Holidays On Ice by David Sedaris

I’m not really one for Christmas books. But there’s one favourite, one must, every year I read (and now re-read) David Sedaris’ story, The Santaland Diaries.

It’s special to me for a couple of reasons – first of all it was my introduction to the world of Sedaris. I haven’t quite read them all – I have the latest diaries to catch up on and his recent collection, The Best of Me. But that compilation and the two volumes of diaries are on my shelf, maybe they’ll form part of my summer holiday reading. Every other Sedaris book that’s available I’ve read. And some of them (Barrel Fever, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim) I’ve read several times. I’ve gifted copies of Sedaris books, I’ve bought CDs of him giving readings – I missed the one chance I had to see him when he came to New Zealand! And he’s always a great guest on a few of my favourite podcasts.

But the story, The Santaland Diaries, first appeared (for me) in the book, Barrel Fever.

And then it was available in a standalone volume. I read Barrel Fever as my introduction to Sedaris, after hearing about him first. I was hooked. I started buying up the other collections of essays. I guess I love them all. But the one that has meant the most to me is a slim volume called Holidays on Ice.

Click that link to find an audiobook version, or Kindle – or of course it’s available – and maybe in your local store – as a wee paperback to hold and treasure.

Holidays on Ice features a bunch of Christmas-related stories and essays, some are brand new for the collection, others, like The Santaland Diaries were read aloud and published earlier.

Holidays on Ice is my Christmas book. I re-read it most years.

And if don’t get through the whole thing, I always, at the least, re-read the story, The Santaland Diaries.

Not that many single stories have their own Wikipedia entry. You might read there, or elsewhere, that Sedaris was fact-checked and there’s some dispute as to the ‘facts’ of the story. I don’t think that matters at all. This story has been the balm for me when I worked in retail over the silly season. And now I return to it as a comfort. Also, it’s just funny as…

It’s Sedaris recounting his (alleged) time as a Macy’s Christmas elf. It was funny when I first read it. And then when I took a job in retail again it became the salve – I read it over several Christmases, sometimes at the start and near the end of December. Since moving away from the Christmas Eve Retail Rush and back to some sort of normalcy, I continue to read the story (at least) once a year. I’m reading it now for the nostalgia of other readings. As well as for the humour and humanity on display in the story.

There are several versions – audio – available.

But Holidays on Ice is a book that has stayed with me for close to two decades now. The only Christmas book I can think of that means something to me now and forever. A book that truly blew my mind on first, second, third and fourth readings. And now I still dip in and out of it, I pass it on, buy copies of it, loan it out – and always look forward to it returning. Just as I always look forward to returning to it.
Books That Blew My Mind is an occasional series here at Off The Tracks – thinking back on great books that I loved (and still love); books that found me at just the right time.
You can support Off The Tracks via PressPatron