From Argentina to Australia, Ireland to Spain, the traditions are as diverse as our Academy itself. We caught up with some of our young Eagles – and U18s manager Javier Alonso – to find out more.
How Palace Academy are celebrating Christmas around the world
Christmas means different things to different people, and with a multinational Crystal Palace Academy, our players and staff celebrate the festive season in a variety of ways.
Thiago Speroni (Argentina)
“On Christmas Eve, we all meet around 3 o’clock. Each family brings food and drinks to share, and we spend hours together, sometimes until midnight. On Christmas Day, we see each other again at a different house and do the same.
“We open gifts together, drink mate – which is like an Argentinian tea – and eat lots of good food, usually steaks. Boxing Day is just more time with family, joking and relaxing.”
Rylan Brownlie (Australia)
“Christmas morning is early – coffee first, then presents. We usually head to the beach with the family and have a barbecue. Lunch is big, mostly seafood, but we still have a ham.
“We also spend time at the Gold Coast, switching between the beach and the pool – it’s a nice, relaxed day.”
Javier Alonso (Spain)
“For us, it’s all about spending time together as a family. We get together on the 24th, the 31st, and other special days.
“One Spanish tradition is eating 12 grapes in the last 12 seconds of the year to bring luck for the next year. Christmas in Spain is busy – we go to the cinema, see the Christmas lights, eat together, and enjoy traditional food like jamón ibérico and tortillas.
“It’s a special time because even when I’m in London, it’s hard to see all my family, so I treasure it when we can be together.”
Luke Browne (Ireland)
“Christmas is a chance to go home and see family. On Christmas Day, we exchange presents, chill through the afternoon, and have dinner with a few board games in the evening.
“On Stephen’s Day, the whole family goes to the pub for a meal, just enjoying the time together before heading back to work and football.”
From beach barbecues in Australia to grape-eating traditions in Spain, and big family gatherings in Ireland and Nigeria, Christmas at Crystal Palace Academy is a reminder that the festive season is about family, friends, and making memories – no matter where in the world you’re from.
Stuart Oduro (England)
“I usually sleep in, then have breakfast before people start arriving around 2pm. My house fills up with family – sometimes 20 people or more – and we cook a lot of food: jollof rice, chicken, turkey, whatever we want.
“After lunch, we open presents and spend time together playing board games like Monopoly and Ludo. Christmas is a good time to relax, be thankful, and spend quality time with family.”
