Over the Counter #295

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? Well, I was looking for a seasonal theme and found these two......

First up is We Wish You a Crazy Christmas.

From Laughing Elephant Books: Strange Christmas Cards Postcard Book.

"The images in We Wish You A Crazy Christmas were chosen from our vast collection of Victorian and Edwardian Christmas cards and postcards. Those eras produced millions of cards, for this a strong time for both mailed correspondence and Yuletide greetings. Most had traditional or religious imagery, but a substantial minority were - to our minds - malapropos, such as cow in a field, a tree blossoming in spring, a sandy beach. A smaller number goes beyond irrelevancy to weirdness, and these we have decided to share with our adventurous customers. They offer the opportunity to ponder, laugh, or to simply wonder "Why?"

Or how about this one? Scared of Santa: Scenes of Terror in Toyland by Denise Joyce and Nancy Watkins.

From the publisher, Harper Collins:

"The perfect holiday gift, Scared of Santa is a hilarious photographic collection of kids panicked, screaming and crying while posed on Santa's lap. Denise Joyce and Nancy Watkins have compiled more than 250 full-color photos of "Scenes of Terror in Toyland," and added witty commentary to make the Yuletide nightmare even brighter. Move over Bad Cat, Bad Santa has arrived!

He's huge and hairy and hulking. He dresses in strange furry clothing. He sneaks into people's homes at night. Who wouldn't be afraid of . . . Santa Claus ?!? Nothing says Christmas quite like innocent children shrieking with terror as a stranger dressed in red drags them kicking and screaming onto his lap. Now this time-honored rite of passage is celebrated with a hilarious collection of more than two hundred and fifty priceless photos of kids' traumatic trips to Santa's workshop. Scared of Santa offers a cornucopia of photographic funnies—from sixty-year-old family heirlooms to last year's howlers-along with delightful commentary on those unforgettable childhood visits to scary ol' Saint Nick."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)