Cabin Fever

Christmas is the central motif in Cabin Fever, gaining particular prominence as Greg and his family prepare for the holiday and handle the unexpected blizzard that nearly ruins it. The story opens with Greg’s reflections on Christmas, Santa, and being watched and surveilled in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Greg sees the entire process as unjust and believes that “you have a right to privacy in your own home” (6). He hates the elf that his mom puts around the house as a reminder to behave, and he also resents the implication that Getting Along With Family and Friends is required if he wants to get any presents from Santa at all. 

Christmas is also a time of remembering, and The Echoes of Past Experiences grow strongest at this time of year as Greg sorts through a barrage of memories from past Christmases, like the time he opened a video game a week before Christmas day. The Christmas season also forces Greg to challenge himself and to mature to an extent, because he is no longer given an allowance to buy gifts. Instead, he is expected to earn his own money to buy presents for his loved ones.