable read and I will reading some of Jane’s other books and heartily recommending this one.
***** 5 Stars
April 25, 2024
This is an interesting and thoughtful story and would recommend it to anyone considering a move or starting a renovation. I really appreciated the author's sharing her honest perspective and insight with regards to the real upheaval that a move and/or renovation can cause. Having said that, I also found it to be very funny and appreciated the author's sense of humour.
Reading this book was kind of a flashback for me having grown up in a suburb of Ontario myself around the same time the author writes about. My family emigrated from Scotland when I was 3 years old which meant our family experience was pretty lonely due to the lack of any relatives nearby in the 1960's. I can relate to the sense of isolation written about because it's something that I always felt just under the surface, even though I grew up with 3 siblings. Parts of the story felt so familiar to me. I left Ontario when I was 21 but still have a connection with friends made during my school years which I am so grateful for.
My favourite take-away was the discussion of what a sense of home can mean to different people, and how profoundly feeling rooted and having a place to call home can affect us throughout our lives. I'm glad I read this one.
Reading this book was kind of a flashback for me having grown up in a suburb of Ontario myself around the same time the author writes about. My family emigrated from Scotland when I was 3 years old which meant our family experience was pretty lonely due to the lack of any relatives nearby in the 1960's. I can relate to the sense of isolation written about because it's something that I always felt just under the surface, even though I grew up with 3 siblings. Parts of the story felt so familiar to me. I left Ontario when I was 21 but still have a connection with friends made during my school years which I am so grateful for.
My favourite take-away was the discussion of what a sense of home can mean to different people, and how profoundly feeling rooted and having a place to call home can affect us throughout our lives. I'm glad I read this one.
January 4, 2022
The author, Jane Christmas, lived for many years in Hamilton, Ontario (where I live), and I would have to go back through the book to find where she mentions each of the places she has lived in her 32 moves and how many were in Hamilton and for how long... But I do think our paths may have crossed or almost crossed. I had heard something about her walking adventure on the Camino de Santiago in Spain (I think I read the book she wrote about the Camino, but that was before I tracked my books on goodreads)... and it was on that trip where she met the man she is currently married to, and moved to England with him. The focus of this book is the huge renovation that she undertook on a Victorian house in England with her husband, and all of the challenges the renovation entailed. But it is also about so much more than a house renovation. It is a memoir and a family history, as she talks about the factors that made her parents move and renovate houses so often which had such an impact on her childhood, and she explores her own motivations. A good read.
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April 28, 2020I was eager to read Jane Christmas’s new book as I’d read her five others and thoroughly enjoyed them. Open House may well be my favourite. I feel as if all her others were leading up to this one which is superbly written and, in Jane’s typical style, honest and open. She takes the reader through a life of 32 moves and, in doing so, opens us up to her relationship with her mother, a failed marriage, lost childhood friends and the trauma of a rape. We also meet a ghost named Karl, learn about the quirks of buying real estate in England and read about her patient husband who wins over the reno crew in a typically English fashion - by serving them tea. The mark of a good book, for me, is when I find myself pondering a book between reads. I did this with Open House. I would highly recommend this book, especially now when the pandemic has us all thinking about our homes and the deeper meaning behind each of them.
August 22, 2020
Jane Christmas once again has written a wonderful book that left me nodding my head with agreement as she describes her life situations that brought her along this journey of thirty two moves. Her openness and honesty make this book a real page turner. Add to this a great gift for creating a picture in the readers mind of comical events that occurred along the way and you have a book that you will want to keep reading. It is a true story that so many of us can relate to..... moving for a variety of different reasons, settling into a new abode, and then at some point finding ourselves packing our boxes again. Whether you have grown up in Canada or England or elsewhere, whether you married and had dreams to purchase a house together or stayed single and saved every penny to buy your own independent house/condo or perhaps rented apartments/Flats for decades, then you will certainly discover so much in Janes' book "Open House" that will be intriguing, insightful, charming and delightful.
June 29, 2020
I have read all of Jane’s books, thinking that each one is my favourite, but Open House is my NEW favourite Jane Christmas book. She has captured all of the emotions of moving - the excitement, the doubt and uncertainty, and the wonderful surprises that occur while making a house a home. Each move is not just about the labour of love in making a new home, but a journey into a neighborhood or city with stories and history that she has carefully researched and shares with the reader. The stories of place are woven into her own family story and life journey. As a recent retiree who has had the same permanent address for decades, this book serves as an inspiration to take a leap forward into the next chapter of home ownership.
