MY CHRISTMAS - ASHA PHILIP

British Athletics continues its series with athletes revealing their plans for Christmas 2017 with the 2017 European Indoors 60m champion Asha Philip…

A childhood memory of Christmas…

When I was growing up, we always went to see my Gran in Wolverhampton. We would all sleep in one room and as a kid that seemed so exciting. There was a window where you could see into the living room and we were always trying to peep and see what the presents were. We used to get told off for not going to sleep and told there would be no presents if we didn’t go to sleep!

What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

I think it would have to be driving lessons because at that time of your life, driving lessons seem the most important thing in the world.

Who will you spend Christmas 2017 with? 

The family. We all go to my aunt’s house and we all wear identical Christmas pyjamas and whether you like it or not you have to keep them on for 24 hours. So there will be 9 or 10 of us all in matching pyjamas!

What will the day be like?

It is actually two days because we go the night before Christmas and have a massive sleep-over. We wake up on Christmas morning and get into our Christmas pyjamas. Before breakfast we have a Christmas song, which we record and post on social media. We have a good breakfast and start preparing Christmas dinner. We open our presents while the food is cooking, and then we have Christmas dinner and afterwards we watch all the soaps, play games and laugh a lot.

Will you train on Christmas Day?  

Last year we were planning a run in our Christmas pyjamas but it didn’t happen. But maybe this year, we’ll have to see.

What does Christmas mean to you?

Christmas is about family, love and happiness – we don’t argue at Christmas.  And there is a lot of laughter in our house!  We are very family orientated and it’s hard to get us all together any other time of the year.