Customer Reviews

God Rest Ye Grumpy Scroogeymen: New Traditions for Comfort & Joy at Christmas

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Let's face it: Come Christmastime, no matter how spiritual, fun-loving, or organized we are,
there's probably a little "Scrooge" in all of us. Despite our best efforts, today's
commercialized Christmas chaos can often leave us with no room in our inn-dividual schedules
to celebrate the reason for the season or, worse yet, for those of us who really are grumpy
Grinches, we find no room for Christmas in our already too-small hearts. Leave it to Christian
comedy Queen, Laura Jensen Walker, and her newly published co-author-Renaissance-Man-
husband, Michael, to remove the "bah" from your humbug and just leave you humming
Christmas carols instead. God Rest Ye Grumpy Scroogeymen is a dickens of a good read with
personal reflections, amusing true-life anecdotes, meaningful messages and quotations, tons of
Holiday tips, and a scrumptious recipe or two. I too married a man named Michael, whom for
nearly thirty years I've also dubbed my Renaissance man; but Laura's Mike takes the

Christmas fruitcake! This guy gives you fabulously creative sewing, craft, cooking, and
stocking-stuffer ideas (just to name a few) that puts even Santa Claus to shame. And, together,
with his wife, veteran author Laura, they give you enough Holiday cheer, chuckles, and charm
to warm even the Scroogiest of hearts. Even though I loved this book, I still love fruitcake.
Well, at least I think I do despite Laura's aversion to same. She is such a wonderful, colorful
writer that her graphic description of this touted, traditional Christmas treat is enough to make
me consider not asking for seconds...or maybe even firsts! But I'll be the first to stand in line
for a second helping of whatever the new Walker-author team dishes out next! God will bless
us every one when we read books by authors like the Walkers, whom He has blessed with such
creative talent and incredible humor!

-Lynn D. Morrissey
author of Seasons of a Woman's Heart and new release Love Letters to God (Multnomah, 1/04)

Laura and Michael share a love of life that could only come from a situation in which they had to fight for life. Laura survived cancer and has written some inspirational books to show women the way through a life-threatening situation. Now, they seem determined to live each day with a sense of joy and enthusiasm. Christmas is no exception.

Through this book, you will realize that everyone celebrates Christmas in a unique way. Laura and Michael love making homemade gifts, but they also participate in "Operation Christmas Child" and fill shoeboxes with small gifts for kids in need in Third World countries.

I could relate to the cookie making. Normally, I get in the mood about one week before Christmas and bake like crazy. My grandmother always had about 20 tins of cookies piled all in one place. They were sort of hidden, but we always found them.

I love baking and this book has quite a few recipes. There is a recipe for Michael's Famous Carrot Cake with a Cream Cheese Frosting with a secret ingredient. Michael and Laura also share a love of making crafts and give a few examples and ideas of how you can make your own gifts.

Michael is also a trivia buff and gives some interesting facts about "Merry "X"mas." It isn't what I thought it meant. There are also lists of favorite songs and favorite movies sprinkled through the pages.

I enjoyed all the "top secret" ideas I found in this book. Going on a vacation at Christmas time sounds like a good plan to me. Escaping to a movie. Giving pets gifts. It all sounds so cozy. My two cats will defiantly be considering the "kit kat" bar gifts. I'm imagining them having their picture taken in little red hats. I see icicle lights sparkling against the night sky and scented candles releasing the scent of pine into the living room where I am watching "It's a Wonderful Life."

After reading this book, you might go find your loose change and take it to a Salvation Army bell ringer (like Michael does) or maybe even go to the World Vision site and donate a milk goat to a poor family in some faraway land. There are some ideas in this book for helping underprivileged kids.

I understand why at times people can become "Scroogey." Yes, perhaps it is the disappointment some people feel at a holiday not being quite what you thought it would be. Maybe people feel that because they can't participate quite so fully in the giving that they are left out of the joy. With so many people losing jobs and all the problems that have occurred in America in the past few years, I'd imagine there are some rather jaded people during Christmas. I think holidays can also become painful because of loss or because you can't be with the person you love most in all the world. Life is definitely not perfect. So, after reading this book, you might find yourself reaching out to the world in various ways.

After years of cleaning up pine needles in other people's homes, I had vowed to never be a decorator of Christmas Trees and yet at times I long for the scent of pine and the warmth of my grandmother's home where each year she seemed to spend a week decorating for the holiday season.

My mother always asks me when I'm going to get a tree and had a good laugh as she read pg. 14. She then proceeded to laugh even more as she informed me that this book was perfect for me and that I was the woman who would decorate the house in Victorian Style, while my husband would prefer Looney Tunes decorations. My mother actually bought my husband a Lionel Train with a Looney Tune car. Laura tells of how Michael recently purchased a train.

