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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent feel-good book - wish it was longer....
Review: Gift-giving is a good thing, but our gifts can be less about monetary value and more about reaching out to one another. The idea is to give more of our time and care and less of extra stuff that most of us don't need. I gave the book four stars instead of five because it is too short! I would have liked to read more about alternative ideas for celebrating and making gifts. The description of how Christmas has evolved, while pertinent, was my least favorite part of the book. I truly enjoyed reading about how the author's family and friends celebrate Christmas with a minimum of materialism. This is a great book to start of the holidays by remembering what really matters.
Rating: 
Summary: a small little joy
Review: i pray that this book is not overlooked in the mad holiday shopping rush. that's exactly what it struggles against. to read mckibben's plan for a more peaceful and joyful holiday is like taking a warm bath--suddenly it all seems manageable again. my family and i will try to implement a variation of his plan (hundred dollar chanuka). i especially like the practical ideas, the how-to tips he gives for pulling it off.
Rating: 
Summary: Just make sure you know what you are getting
Review: I read a newspaper article on financial planning at Christmas that recommended this book as a helpful guide to paring down holiday spending. Based on that, I expected a how-to book of recipes, craft instruction, and volunteering ideas. Though the last chapter does present these, it is short and very generalized. The rest of the very tiny book is mostly a plea to remember the spirit of Christmas. For what it is, it's fine, albeit short. I think it would have been a far better speech (or sermon) than a book though. Also, I would imagine most of us who would buy this book do not need to be convinced, yet most of this book is persuasive and not practical. I should add that for those of you (like me) who believe the Christmas spirit should be extended to animals as well, be forewarned that the book does not. Some of the gift ideas include a homemade meat product and a donation to a meat-giving charity, and there is a long segment about how Christmas may have been placed as it was on the calendar to coincide with animal butchering times, which is probably true, just unfortunate and not exactly uplifting. I couldn't help thinking that the author could have saved yet a few more dollars (and a few lives!) by giving sustainable and cruelty-free grain- or legume-based gifts.
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