‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the land, sports fans were thrilled to receive tickets to their favorite teams’ games. That is, until they found out the dreaded truth: the starters would be benched.

Oh, the joy of watching second-stringers battle it out on the field! The excitement of seeing players you’ve never heard of run drills! The thrill of wondering if that guy on the field is actually a janitor who wandered onto the pitch!

But amidst all the “fun,” there’s a darker side to this story. Meet little Timmy, who’s been begging his parents for tickets to see his beloved team play for months. His parents, who’ve been saving up for what feels like an eternity, finally scraped together enough cash to make Timmy’s dream come true. That is, until they found out the starters would be sitting this one out.

“I wanted to see the real players, not some guys I’ve never heard of!” a crestfallen Timmy exclaimed, his eyes welling up with tears. “It’s not faaaaair!”

And then there’s Grandma Agnes, who’s been a die-hard fan for over 50 years. She’s been looking forward to this game for months, and was even planning on wearing her lucky jersey. But now, with the starters benched, she’s not so sure it’s worth the trip.

“I might not make it to another game, dearie,” Grandma Agnes said, her voice trembling. “I was really looking forward to seeing the team play with all their might. Now, it just feels like a waste of time and money.”

As the big day approaches, fans everywhere are feeling the sting of disappointment. Who needs to see the stars shine when you can watch a bunch of benchwarmers stumble around on the field?

So, to all the fans out there who received tickets to these lackluster games, we offer our sincerest condolences. May your holiday season be merry and bright, despite the sports snooze-fest that awaits you.