Home for the Holidays: Day 3

It's been a pretty good morning so far. Part of that is due to my mom's worsening cough. I feel bad for her - here she is, the Queen of Christmas, and she can't even croak a few words out without sending herself into spasms of coughing. But it does slow the level of activity.

It poured all day yesterday, and today's planned activity was that we all go see A Christmas Carol at a local black box theater, but that got a huge thumbs down from nearly everyone, so, since it's nice and sunny today, Christmas Candylane at Hersheypark it is! Nothing like a giant character dressed as a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup to give you screaming nightmares for weeks.

Last night we all watched The Grinch - not the good one, but the new(ish) Jim Carrey one, which is beastly long and fairly unwatchable. After breakfast this morning I snuck back to bed, and since my mother is sick in bed and my dad had to sleep on the couch, I got away with it.

And now, I'm wearing the "horrible hat". We'll see how long I get away with that.

11:03 AM.: And so it goes.
"Why are you wearing your hat in the house?"
"People do wear hats places other than outside, you know."
"Not here."
"Well, they do where I live. It's hip. So I'm wearing my hat inside. I own many hats and frequently wear them inside."
"Well I think it looks bad."
"That's fine. You can think I look bad. But I'm still not taking off my hat."
End of conversation.

5:46 P.M.: Today was Christmas Candylane at Hersheypark day. Actually, this event turned out to be pretty fun, as my middle nephew, Robert, 8, is no longer a wimp and likes to go on the few big rides they have open. Two trips on The Pirate Ship and two on The Claw, which is truly a feat of engineering and sheer terror made for a pretty good outing. Bumper Cars with my niece was good as well, as she's as bloodthirsty as I am. And the Alpine Lift was nice - a glide over the park (God forbid you lose a shoe, or a baby).

Tonight, I'm following the advice of my shrink and not participating in family activities. "Look," he told me, "You do not have to do anything you don't want to." What a revelation! It's quarter to six and I'm getting ready for bed! My sister and her husband arrive tomorrow and it will be Christmas mania like you wouldn't believe. So I'm taking some "Me" time in the hopes I don't go insane once the whole crew arrives.

My mother is sick with what the doctor calls "pre-bronchitis." Three years ago I got sick with a cold and a stomach bug at the same time. I was accused of "ruining Christmas." No such accusations against her. Just mollycoddling. The world is a bizarre and unfair place.

Claudia Hunter is the Beachwood's pseudononymous holiday affairs correspondent. She is reporting from the homefront in Central Pennsylvania. Previously:

* Home for the Holidays: The Preamble
* Home for the Holidays: Day 1
* Home for the Holidays: Day 2