You may be a slacker if you don’t wake up at 3:45 a.m. on Christmas morning, like I did. Go big or go back to sleep, they say. So, I decided to go big. My parents weren’t thrilled, but they managed to find their Christmas spirit, too, in between several grunts and yawns.

Despite it being a snowless Christmas, the day was exactly what Genesee and I waited all year for: family, joy, and good food! In fact, besides our traditional meatballs and cheesy potatoes, we added Grinch Punch to the menu this year! Watching Home Sweet Home Alone and playing a competitive tournament of ping pong were definitely some of the highlights.

As for Santa gifts, Genesee was thrilled with her foot bath spa, $100 bill, and swinging chair, and I was most excited about my VR headset….

…until the next morning, when I discovered I was allergic to it! Apparently, I am part of the .01% of people who have a skin reaction to the headset. Luckily, after my parents conducted some research, we believe we found a cure. Christmas tragedy averted!