We spent Thanksgiving this year relaxing at home with Westley and the in-laws. With the weather getting colder, we opted for hot pot over traditional Thanksgiving fare, followed by adventuring through Hyrule to discover new shrines and hunt more lynels. Holiday shopping continues to begin earlier each year, so I went to Target after dinner to get in on some of the doorbuster deals. The next morning, we took advantage of Westley’s early wake time to partake in Black Friday in Vacaville. The crowds seemed more manageable this year, probably due to many shopping online, but our loot was equally underwhelming. Melody focused on cooking instead, preparing an alternative Thanksgiving meal for a lab party at my house. She spent Saturday preparing a charcuterie and cheese platter with homemade cranberry apple relish, hummus, candied pecans, egg salad, creamed corn with gorgonzola cheese, and roasted carrot white bean dip, along with a wild mushroom bread pudding, kale and turnip gratin, sweet potato tots, and an impressive braised turkey dish. The nerds of the group, including my wife and I, embarked on a Ticket to Ride, while Westley chose to hang out with my lab technician instead of his biological parents. I burned off the calories over the following week running busy clinics, preparing a grant, submitting several ARVO abstracts, and surviving our first round of residency interviews. On Saturday, we danced the night away with my new labmates at our department’s holiday party, which left us with little energy on Sunday to enjoy the weather at Pioneer Park or more holiday shopping in Roseville. With my new foam slippers, a new batch of marzipan, and more hot chocolate, I feel like I’m ready to hibernate for the holiday season.