Sean Lovemore and Ryan Tinsley revel in their success.
The revelry will be unbridled and the Hawke's Bay footballers will plant their heads on their pillows without tribulation until January 10.
Hawke's Bay United captain Ross Haviland made that declaration soon after beating WaiBOP United 4-2 in round eight at the Rotorua International Stadium on Saturday.
"We've earned three points and we're third on the table, so we're really happy," Haviland said after their last ASB Premiership match before the holidays.
The WaiBOP website said the encounter was "competitive but also combative", with homeboy Craig Wylie receiving a straight red card from referee Chris Kerr in the 58th minute.
Apparently, Mark Jones had a "bullseye" on his back that the Brett Angell-coached side just couldn't resist zeroing in on.
"There was a little bit of niggle but it wasn't a malicious game," Haviland said, although he felt Wylie's marching order for a mindless challenge 2m off the ground was justified.
The hosts had a spring in their step when they drew first blood, 1-0, in the 14th minute through Wylie, who curled a free kick from just outside the 18m box for a Fin Milne foul on Federico Marquez.
That got Bay United out of a slumber, Haviland nodding home a Viktor Lekaj corner kick in the 29th minute following a wave of attacks.
It came a minute after Haviland picked up a yellow card for fouling Jones.
"The guy [Jones] ran into me and fell over. I didn't get any warning from the ref so it was a bit unnecessary."
It was a Facundo Barbero "mugging" of Sam O'Regan that saw Bay United go to the break 2-1 up.
The Argentine midfielder deftly and unselfishly squared a cross to striker Sean Lovemore in the 41st minute to open the latter's account, after returning from injury.
The urgency in the second spell was obvious as the hosts levelled terms, 2-2, through Chad Coombes in the 57th minute. Marquez and Jerahl Hughes toiled for that goal.
Barbero was having a blinder and Wylie's reckless challenge on him a minute later left WaiBOP handicapped.
"Facu [Barbero] had a great game. He worked hard at training," Haviland said, proud of him for securing the right-wing starting position.
It was just a matter of time before the visitors collected three points.
Lovemore delivered in the 72nd minute and Ryan Tinsley, who picked up a yellow card in the 47th minute for a "5/10 dive", put WaiBOP out of their misery three minutes later for the 4-2 result.
"Sean got a double and Ryan did it again."
Haviland said it was good to find the net and Angell had impressed at halftime the significance of maintaining a clean sheet for the next 45 minutes.
"We obviously didn't but we kept our structure, knowing they were going to come back hard at us."
Goalkeeping coach Kyle Baxter played with No1 keeper Joshua Hill out injured and youth academy keeper William Stockill on the bench.
Haviland thought the two goals conceded were again soft, something Angell wanted them to erase from their constitution.
"We'll continue to get better now that we're at the halfway stage.
"We've put our mark on the league to show we're here to compete," Haviland said.
Bay United, sitting a point below defending champions Auckland City in second place after five games, play Canterbury United in Christchurch when the premiership resumes early next month.
The Dragons have leapfrogged their way to the fourth rung after a 2-0 victory over the Wellington Phoenix Reserves on Saturday at Football Park, Christchurch, so the game against Bay United should be a humdinger.
Wanderers Soccer Club drew 3-3 with Southern United yesterday.
Premiership pacesetters Team Wellington had a bye.