Hundred Dollar Holiday: The Case for a More Joyful Christmas
For anyone looking to celebrate Christmas–and all special occasions, for that matter–with less spending and more joy, “Hundred Dollar Holiday” is highly recommended. And it’s appropriate to read this short book well before the holidays are upon us.
Author Bill McKibben started thinking about a new type of Christmas out of concern for the environment and the poor. He thought about all the waste involved in Christmas–the overspending on gifts, the boxes, the wrapping paper, and such. But as he went about encouraging people to spend less, he realized what people really wanted was “more”–more joy. He provides a roadmap to that joy in “Hundred Dollar Holiday.”
The book opens with the fascinating history of Christmas and then delves into a wide variety of gift-giving ideas focused on strengthening our relationships during the holidays instead of weakening our finances.
While McKibben hopes to encourage and teach readers how to transform the usual hustle and bustle of Christmas with an eagerly anticipated, meaningful celebration, he also hopes readers will take the ideas in his book beyond the holidays. “It’s possible,” he writes, “that you’ll find yourself enjoying Christmas so much that you’ll try to rearrange your life to have more of it all year round.”
Browse Recommended Books & More»
Matt About Money
- Recession Lessons; Your Own Financial Stress Test; Cheap Eats; and more in the latest issue of the Matt About Money eNewsletter.
“We had Matt come and speak at our Generosity Conference. He did our Debt Reduction breakout session, and Matt delivered the perfect balance of scriptural basis, practical tools, and humor for an excellent presentation. Our attenders not only raved about the session for weeks afterward, but they have put many of his tools into practice and are challenging one another through their small groups. I’d recommend Matt for any gathering dealing with stewardship and finances, especially as it relates to debt reduction and financial freedom.”