Rating: 
Summary: one good story & five...uh, not so good
Review: I enjoyed the first story about the author's adventures as a department store Christmas Elf. This was a true gem that made the book difficult to put down and I eagerly looked forward to the next 5 tales. Unfortunately, they all fell far short of the expectations laid out by their predecessor. The first story is great, but that fact alone can't hold the remainder of the book, therefore, I cannot recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Hilarious!
Review: David Sedaris never fails to entertain me!
If you've read him before, you won't be let down by this little compilation of great stories. If you haven't read any of David Sedaris' works, I recommend you start! He has a wonderfully dry sense of humor and a gift for living through and writing about the absurd. I think the beauty of this book is the fact that each new chapter is a new story. So you can put it down and not lose a laugh. Perfect for summertime at the beach or pool.
Rating: 
Summary: Greatest Hits?
Review: I am a great fan of David Sedaris - but this book is sort of like expecting Frank Sinatra and listening to Frank Sinatra Junior instead. Yeah, it's good, but it is not the same... For long time readers of Sedaris, this is a reminder of how good he can be. Nothing makes me laugh as hard as "Dinah, the Christmas Whore," and of course for those who have not discovered the author's stint as a Macy's Elf, you are really in for a treat. Let's just say that various nephews and nieces are now reading "Dinah" to their children, and I suppose that I need to find new material to redeem myself as the family curmudgeon. (Note: I also read excerpts from "The Painted Bird" by Kosinski at Thanksgiving, so I am well known as the family downer. But I digress...) So why so few stars? This material is available elsewhere, and the selection has a bitter tone -- even for me. I was somehow hoping that there was something new that I had not seen yet. For new Sedaris readers, this is gold. For longtime fans, this is a rerun.
Rating:
Summary: very uneven
Review: I really enjoyed the Santaland Diarys, but the second story which involves a baby's death is just not funny, and I was offended, but if you like edgy comedy you might like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Another "new classic"!
Review: I'm a bit of a scrooge anyway, so these stories were the perfect December read for me, with their odd combination of cynicism and holiday spirit. Like Sedaris' other work, these stories are often laugh-out-loud funny, so read with caution and be prepared to share bits with whoever happens to be sitting nearby, because Sedaris' writing is too big and bold to just lie there passively on the page. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A good start, but a mediocre finish
Review: I had such high hopes for this book. I heard about it when the author read an excerpt on a late night talk show. Two entries really stand out: the elf story and the Christmas Pageant critique. If only the others were as good. The last entry, "Christmas is for giving," is just NOT FUNNY. I appreciate satire, but this just goes over the edge. Sedaris is at his best when he doesn't grasp at straws and instead just points out the foibles of human nature. He does a much better job making us laugh at situations that really happen. The Christmas letter and "Dinah, the Christmas Whore," are somewhat redeeming, but the book starts off so well that it's hard to believe it could end so anti-climatically.
Rating:
Summary: Sedaris' Greatest Holiday Favorites!
Review: Sort of a cross between an anti-Christmas card and a greatest hits package, Holidays On Ice makes a great introduction to Sedaris' biting wit or a reminder of why you loved him to begin with. Of course, the centerpiece here is "The Santaland Diaries", the hilarious retelling of working at Macy's as an elf to the boorish and overbearing parents and spoiled children who come to visit Santa. Sedaris always seems to me to be blasting both the elite and corporate worlds at the same time he looks down his nose at those that he perceives as lower on the ladder than himself. But, all's fair in satire, right? Three of the stories are printed here for the first time (three came from his first two collections), and the best is undoubtedly "Based Upon A True Story", in which a television producer attempts to bribe a church congregation to pressure a fellow parishioner to sign over her story to his network for a mini-series. The woman in question had surgically transplanted a kidney to her dying son with only a Bible, a barn, and rudimentary cutting instruments. Although the story is both funny and tasteless, Sedaris' opinions are scathing and clear. This collection is so appealing because all of the fat has been trimmed away and we're left with a short collection of holiday themed stories from one of America's angriest satirists. If this hooks you, Sedaris' longer collections are just waiting for you to be horrified by them (and I mean that in the best possible way).
Rating:
Summary: Redundant...
Review: Recounts what has already been said in the three other books, although it makes a great 10 dollar gift. If you have the others, dont bother. J.
Rating: 
Summary: save your money
Review: Sedaris writes in the same style as Nick Hornby but his stories aren't nearly as humorous or interesting. I found 'Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family!!!' to be particularly annoying and disturbing. I was going to give this book as a Christmas present, but after reading it, I threw it in the garbage.
Rating:
Summary: The Photo Elf
Review: Heartwarming stories of Christmas are common - tales of holiday cheer, families coming together to celebrate, and perhaps an unexpected miracle. This book doesn't have those stories. Rather, what it has is a laugh-out-loud funny look at David Sedaris's stint as a SantaLand elf at Macy's in New York City. This story is both believable and uproarious, and shouldn't be missed. Any holiday shopper needing a pick-me-up from the hour-long lines at the mall will certainly get it from this story! The most poignant of the stories is contained within the chapter called (if you can believe it), Dinah the Christmas Whore. This story points out the importance of serving others, and how families can come together. The four other chapters are worth reading for an interesting, if cynical, look at the role of the season in contemporary culture. They aren't nearly as enjoyable as the other two, and have some dark twists, so do be forewarned.
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