Bussin' With The Boys — "Christmas Vacation From Hell: Will Compton's Entire Family Gets Sick In NYC | FTD"
Release Date: December 24, 2025
Hosts: Will Compton & Sherm
Guest appearances: Chef
Episode Runtime: ~1 hr 15 min
EPISODE OVERVIEW
The latest "For The Dads" holiday edition captures the real, messy, and hilarious reality of parenting and family life during the Christmas season. With host Will Compton’s household struck by illness after an ambitious family trip to New York City, this episode is as much about embracing chaos as it is about creating lasting memories. The Boys keep it authentic, unpacking everything from logistical disasters and sick kids to the little wins, memorable gifts, and finding joy amidst holiday stress.
MAIN THEMES & PURPOSE
- Embracing Chaos: Honest reflections on navigating fatherhood and family tradition when plans go sideways—especially during the holidays.
- Making Memories: Even in adversity (“vacation from hell”), lasting family memories are forged—or at least great stories.
- Community: Building a space for dads and families to support each other, laugh at shared struggles, and offer solid hacks (and commiserations).
- Choosing Joy Over Stress: The importance of perspective, gratitude, and humor—especially during life’s busiest, messiest moments.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Operation Christmas Chaos: A Family Christmastime Catastrophe
Timestamps: [02:00]–[07:40]
- Will is podcasting from home, sick kids (Ruby and Scotty) and wife down with fevers after a return from Christmas in NYC.
- The household is locked down, with Ms. Rachel on TV to pacify the kids and minimal childcare available. Even the nanny can’t help—she’s eight months pregnant and can’t risk illness.
- Will decides not to attend Taylor Lewan’s annual Christmas party, highlighting the “dad quarantine” measures that wreck logistics but keep the community safe.
Quote:
“Operation Christmas Chaos is upon us. This New York air has taken down my entire family...I’m sitting in the barracks right now.”
—Will Compton [02:00]
2. To Record or Not to Record? The Pressure of the Christmas Episode
[03:51]–[06:41]
- Dilemma between taking a needed break or delivering the expected Christmas episode, knowing the “sickos” (fan community) want it.
- Community-driven motivation to press on; decision to record via Zoom.
Quote:
“The community is why we do this thing...if the sickos want the Christmas episode, the sickos gotta have the Christmas episode.”
—Sherm [05:34]
3. Christmas in New York: Storytime & Disaster Breakdown
[12:50]–[32:08]
- Planning Headaches: Juggling football obligations, ESPN gigs, and Compton family expectations for a “magical” NYC Christmas trip.
- Travel Woes:
- Delays, missing crib on arrival, hour-late bedtime, and a double stroller that barely fits doors.
- Navigation through busy streets, packed restaurants, standing in the rain for the toy store, and working in hotel hallways.
- Parenting in Public:
- Negotiating toddler meltdowns (wrong fruit sticks, sandwich refusals), and the humbling art of “choosing joy over stress.”
- Moments of reflection during family activities: ice skating at Central Park, seeing the Rockettes, riding a horse carriage.
Memorable Quotes:
“The highs were highs. The low moments were low moments. Every parent, every family knows...those [low] moments you’re just sitting there, like ‘We could just be home right now but...we gotta be out here making memories. Just push through.’”
—Will Compton [15:28]
“She’s having a panic attack, losing her mind. Let me go back and get only strawberries and grapes. That is...I get so happy thinking about it, because I just want more adversity.”
—Will Compton [23:46]
- Dad Perspective: Will prefers staying in, but appreciates his wife’s wanderlust (“My wife wants to do Christmas in New York...I could not leave my house and be completely happy...but we are in the memory-making game.”)
4. Work-Life Chaos: Trying to Be Present
[26:54]–[29:13]
- Will is bombarded with work emergencies during family time (“Why is your urgency our emergency?”), taking calls in hotel hallways while his wife and daughter watch Christmas movies.
- Sherm and Will commiserate over the eternal holiday struggle to balance work, family, and well-being.
5. Highs, Lows, & Deep Reflections
[31:13]–[45:00]
- Special Moments:
- Ice skating like in “Home Alone 2,” seeing the Rockefeller tree, spending time at FAO Schwarz, and riding the Central Park carriage.
- Will reflects on the anniversary of his mother’s passing (Dec 19), drawing a poignant connection to Kevin McAllister’s wish in “Home Alone 2.”
