Holidays at the OBX

After a successful inaugural Christmas at the Beach in 2020, we decided to repeat the experience for 2022 though with a southern twist (Happy Sol in Nags Head vs Pineapple House in Duck) and the absence of one of our revelers (Adrienne couldn't make it). And while the days leading up to the adventure were a bit stressful (John was hospitalized due to low oxygen levels related to his mitral valve) and leaving DC was complicated (Don had offered to be the initial proctor for Owen's driving lessons but we needed to get Owen's actual permit before we left town, which involved two trips to the DMV – who knew the under 18 crowd needed a birth certificate for a permit – which delayed our departure and resulted in our hitting bad weather and even worse traffic). Once we got there all was well, albeit cold due to arctic blast and bomb cyclone which forced us all to stay indoors and just eat and drink...

We settled in Thursday night, making pizzas and enjoying cocktails, and then the next morning we decorated a tree and readied ourselves for the sequel 2020's LARP Clue, "A Christmas Kracker Killing Mystery." While we were down one horse breeder, Felice Navidad, and one business woman, Rita List, Allen and I doubled up for Buster Kracker's posthumous holiday celebration where we (or at least some of us) ascertained that Phil Stockins (aka Danny) had murdered the father of his fiance, Ava Kracker (aka Sharon) via arsenic poisoning because he and her mother, Paula Kracker (aka Nancy) didn't approve of the match while the rest of us - wine merchant, Angel Shyre (Nora); conductor, Frank Incenses (Owen); Actress, Candy Cane (Katherine); Retired MI6 operative Robin Redbreast (Don); Veterinarian, Evan Song (John); Merchant Navy Captain/Illegitimate Heir, Si Lentnite (Allen); and wedding planner, Dee Coration (Elaine) - provided red herrings and colorful commentary.

For Christmas Eve, Allen, Nora and I prepared an homage to our Tuscan summer adventure while Mom Mom and Nora also prepared the Christmas cake. Christmas Day began with a bagel extravaganza in the morning followed by a beef tenderloin feast that evening, all thanks to Nancy and Danny at which point Katherine finally allowed us to open some presents.

 

Once the official holiday celebrations were over and the arctic blast had moved on, we were able to venture outside for a few activies. Don took Owen driving (including a highway) and he and Geoffrey took Nora flying (although technically, Nora took them). We had an outing to the Bodie Island Lighthouse and the bird sanctuary on Pea Island, a separate outing to Jockey's Ridge, and a sundry of games and activities including bridge, shuffleboard, puzzling, pool (Owen discovered 9 ball), marbles, hot-tubbing, bocce ball, corn hole, various movie watch parties (particularly, Maverick and Glass Onion), a polar bear plunge, and of course, long walks on the beach, as well as a meet up with the Violas who had just arrived to celebrate NYE week at OBX.

The next morning we headed back to DC where we unpacked, opened even more presents, and settled in to face 2023 and start planning for XMas 2024...

(To see all of our OBX pictures, click here.)