This special Christmas message is to let everyone know I am going to be the pathetic 20- something sleeping alone at his parents' house this Christmas Eve.

It's a tradition that each of the four children stays over to wake up Christmas Day at Dad’s. And although Dad has been working every single day since Nov. 24, he still manages to regress to his childhood and wake up before anyone in the house. No one can blame him for being too eager to watch his family tear into our gifts: talk about early to rise. You’d think he were rising to be the first on a charted fishing trip.

But no, Dad lovingly (which is nice for not-quietly) raps on each of our doors telling us, “Daylight’s burning!”

Christmas Eve last year, I had just finished up my Christmas shopping (did I mention I had started it the same day?), and was rewarding myself with a post-shopping Kelly’s Irish Cider from Paddy O’Leary’s when I got a text from one of our writers telling me the Quietwater Office Park had been struck by lightening and was on fire. I quickly jumped in my car and sped to the site that was flooded by emergency workers. I realized while I was on my way home to curl up in bed and wait for

my 5 a.m. wake-up call on one of the only days of the year I get to sleep in, firefighters won’t get a Christmas Eve off. There are no holidays for emergency workers. That is their tradition.

No matter what your holiday tradition is, whether it is to go last minute shopping, hang out with family or save lives, enjoy your Christmas traditions this week. Traditions are important and sacred, though they may prevent you from sleeping in.