October 27, 2020
Jane Christmas has spent her life moving house - 32 different homes in her sixty plus years. And she loves it all - the hunt, the packing, the renovating, the decorating. It's an obsession inherited from her mother, a Hungarian immigrant to Toronto who saw each new house as a new beginning and a way to fill something missing in her family. However, Janes' third husband is not so keen, a homebody he finds their purchase and renovation of a rundown Victorian terraced house in a somewhat dodgy part of Bristol one move to far.
Told with humour and insight into the motivations behind her moving mania, this book will be enjoyed by anyone who has ever lived through the hell of restoring an older home - or even just anyone whose idea f a good night in involves watching property porn.
Told with humour and insight into the motivations behind her moving mania, this book will be enjoyed by anyone who has ever lived through the hell of restoring an older home - or even just anyone whose idea f a good night in involves watching property porn.
May 18, 2020
I was intrigued by the title of this one having moved a few times myself. Christmas has moved 32 times, I have moved 16 or so.
It was deeper and more emotionally satisfying than I expected with a lot of similarities to my own childhood moves and feelings about them. It was nice to read a book about places I knew; having been raised in Southern Ontario I know the cities and towns she wrote about.
I will be looking for her previous books to read them as well, though from other reviews here this seems to be the favourite.
It was deeper and more emotionally satisfying than I expected with a lot of similarities to my own childhood moves and feelings about them. It was nice to read a book about places I knew; having been raised in Southern Ontario I know the cities and towns she wrote about.
I will be looking for her previous books to read them as well, though from other reviews here this seems to be the favourite.
February 28, 2025
** 1/2 Let me start with the good. Having lived in England, I loved her take on the differences between Brits and Canadians. I also, like her love houses, love open houses, HGTV, real estate and maybe some home renos. I really enjoyed reading this book at the beginning, learning about her family and the why behind some of the houses she resided in but the last half of this book was not pleasant - the minute by minute take on her recent reno was mind numbingly boring and I was just left hoping for so much more.
July 9, 2020
I have never heard of Jane Christmas before, although apparently she is a Canadian author who has written several books. It was definitely interesting to hear about the variety of homes she has renovated/lived in over the course of her life and sad to hear about the verbal abuse she suffered as a child. I also found her take on gentrification intriguing (not the typical “gentrification is bad” argument). In short this book made me want to buy and renovate a new home in England.
June 29, 2022
This is a rather unusual memoir - of houses and its inhabitants. I liked hearing about places close to me, about people who go through similar phases in their lives and truth to be told: it was the perfect book to listen while renovating a rotten closet in my own, old house. I loved how the author is connecting places and people and can string life events and paint colours together, as if they were two socks that, separated from each other, don’t make too much sense.
July 1, 2022
I’ve moved a lot in my life but not 32 times like this author. It was a good way to structure a memoir though. She deals with a lot of fairly big issues (TW: rape, depression, suicide) and examines how her need to move was tied to processing a lot of that trauma. I also enjoyed the Canadian angle and the fact that she lived in the same city where I am currently. It wouldn’t be for everyone but if you’re into memoirs, I definitely recommend it.
February 26, 2024
I enjoyed this book but the title is a tad misleading - the book is really about a renovation project in England with a backward glance at the various houses that Jane Christmas had lived in, several chapters about her family life back in Canada, and a few houses in England. It was a lighthearted read for the most part, but there are some shocking elements to Jane's life that come up that are hard to shake off. If you love real estate or interior design this will be a fun read for you.
September 13, 2020
I liked this book, it was a lot more compelling than I thought it could be. Obviously the author talks about the different houses she's lived in and renovated, but she makes interesting connections and observations about her life that really round out the book. I especially thought her comments about England explained a few things I've always wondered about.
November 2, 2021
I have enjoyed all of Jane’s books, but I think this is her best yet. I was reminded of the optimism of owning a first home and undertaking renovations that (like childbirth), are painful but quickly forgotten once a house transforms to a home. The stories of homes past are a reminder of how we change as we grow, and how our perspective on life changes as we age. Well done, Jane!
June 12, 2020
I enjoyed all the references to Ontario. I didn’t realize that a large portion of the book was centred around a home renovation. A timely read for me though as I am in the middle of my first reno and it made me feel better about my own experience so far.
September 24, 2020
Lost me with showing paint chips to the ghost of her mother? And the chapter on gentrification. There was such little compassion for those forced out of their neighborhoods and a lack of awareness of her own privilege, I was stunned!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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