During December 2011 I went to Pennsylvania for Christmas. We stayed there from December 5th to the 29th because we wanted to spend New Year’s Eve in Florida. Normal people would just cough up the money for plane tickets but not our family! We had to drive up to Pennsylvania, keep in mind it is a 24 hour trip and when you have a packed car with sisters on both sides of you constantly talking and bothering you, it can get very annoying. When we get up to the Pocono Mountains where our Grandparents live, we get in the house after an exhausting trip and we go to sleep for a total of 15 hours. That drive is very exhausting and boring. When we wake up we spend the first week of our vacation doing traditions we have to do when we go to Pennsylvania, driving into Philadelphia to see family, getting some local food, and skiing. Skiing is our family’s favorite thing to do even though everyone stinks at it besides me and my mom. My dad and my sisters will go down the mountain around 3 times and they are done. They just take shelter in the cafeteria from the cold and the hot chocolate helps warm them up. Instead of staying in the cafeteria the whole time my mom and I will get our money’s worth and ski down the mountain from sun up to sun down. I don’t know why my mom and I love it so much, maybe it is because we are good at it and we love racing down the mountain. There is no other feeling than the snow rushing into your face, the speeds you reach, how you have to maneuver around others, and the thrill of knowing the only thing between you and crashing is a thin piece of metal locked into your boot. The only bad part about skiing is the fact that you have to take a tiny little metal chair up to the top of a mountain while you constantly look down to a falling death. It especially stinks when you are afraid of heights.

Another fun thing to do in Pennsylvania is to go Christmas shopping. The hustle and bustle of the Christmas shopping season in the malls is so much fun. The malls and the presents that you can buy for people, it is a really nice feeling. In Pennsylvania every sports team jersey, clothes, and accessories are available and on sale. When you’re a sports fanatic, it is basically heaven for you! I spent all my money and came home with so many different presents. All for myself I might add.

The final part of my vacation that was fun is when it snowed right after Christmas morning and we all went outside and played in the snow. It was the real first time I experienced snow, I saw it as a 4 year old and I don’t remember it. Snow is magical and I think everyone needs to see it once in their lives. Plus, it’s so fun to play in and you can eat it! That was one of the best vacations I’ve ever taken and I love going to Pennsylvania during December.