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Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season [Paperback]

Jo Robinson , Jean C. Staeheli
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Book Description

October 28, 1991

Nine years and thirteen printings later, Unplug the Christmas Machine is still the undisputed guide to creating a joyful, stress-free holiday season. Revised and filled with new material, this book will enjoy even greater popularity in the years to come.

In the pages of Unplug the Christmas Machine, Jo Robinson and jean Coppock Staeheli answer the questions they have heard most often in their many years of talking with people about Christmas, such as: "How can I reduce the stress of preparing for Christmas?" "How can I make our celebration more spiritual and less materialistic?" "How can I get my husband to be more enthusiastic about Christmas?" "How can I get my wife to relax and enjoy the celebration?" and "How can I help my children see that Christmas is more than just presents?" Readers will turn to this book for inspiration and practical advice year after year.

Sixteen years after it first appeared, this perennial favorite is still the book that thousands turn to for sound, no-nonsense advice on how to combat Christmas commercialism and create a joyful, stress-free holiday season. The authors answer all the most commonly asked questions, from "How can I reduce the stress of preparing for Christmas?" to "How can I teach my children that Christmas means mote than just presents?" and many more.

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Unplug the Christmas Machine: A Complete Guide to Putting Love and Joy Back into the Season + Celebrate Simply: Your Guide to Simpler, More Meaningful Holidays and Special Occasions
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Now in its 13th printing, Unplug the Christmas Machine remains one of the most comprehensive guides to managing Christmas stress and combating commercialism. Jo Robinson and Jean Coppock Staeheli give readers solid advice on how to make their celebrations more spiritual and less materialistic. Practical discussions, such as shopping lists, holiday recipes, and family activities, meld with deeper issues, such as how to teach children that Christmas is more than a present or how to find meaning in the holiday when you're not especially religious. Robinson and Staeheli even delve into the mixed blessings of Christmas homecomings to help readers pass the true holiday stress test.

Review

""Unplug the Christmas Machine" offers a wealth of suggestions for combatting commercialism and filling the holidays with simple, spiritual celebrations that help families draw closer together." -- "The New York Times Book Review""A wide-awake volume dealing with everything from saving time and money to bucking the hidden gift-giving code. With recipes, decorating ideas, even sources of seasonal purchases: thorough and heartening." -- "Kirkus Reviews"""Unplug the Christmas Machine" is more than a 'how-to' book on holiday accessories. It is a complete guide to putting the love and warmth back into the season." -- "Oregon Magazine"

Product Details

  • Paperback: 208 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Rev Sub edition (October 28, 1991)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0688109616
  • ISBN-13: 978-0688109615
  • Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 0.8 x 9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #147,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
(21)
4.7 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Do yourself a favor and read this book! November 12, 1998
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
Since reading Unplug the Christmas Machine when it was first published several years ago, my family and I have scaled way back materially at Christmastime. As a result, we're less stressed and have more time to spend together doing the things we really enjoy, such as going to holiday concerts, singing carols, baking goodies, reading in front of the fire, writing letters, etc. This book will help your whole family "unplug" from the out-of-control juggernaut that is Christmas in the U.S. It also makes a great gift for friends and family who might need permission to simplify their lives during the holidays.
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51 of 54 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful! December 5, 1998
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
While I felt overwhelmed with the Christmas machine, I didn't want to give up everything. This book helped me identify what mattered to me and my family. I especially liked the ideas on how to pace the holiday. This suited me much better than the "Simplify Christmas" book which seemed to me to consist more of reasons not to have a tree, send cards etc. than identify what to keep and what to change.
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36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars This book should be REQUIRED Christmas reading! October 13, 1998
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I first read this book 7 years ago, when I was just married and trying to keep everyone happy at Christmastime, spreading myself far too thin in the process - "Unplug The Christmas Machine" was a lifesaver!!! I learned how to NOT try to be all things to all people (one chapter is aptly titled, "Women: The Christmas Magicians"), how to handle "difficult" family members, how to relax and enjoy the season - a very important lesson. I have loaned or given this book to countless friends and family members - I cannot recommend it highly enough!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Unplug the Christmas Machine
This book has been a great book and I would recommend it to friends that spend to much time stressing over the holidays
Published 4 months ago by Dianne Lahman
5.0 out of 5 stars A CLASSIC OF THE "ALTERNATIVE CELEBRATION" MOVEMENT
Jo Robinson is "a free-lance writer specializing in books about personal and social change," such as The Emotional Incest Syndrome: What to do When a Parent's Love Rules Your Life. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Steven H. Propp
4.0 out of 5 stars Everyone ought to read this !
Makes you think about how you celebrate the birth of the Christ. Good suggestions about how to simplify the craziness that the Christmas season has become. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Carolyn Martinez
5.0 out of 5 stars Required reading
There are few books that have changed my life. This is one of them. The essence of the book is to identify what you enjoy about Christmas and stop doing everything that you... Read more
Published on December 22, 2010 by Sue
5.0 out of 5 stars Save your sanity during the holidays!
I love this book. It has simple, helpful exercises that allow you to discover what the holidays mean to you and what you would like to keep and what you would like to toss this... Read more
Published on December 31, 2008 by Gus' Mom
4.0 out of 5 stars What I think...
I read this years ago, lent it out and never got it back. I repurchased a copy from Amazon. It's a little outdated but some of the thoughts never go out of style, such as... Read more
Published on December 24, 2008 by Trailing Arbutus
4.0 out of 5 stars Want to de-stress from the holiday season?
This book is perfect for those who need to de-stress from the manical demands of the holiday season. I read it in a couple of days ... Read more
Published on December 16, 2008 by Busy Mom
4.0 out of 5 stars dated but worth it!
This book is a little dated, but the general theme is good. The part I liked the best was surveys that helped me evaluate my values associated with Christmas and then line them up... Read more
Published on December 13, 2008 by D. Wells
5.0 out of 5 stars Unplug the Christmas Machine
Excellent - I plan to re-read it again before Christmas! Gets you centered and away from the frenzy of Christmas.
Published on August 9, 2008 by Glenda G. Davis
5.0 out of 5 stars If I just buy enough...
...then I'll be happy.

I have an unscientific observation. It seems to me the further away someone feels from the "perfect Christmas", the more money, time and resources... Read more
Published on July 18, 2008 by L. Guzman
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