How the Team Spends Christmas

Between races, training and travel during the busy season of World Cups, the U.S Cross Country Ski Team still finds time to celebrate the holidays. A few members of the team shared what it’s like spending the holidays in Europe and some special traditions they do as a team.

SIMI HAMILTON
“My favorite part about Christmas is...surprise, surprise...skiing,” said Simi Hamilton, who mused about waking up on Christmas morning, making a big breakfast and heading out for a long ski. “During the whole Christmas break, I'm not really a stickler for keeping to a super regimented training schedule. Of course I still do the workouts that I need to do, but if I feel like having a lazy morning and going to do my workout midday instead, then that's what I'll do. I think it's important to give your head and body a bit of a break during a few weeks throughout the season, and Christmas break is a great opportunity for that.”

ANDY NEWELL
Andy Newell discussed his favorite team Christmas tradition: poems. “Our team poem gift exchange is probably the biggest tradition we have over the holidays,” said Newell. “We usually do it the week before Christmas while the staff and everyone is still around. It's basically a secret Santa exchange that involves writing a poem about the other person that they have to recite. It's always a super funny night—usually the guitars come out because a lot of the poems require some music. It's great to see people have to stand up and recite something like that in front of everyone!”

Ida Sargent shows off her Davos Christmas decorating.

IDA SARGENT
Although being away from home for Christmas is always hard, Ida Sargent has grown to love being in Europe with her teammates during the holidays. “I've had a lot of fun finding new traditions to embrace with my teammates each year,” said Sargent. “Even just making Christmas cookies can be an adventure since we have to make conversions to metric measurements for the recipe or find slightly different replacements for ingredients that we can't find.”

But the athletes do try and bring in customs from home. “We do try to incorporate our own traditions though. Last year I read Liz ‘Twas the Night before Christmas’ and she read ‘The Polar Express’ to me before bed on Christmas Eve,” laughed Sargent. “We also get a tree to decorate and fill stockings for each other.”

Sophie Caldwell even has a little Christmas tree in Europe.

SOPHIE CALDWELL
Sophie Caldwell also discussed the sentiment of being away from family. “Christmas in a foreign country is definitely different than Christmas at home, but we do a good job of making it a special day,” said Caldwell. “It's a weird feeling to be so far away from your family, but I've learned to appreciate the many different ways to make it a fun time of year. We usually get a little Christmas tree, hang some stockings and eat Christmas cookies just like we do at home. The food is a little different and sometimes we have to do intervals on Christmas, but we celebrate the little things that remind us of Christmas back home and we are lucky to be with our team who acts as our winter family.”

Noah Hoffman gets festive during Christmas cooking.

NOAH HOFFMAN
Noah Hoffman stated, “I have spent Christmas in Davos, Switzerland and Oberwiesenthal, Germany. My favorite part about Christmas in Davos is the Christmas market. It’s like a farmer’s market with local vendors, but it’s holiday and winter themed. My favorite part about Christmas in Germany is all the Christmas candles.”

Sadie Bjornsen celebrates the Christmas break with a hike in Meribel, France.

SADIE BJORNSEN
Eating is Sadie Bjornsen’s favorite part of the holidays. “I spend Christmas in France and they usually make about 15 courses. I lose track of what food is coming, because it is so much! Mostly it involves seafood, meat, foie gras, cheese, desserts, red wine, and so much more!” said Bjornsen.

Jessie Diggins posts a collage of her favorite Christmas moments in Europe.

JESSIE DIGGINS
“Last year on Christmas Eve I did a time trial, so it was a pretty tough workout!” said Jessie Diggins. “But my family and I have a tradition of going for a family ski (or hike, if there’s not enough snow) together, so last year when they came to visit me for Christmas we all went skiing together.”

While there will be lots of eating and playing on Christmas, the athletes remember that races start after the Christmas break. “We will for sure be working out,” said Newell. “It wouldn't be the first time I've done intervals on Christmas morning!”

Keep an eye out for photos of the athletes during their Christmas break before they head to Lenzerheide, Switzerland for the beginning of the Tour de Ski, January 1st!