Christmas for Laura and Michael is a celebration of life itself. If anyone can get you to go out and buy a Christmas Tree, Laura and Michael can! While reading this book, you will be amused at the reason why they now always have two trees.

~The Rebecca Review

From the front cover to Michael Walker's "Encore" this book is a holiday must read. Full of tips, quotes, recipes, ideas, short stories and humor galore this book will get any grumpy (or not) person in the mood for celebrating Christmas. Single, married, with kids or without, the Walkers' book is one to cuddle up in your jammies with and read. As the Encore (aka epilogue) says "we've shown you new and fun ways to make your grown-up Christmas season bright." And I do agree that "Ave Maria" is best sung by Placido Domingo (p. 166).
-Brenda Nixon, author
Parenting Power in The Early Years

I am sure that a lot of people will agree that the enthusiasm for Christmas can dwindle as one grows older. This book stops that process in it's tracks and rekindles the Christmas spirit.The combination of humorous and loving memories from Christmas times past, non-traditional celebration ideas and even a few recipes thrown in makes this a wonderfully inspiring gift for yourself or a friend.

When I finished this wonderful book the day after Thanksgiving, I set my book and coffee cup down and felt energized about getting my house and life ready for some Christmas joy. I also realized that I had become a bit of a "Grumpy Scroogeyman" myself. Shopping, malls, traffic - Yuk. By contrast, this year I have found myself enjoying Christmas-related conversations and looking at mall-less ways to make this time special. Plus, I seemed to have dropped my dread-and-cynicism level several notches - Yay.

"God Rest Ye Grumpy Scroogeymen" has personality, with a feel that you are enjoying a conversation with good friends who are sharing intimate glimpses into their joys, challenges and experiences during this season. This book includes a wonderful section on Christmas history, family recipes to try, laugh-aloud humor and lots of practical but fun tips for enjoying the season with less stress.

The authors, Laura Jensen Walker and Michael K. Walker, focus on celebrating and understanding Christmas and, most of all, the reason why we celebrate Christmas. They also illustrate that special and shared memories are what make the holiday season enjoyable and less stressful, so God rest ye merry gentlefolk.

When I picked up Laura Jensen Walker's new book, God Rest Ye Grumpy Scroogeymen, I already had a head start. She had just been the keynote speaker at our Writer's Weekend and so I was acquainted with her great wit and delightful story-telling style. This book proved to be more of the same - all wrapped up in the sweet subject of Christmas.

Laura, a best-selling humor writer, has teamed up with her remarkably talented husband, Michael, who gave the reader wonderful tips on how to make THE best stocking ever, as well as heartfelt insights into his family's holiday traditions. Laura completed the picture of what makes Christmas ever so special in their household by offering touching traditions from her own family, memories, and favorite recipes, too. She and Michael show us how they have come to celebrate Christmas, treasure the time, and share it with others.

Scroogeymen is a very dear book, funny, sweet, poignant, and charming. The Walkers have included an excellent list of the best Christmas CDs and DVDs as well as other tips and hints to make your Christmas bright. Anyone who wishes to learn new, meaningful ways to celebrate this blessed holiday - or to keep Christmas well, should buy and read God Rest Ye Grumpy Scroogeymen.

I confess. With children now grown and out of the house, the thought of a pull-out-all-the-stops Christmas left me feeling like a scroogey-mom. Why bother? Why go to all the trouble?

At least that's what I thought until I read Laura and Michael Walkers fabulous little book, God Rest Ye Merry Scroogeymen. This hilarious volume helped me remember what fun the holidays can be.

This book's long on inspiration and do-able ideas, yet blessedly short on unrealistic, time-consuming, multi-step recipes and crafts. I found at least half a dozen new ideas I'll incorporate into my own holiday celebration this year.

I highly recommend this joy-filled book.

If you are looking for lots of "how-to's" on decorating and holiday preparation, this is not the book for you. However, the Walkers are entertaining writers, and their approach to simplifying the holiday helps remind the reader to keep the emphasis in all celebrations in the right place.

Their approach can be summed up from this comment from page 34: "Traditions are great. They give meaning to our lives, help us know how we fit in, and give us something to look forward to. They're comforting--we know what to expect. But they should add to the celebration, not make us prisoners of the celebration."

Michael and Laura, don't you know Christmas is supposed to be a hyped-up, stressed-out, commercial extravaganza? What is this crazy idea that Christmas should be . . . FUN? Making handmade presents? Taking time out for your spouse? Watching movies on Christmas? Being nice to the family Scrooge? How dare you try to take the misery out of this holiday? Oh, the horror of it all.

Christmas just isn't Christmas without a tree, the trimmings, a hearty dose of love . . . and, oh yes, Jesus. This book has all this and still manages to capture the joy of the season without being sappy or sickeningly sweet. Pick up a copy like I did and read a chapter a day. The Walkers will really put you in the mood for that most special day in December.