The Christmas season can easily be the most stressful time of the year (it doesn’t help that finals are mixed right in there with the gift-buying and decorating that damn spiky pine tree), but it can also be one of the most humorous times of the year, as illustrated by author Laurie Notaro in her latest book, “An Idiot Girl’s Christmas: True Tales from the Top of the Naughty List.”
In true Notaro fashion, “An Idiot Girl’s Christmas” is hilarious and cringe-inducing at the same time. Notaro is not one to censor her words, saying exactly what’s on her mind, but she manages to do so without being overly crude or obnoxious. She puts humor into everyday situations (like that annoying neighbor who goes way too far in decorating his lawn or spending that first Christmas with the in-laws and managing to tag all of the gifts incorrectly), with wit, sassiness and occasional exaggeration.
Notaro began her career as a columnist for the Arizona Republic, and her columns are what made up her first book, “The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club,” which quickly became a New York Times Bestseller. Notaro now resides in Eugene, and her move from Arizona to Lane County is documented in the last chapter of “An Idiot Girl’s Christmas” with the hilarious “Happy Holidays from the Asshole Family.”
“An Idiot Girl’s Christmas” is Notaro’s fifth book, following 2002’s “The Idiot Girls’ Action-Adventure Club,” 2003’s “An Autobiography of a Fat Bride,” 2004’s “I Love Everybody (and Other Atrocious Lies)” and last spring’s “We Thought You Would Be Prettier.” While “An Idiot Girl’s Christmas” is not the best Notaro effort to date, it still succeeds in making the reader laugh and hide his or her face in shame from the true-life stories that Notaro tells.
In the book, Notaro makes readers’ worst Christmas memories seem like a walk in the park compared to some of her tales, like “Deck the Mall,” in which she has to take her octogenarian Nana shopping. Notaro’s humor is also abundant in the humorous “The Most Unfun Christmas Party Hostess Ever.” The story weaves the tale of Notaro’s infamous but accidental Christmas Party-ruining strategy, which involves pills, disguised flirting and the cops. Read it to believe it.
Notaro’s writing and witty sense of humor are easy to fall in love with, but she tends to veer off on tangents and repeats herself. But for true Notaro fans, “An Idiot Girl’s Christmas,” which features 10 new chapters and three previously published tales, fills expectations. It’s the perfect complement to curling up on the couch with a cup of cocoa and fuzzy socks when this season gets too out of control.

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