In a Holidaze
By: Christina Lauren
"It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.
But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.
The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe."
Have you ever watched the movie Groundhog Day? (I just love Bill Murray.) This book can best be described as the Christmas version of Groundhog Day. The setting is a snow-covered cabin in Utah where Mae's family and lifelong friends gather each year for Christmas. We get to tag along for all of Mae's Christmas traditions from snow-creature building, to tree trimming, and sled riding. It's light, it's funny, and it's a great pick for those who like to read with the seasons.
It wasn't hard to come up with some food and drink pairings for this book because Mae's family enjoyed a lot of traditional holiday fare. In the beginning of In a Holidaze, we find out that Mae is a lightweight when it comes to drinking and has made what she feels is a terrible mistake while under the influence of eggnog. So, we are going to sip on some eggnog too!
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"This is what I get for finally saying yes to Ricky Hollis's boozy eggnog." |
You could make traditional eggnog, but if you're like me and you don't really feel like bringing your eggs to a high enough temperature to avoid the risk of food poisoning, then give this one from Minimalist Baker a try. I added a candy cane rim to my glass just for fun. You could also use whole candy canes as stirrers! Keep in mind that during November and December many grocery stores carry eggnog options in the refrigerated section so you could skip the kitchen all together and just enjoy a comforting holiday drink!
Joining the eggnog are "Aaron's bubbe's famous cheese blintzes." I had never even heard of blintzes, but it turns out they are similar to crepes. I used this recipe from the Food Network, but instead of blueberry sauce I made strawberry because a red sauce seemed more festive!
As Mae is slathering an enormous pile of blintzes with jam and applesauce her mother questions if she really wants to eat all that to which she responds:
"My eyes say yes, my stomach says probably not. But these are the best blintzes I'll have all year, and who knows when I'll get them again?"
In a Holidaze: ★★★★☆
Light? Yes. Funny? Yes. Deep and thought provoking? No, but that's not what I look for in a holiday book. The setting was cozy and the story was entertaining. I was a little worried that the Groundhog Day/time loop aspect would be too repetitive, but the pace of the book was nice and we weren't forced to relive the exact same thing over and over.
My only complaint was that it was hard to keep all of the characters straight in the beginning, but as the story progressed I was happy that they were there. Somehow knowing that Lisa is a terrible cook who frequently moves mistletoe around the cabin and Aaron is in the middle of a tight-pant wearing, hair-dying, midlife crisis added an endearing chaos to the book that only family can manage.
If you're looking for a fun holiday read, then give In a Holidaze a try and don't forget your eggnog!
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