Every family has their Christmas traditions. While some of them are universal, like putting presents under the tree, other ones are the kind that can make the holiday feel truly unique. In a TikTok video that went viral last week, user @daraghfleming shared what he does every year and users are going wild in the comments.
Their tradition is pretty simple. In the caption, Daragh explains that every year on Christmas day he goes up to his brother’s room to announce that it’s finally Christmas. The “rules” are also easy enough: His brother can’t leave the bed until he’s released by the magic words. The funny part is even though it sounds like a sweet child game, both brothers are in their 30s and, in the TikTok video, Daragh suggests they’ve been doing it for at least eight years.
As it happens on the Internet, users had all sorts of comments as the video became more and more popular. However, one aspect of the video that seems to have users wondering is the expression on Daragh’s face as he opens his brother’s door every year. He never seems to be really pleased with the fact that December 25 has arrived, but rather surprised and at times even shocked. Sometimes he’s in full winter gear, sometimes just with his shorts on, but his face is always frozen in an expression of abject surprise.
U guessed’s account asked “Why’s he always look surprised and frightened,” to which Daragh replied: “I’m the surprised looking one, mainly because of the brightness and just after waking.” Users like MickeyHBK also pointed out that it doesn’t look like Daragh has aged at all during all those years, and the 32.5K likes of the comment suggest that people widely agree. Daragh was a sport and commented that his “skin care routine” is on point.”
What happens to this video in the long run, though? Some users are already considering Daragh’s game a new Christmas tradition, and say they’re already looking forward to the 2025 update. The unexpected effect was that some users revealed they’d already made themselves cry when they flash-forwarded themselves to a future in which Daragh is no longer there but his brother still waits for him to open the door and announce it’s Christmas. That’s the Internet version of self-sabotage for you.
Who is Daragh Fleming, though? Turns out he’s a little more than just a random guy with a TikTok account. He’s an Irish author who has penned books like Enigmatic and Lonely Boy, and is also a mental health advocate and an ambassador for ADHD. He shares his opinions and experiences on his personal page Thoughts Too Big and on the podcast series Thoughts Too Loud. On his Instagram account (@daraghfleming), Daragh shared his TEDx talk in which he talked about his inspiration for writing poetry, novels, and being vocal about mental health.
On his TikTok account, however, Daragh posts more hilarious content and slice-of-life videos like the Christmas tradition, which had bypassed 9.6 million views — maybe our 2025 Christmas needs its own unique and quirky tradition as well!
Published: Jan 4, 2025 11:33 am