5 Stars

Okay, I’m going to admit something that will probably get me pelted with crayons: I don’t get the whole adult coloring book thing.

First of all, if I had time to sit and color, it would probably be while I’m waiting on hold, waiting in the carpool line at the kids’ school, waiting for some kind of sport or activity practice to be over with, waiting for the washing machine to finish so I can get someone’s sport or activity uniform into the dryer, waiting for… you get the point.

More importantly, adult coloring books tend to be overly busy, meaning those geometric swirls are a middle-aged eyesight’s nightmare. The whole point was supposed to be to DE-stress, not make me stress out about accidentally going outside the lines. And if I really want to de-stress through something vaguely artistic, what’s more fun than my kid’s discarded Hello Kitty coloring book?

I can officially tell you what’s more fun…a CREEPY coloring book. Mister Sam Shearon’s Creepy Christmas is not only beautifully made and filled with not-so-jolly Christmas creatures from cultures around the world, it contains stories, legends, poems, and much more. Best of all, though, the illustrations are detailed and complete without containing superfluous swirls and designs. They’re just fun but dark illustrations that will delight anyone with the right sense of humor.

Check out the link to find your own copy for someone who’s good cheer leans a little more towards history and folktales than the Macy’s version of the North Pole!