--- description: Cross 'chugging eggnog' off your Christmas to-do list title: This Is Why You Shouldn't Chug Eggnog This Christmas image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Chugging Eggnog Lands Man in Hospital for 3 Days by [Laura Stampler](/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 24, 2014 6:52 PM CUT by [Laura Stampler](/author/laura-stampler/) ## Laura Stampler Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 24, 2014 6:52 PM CUT This is a public service announcement. In case you were ever tempted to enter a eggnog chugging contest, resist — even if the grand prize is a sweet [$50 voucher for Ruth’s Chris Steak House](http://gawker.com/utah-man-wins-eggnog-chugging-contest-trip-to-icu-1674785751 "undefined"). The glory will be short lived. Because while Ryan Roche, a Utah-based Everyman with a wife and three kids, won the gift certificate after downing a carton of eggnog in a record 12 seconds at his office holiday party, “Not only did I get a gift card, I got a three-night stay in the hospital,” he told a [local FOX affiliate.](http://fox6now.com/2014/12/23/it-was-rough-quart-of-eggnog-in-12-seconds-sends-man-to-the-hospital-for-three-days/ "undefined") While Roche shattered the previous office record by a whopping 10 seconds — “If I’m going to do it, I’m going to win,” he said — his can-do attitude landed him in the ICU. Even though the eggnog was alcohol-free, “Two hours later I was laying on the couch, shaking uncontrollably, nauseous, having fevers and panting,” Roche told [ABC](http://abcnews.go.com/US/utah-man-hospitalized-winning-eggnog-chugging-contest/story?id=27792905 "undefined"). He believes he got pneumonia from the stunt. Although full recovery took seven days, Roche is still holding onto the glory of the Dec. 10 win. He posted the following video of the “Aspiration Egg Nog Challenge” to YouTube Monday with the description: “12 seconds!” And here’s a Vine of the surprisingly dangerous stunt; don’t try this at home, kids: ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3646849/eggnog-chug-hospital-dumb/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3646849/eggnog-chug-hospital-dumb/"},"headline":"Chugging Eggnog Lands Man in Hospital for 3 Days","datePublished":"2014-12-24T18:52:57.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:15:31.957Z","description":"Cross 'chugging eggnog' off your Christmas to-do list","url":"https://time.com/3646849/eggnog-chug-hospital-dumb/","keywords":["Newsfeed","viral","Holidays","health"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Laura Stampler","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/laura-stampler/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3646849/eggnog-chug-hospital-dumb/","name":"Chugging Eggnog Lands Man in Hospital for 3 Days"}}]}] ```