Christmas Traditions Around the NLL

Merry Christmas, lacrosse fans! We’re taking today off to celebrate the holiday with our family and friends before we get back into the regular swing of things with six matchups this weekend.

Our staff, coaches and players love Christmas and everything that it brings with it – the food, the presents, and most of all, spending time with loved ones. We asked the NLL players present at our annual Media Day in November what they had planned for Christmas this year, or what their favorite part of the holiday is.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Unique Traditions

Jesse King, Calgary Roughnecks – At Butchart Gardens in Victoria, they do a scavenger hunt for the 12 Days of Christmas. My wife and I have gone with our families. We make a pot of mulled wine and walk through the gardens, and we can bring our dog in too. We really love it. We don’t get a lot of snow, but when we do, at night with the snow, lights and flowers, it’s so cool.

Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds – We volunteer at a farm down the road (we work there as well), but on Christmas Day we volunteer to do the morning chores all together as a family.

Riley Hutchcraft, Rochester Knighthawks – My mom started this tradition when we were young. Santa comes to the house on Christmas Eve and drops off pajamas, and we all get dressed in them and take a nice family photo.

Ian MacKay, Buffalo Bandits – My grandma always gives me and my brother matching pajamas even now that I’m 30. She never misses.

 

It’s All About the Food

Latrell Harris, Toronto Rock – After opening all of the presents and mingling with the family, we like to make bacon and egg sandwiches on English muffins.

Mitch Jones, Philadelphia Wings – We have a big Prime Rib dinner. Getting together with my family, having the big dinner and getting to see my family lots. It’s nice to catch up over the holidays without anything on the to-do list.

Isaiah Davis-Allen – I’m a big eater. For Christmas dinner, being able to sit down and have a big meal with the whole family is my favorite.

Ryan Smith, Rochester Knighthawks – My mom makes cinnamon rolls after we open presents!

Lukas Nielsen, Buffalo Bandits – My mom makes a big turkey dinner.

Christmas on TV

Connor Kearnan, Ottawa Black Bears – Going over to my buddy Tanner Cook’s and watching the Trailer Park Boys Christmas special and having some beers.

Jack Follows, Calgary Roughnecks – As a family, we watch Little Drummer Boy every Christmas Eve. It’s a good way to start off the holidays.

Cam MacLeod, Calgary Roughnecks – Watching a little Harry Potter!

‘Tis Better to Give Than Receive

Zach Higgins, Ottawa Black Bears – Opening the gifts is going to be a little different and special this year having an 18-month-old at home. Seeing her reactions to opening gifts this year is going to be exciting.

Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock – We played this game we called the Present Game with my family, we’ve played it for as long as I can remember…

Dhane Smith (Buffalo) & Alex Simmons (Albany) – Giving gifts is the best!

Traditional Traditions

Brennan O’Neill, Philadelphia Wings – We go to my grandparents’ house on Christmas Eve and decorate their tree with them. We also get our own tree – we still go out and cut them down ourselves.

Eric Fannell, Albany FireWolves – I love spending time with my family, even though I see them a lot. I’m a really big holiday guy.

Phil Caputo, Philadelphia Wings – Just dinner with the fam, hanging out and making memories.

Colton Watkinson (Albany) & Mark Matthews (Toronto) – Putting up and decorating the tree.

Family <3

Blaze Riorden, Philadelphia Wings – I live in Philadelphia, and my family is back upstate where I’m from so getting to see them over the holidays with the busy schedule is always great.

Nick Rose, Toronto Rock – Being around family on Christmas morning and Christmas dinner. I’m quite busy in season so I don’t get to see them at that time.

Brayden Mayea, Calgary Roughnecks – It’s always at my house. We have the family over on Christmas Day, and spending time with my aunts, uncles and cousins is really fun. No travel since it’s at my house.