Blame it on running around. Blame it on the eggnog. Blame it on not finding a parking space less than a mile from the mall’s front door. Blame it on the weather, out-of-town guests, stress, and sleep deprivation. Or just blame it on Santa!

Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium called Borrelia burgdorferi and is usually spread by ticks. However, it’s important to note that not all ticks carry the disease. Ixodes ticks are the most common kind to carry Lyme, but black-legged ticks also spread it on the West Coast.

You know that uncomfortable feeling you get when you hear sharp fingernails scrape down a blackboard? How about when you’re stuck on a 12-hour flight seated right next to a baby that’s been wailing for hours on end?