- Quote:
“As I’m watching that, I’m just like, sometimes there are coincidences, sometimes there are none. And that’s one where I’m having a moment of perspective...”
—Will Compton [44:19]
6. Dad/Mom & Gift Exchange Banter
[47:11]–[66:51]
- The boys exchange Christmas gifts, share “dad hacks” for thoughtful—even if belated—gifting.
- Highlights include Will’s mobile car detailer gift to the crew, thoughtful book gifts, and practical presents for the kids (“Scotty got her own water bowl!”).
- Community Christmas cards are opened and celebrated.
7. Dadding Hacks, Community Comments & Voice Mails
[69:09]–[94:01]
- Tons of shoutouts and advice from listeners (PT6ers/Milk Team 6ers), including sleep training routines, letting kids self-soothe, and the etiquette of reciprocal gift-giving.
- Sherm shares his “sleep mojo,” Will offers hacks for transitioning babies from arms to crib.
- Call-in from Mike from Cleveland:
“Mom wrote the playbook, I’m just the quarterback that’s executing.”
—Mike from Cleveland [91:18]
(about nailing baby outfit selection by copying mom’s previous combos from photos)
8. Listener Emails: Relatability, Support, and Hard Truths
[94:07]–[101:52]
- Uplifting, relatable listener stories about family chaos, modern “new math” woes, choosing joy in the trenches, and marriage-teamwork.
- Emotional email from Anissa—a woman who listens with her husband (not a dad due to infertility), commending the podcast’s open handling of sensitive family subjects.
- Both hosts affirm the value of choosing gratitude, loving family (however constructed), and supporting each other through shared hardship.
9. Wrapping Up: Dad Wisdom, Final Reflections & Christmas Magic
[101:54]–[109:45]
- Will’s closing advice:
“Choose joy over stress...These are the moments you want. These are the moments you’ve looked for.”
—Will Compton [101:54]
- Sherm adds, the best Christmas memories are about fun family adventures and doing things together—not the gifts themselves.
- The crew reminisces about childhood Christmas magic, gifting tricks, and classic dad hacks (like saving the “big gift” for a surprise reveal after main present-opening).
MEMORABLE MOMENTS & QUOTES
- “Operation Christmas Chaos is upon us. This New York air has taken down my entire family...I’m sitting in the barracks right now.” [02:00]
- “The community is why we do this...if the sickos want the Christmas episode, the sickos gotta have the Christmas episode.” —Sherm [05:34]
- “There’s nothing like seeing your girl smile...I’ll get over this low back pain, I’ll get over all these things going on inside of my head.” —Will Compton [40:49]
- “She’s miss independent. She wants to do everything. Sometimes I gotta stop her...this is gonna be a disaster.” —Will Compton [89:34]
- “Choose joy over stress.” —Will Compton [101:54]
TIMESTAMPS OF NOTE
- 02:00: Will introduces "Operation Christmas Chaos" (family sick, home recording)
- 15:08: Will recounts trip planning and juggling family vs. career
- 23:46: The Fruit Stick Meltdown—kids’ holiday tantrums
- 29:13: Hallway work calls & balancing family/work
- 44:19: Emotional “Home Alone 2” moment/personal loss reflection
- 48:00: Listener Christmas cards and gift exchanges
- 69:09: Listener advice and hacks: comments & voicemails
- 94:07: Heartfelt listener stories and fan emails (including infertility)
- 101:54: Will’s closing mantra: “Choose joy over stress.”
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE & TONE
The tone is raw, irreverent, and warmly supportive. The hosts banter with classic dad sarcasm, lean into the suck (“good!”), riff on the realities of modern family life, and frequently drop wisdom for the “sickos” in the community. The language preserves both the humor and humility the pod is known for.
CONCLUSION
This episode encapsulates what makes “For The Dads” special: real talk, real mess, and real community. Whether it’s work emergencies during a family trip, public toddler meltdowns in NYC, or fighting through a house full of flu and chaos just to open gifts, Will, Sherm, and the crew model resilience and authenticity. It’s an ode to making the best of life’s “vacations from hell”—and finding joy in the middle of them.
For more, join the community conversation on:
- YouTube & Spotify comments (and maybe get your story or hack read on air!)
- Voicemails: 61 THE DADS
- Emails: 601thedadsgmail.com
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Bussin’ With The Boys!