Hello and welcome! Nice thing you got a Straight for Xmas. All I ever get is socks...
Now if you could tell us the brand of the razor as to find out if it's a good razor or a not so good one, that would be great.
Shave ready to a shop keeper, a manufacturer or to us here doesn't often mean the same. You should send it to be sharpened by a reputable member here. You can check the classifieds here and contact the honemeister you prefer. He will get your razor shave ready and compensate anything you could have done to the razor while trying to shave.
One other important thing is beard preparation. You'll need to be able to do the basic wet shaving routine but I'll go no further on this so I don't insult your inteligence... it seems you might have that down already.
One other important - vital, even! - thing that isn't always evident is the need for a strop. Do you have a strop? You'll need to have one and to learn how to use it. It's a basic procedure in the routine of shaving with a straight. Otherwise, no matter how sharp the blade might be, it will not provide a smooth confortable shave. And straight razor shaves are all about confy and close.
Hope this helps...

Good luck!