Today, that fantasy isn't far from the reality, but Hershey's most popular holiday-themed attraction had humbler beginnings.


"When it first started," said Hersheypark spokeswoman Kathy Burrows, "it was a very small idea, with just a couple of Christmas decorations. It’s really grown a lot over the years."


That may be an understatement.


From a couple of Christmas decorations, Candylane has grown to include some 2 million holiday lights. Small white lights decorate nearly every square inch of Hersheypark’s trees and shrubs, while larger colored lights hang against the sky like giant gumdrops.


Then there’s the lighted displays: the Hershey characters made of lights that wave to guests from the park entrance, the lighted silhouettes of castles and Christmas carolers, and, of course, the giant Kissmas Tree, a towering fiber-optic display decked in — what else? — Hershey Kisses.


As a child, Taylor Formica visited Candylane several times. But this year marked the first trip for her 2-year-old daughter, Olivia.


"The most fun part for me is just watching her," Formica said. "She definitely liked the animated lights, where the arms went back and forth. She was waving back to them."


The most fun for Olivia was the Twilight Express — a ride that Burrows said is especially pretty in the winter. The open-air train makes a slow trek through the more secluded areas of Hersheypark, past light displays hidden among the trees.


"The last thing [the train] does is it comes through the tunnel, which is just filled with tiny, twinkling lights," Burrows said. "As you’re going through, the steam from the train blows back and makes everything glisten. It’s like something out of 'The Polar Express.'"


Candylane features more than 30 rides. Water rides and roller coasters are closed for the season, but young children can still enjoy the Dinosaurs-Go-Round, Dizzy Drums and Granny Bugs.


Inside the park’s heated Chevrolet Music Box Theatre, guests can warm their toes and hear live Christmas music during nightly performances of "A Music Box Christmas." And in Santa’s Stables, the park houses nine real reindeer.


"They’re so small!" Burrows said. "I guess I was thinking they’d be more of a cross between a deer and a moose." In reality, the reindeer are a little smaller than the white-tailed deer of Pennsylvanian forests. They’re rounder, too. But the reindeer's small stature doesn’t faze younger guests, who lean against the fence to watch the animals walk around the pen. Nearby, a naturalist waits to answer questions, and a gift stand sells antler headbands and Rudolph-related souvenirs.

You might think Santa would be the star attraction in a place like Christmas Candylane, but other costumed characters have a way of stealing the spotlight. The Hershey Kiss, with its familiar shape and festive red hat, is a crowd favorite. Others characters include the Hershey Bar, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and Frosty the Snowman. Most can be found in Rhineland, near the whirling lights and painted horses of the carousel.


Rhineland also houses some of Hershey’s best holiday shopping. Its quaint shops and dense foliage offer a welcome retreat from crowded strip malls. Here, the steeply pitched roofs and wide walkways have the feel of an Austrian villa. Granted, you won’t find that DVD player for your brother-in-law, but you will find toys, scrapbook supplies, antiques and folk art, not to mention a darn good cup of cocoa.


"It’s got chocolate sprinkles and whipped cream," Burrows said. "It’s really extravagant and wonderful."


Other seasonal cuisine includes s’mores, hot apple cider and turkey legs. Most sections of the park have heated indoor dining for sit-down meals.


And if a visit to Candylane isn’t sweet enough, Hershey’s-brand candy is sold just about everywhere in the park. It’s enough to knock those visions of sugar plums right out of your head.


Christmas Candylane is open through Dec. 31. Tickets cost $9.95 per person, per day, with special rates on multiday passes. Children under 3 are admitted free. For a complete schedule and more information, visit www.hersheypa.com or call (800) 437-7439.