Hi Everyone!

First and foremost, I hope you all had a happy holiday week, as we now look forward to the new year. Growing up, one of my family’s go-to holiday traditions was going to get Chinese food on Christmas Eve, where we would grab fried rice, sesame chicken, some mu shu pork, and maybe egg foo yung if we were lucky. Then we would fill our plates full of food and gather around our tree to open up a single present. Unfortunately, we did not get to do that this Christmas, but I got to experience all of Rylee’s family’s Christmas traditions this time around instead. What traditions do you have around the holiday season? I would love to hear about them!

With that said, let’s find out What’s Up With Will…

As I previously mentioned, we spent this week with Rylee’s family celebrating Christmas, and boy, do they take Christmas to the max. While my family would normally celebrate briefly on Christmas Eve and Day, Rylee’s Family turns Christmas into a week-long event. From Tuesday to Friday, there would be at least one Holiday Feast and Present Opening per day with different parts of the family. As I am writing this, I am realizing now that my biggest qualm with Christmas has always been that it is too short, but making it a multi-day extravaganza is an elegant solution to this problem. It is an incredibly merry and bright week, but I think I have used up all of my Christmas spirit for the year…

This year, I was honored to have made it to the point in our relationship that I get a stocking with the first letter of my name on it! I am also glad that both Rylee’s family and mine are staunch turn-taking present openers. I know that some people out there opt for a present-opening frenzy approach, but I think it ultimately shortens the Christmas season. To me, a present is its own kind of Schrödinger’s Cat, except instead of a cat, it contains an unknown object full of limitless possibilities tucked inside wrapping paper (though, I suppose, it could still be a cat). Unlike Schrödinger’s box, however, a gift holds cheer and anticipation instead of existential dread. So if the mystery itself is part of the joy, what is the harm in waiting just a little longer to open it?

P.S. Another fun Christmas tradition I have is to turn my stack of presents into a fortress built for a Will (as indicated by the top middle picture). I have done it since I was a kid, and I see no signs of my stopping in the future.

Georgia Tech Football was back at it again in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, which has been dubbed by Pop-Tarts as the People’s National Championship. This meant there would be one final watch party for the season. However, we found out Sterling was in town for Christmas, so he was able to drive over to Canton to watch the game with us. Let it be known that we drove to the local grocery store to pick up Pop-Tarts to enjoy while watching the game. In my opinion, Wild Berry and Brown Sugar Cinnamon are the top tier of Pop-Tarts.

P.S. I wonder how much money Pop-Tarts makes from sales on this day alone? I know my Pop-Tart consumption number for that day was one, which is one more than it has been for every other day of this year.

The one other major exciting moment from the trip was that I got my first manicure and pedicure. I have never been against getting one, as men can be pampered too, but the opportunity never arose. However, when the nail salon that Rylee has been going to her entire life announced that it was closing, I decided it was time. As soon as I got into the building, I was directed to a combination massage chair and foot bath, where I got an arm and leg massage before the owner started to clear up my cuticles. What was wild was that she even knew exactly where I tend to pick at my fingers and told me to “knock it off”. Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience! Now that I know about the finer things in life, I might start having to get regular mani-pedis.

P.S. I asked if men come into the salon often, and she told me that they come in all the time.

Which Theatrical Depiction of Santa reigns supreme? This video examines this question by putting some of the most iconic Kris Kringles against each other.