2,797 Miles Away From Her, Simone Biles’ Family Isn’t Celebrating Christmas in America

Ho Ho Ho! It’s Christmas time—well, at least for Simone Biles. The festive season is finally here, and the Olympian has kept herself busy with a very important task—decorating her house in Chicago. Why, you ask? Well, Jonathan Owens’ Chicago Bears will face the Seattle Seahawks at Soldier Field on December 26. Despite the busy game prep, Simone has been eagerly waiting for her husband, Jonathan, to help her with one last thing.

“I’ve been begging Jonathan to go down in the basement and get the tree,” Simone Biles shared in an exclusive interview with People. Now, as she prepares to celebrate Christmas with her husband, Simone Biles has also revealed a surprising detail; she is 2,797 miles away from her family and her family isn’t celebrating Christmas in America!

Is Simone Biles’ choice to stay with her husband a testament to love over tradition?

Kelly then asked, “Are y’all meeting up?” Simone casually replied, “No, I’m gonna stay with my husband. In the cold.” It’s funny how even though Simone dreams of sandy beaches and warm weather, she chose to embrace the chilly season with her husband as he prepares for his matchup against the Seattle Seahawks.

Simone Biles finds relaxation and enjoyment in spending time with her family. Interestingly, during her 2016 vacation, they even went swimming with sharks on the beach. However, her extended family will not be around this year, but she is looking at the bright side. “This will be the first Christmas that we’ll spend alone together as a couple, which is actually really nice,” she shared.

On the other hand, Jonathan Owens gained some attention during his last season with the Green Bay Packers posting impressive stats. The Chicago Bears did not miss this and signed him to a two-year, $4.7 million contract in the early part of this year. But here’s the catch: even though they’re together this Christmas, they still might not be celebrating it together!

The festive season is finally upon us, but this year, Simone Biles will be celebrating Christmas without her man, Jonathan Owens. While it can be difficult to be away from each other during the festive time, it is not a new experience for the power couple. Both have been able to handle long-distance because of their intense athletic schedules in the past. On the other hand, Simone has been engaged in her holiday events, partnering with her DICK’S Sporting Goods store to spread holiday joy to her community, especially the young ones.

DICK’S Sporting Goods stores across Texas have launched a campaign featuring athletes from different cities, with Biles representing Houston. As part of this initiative, she was named the DICK’S Holiday Decorating Officer, giving her a creative outlet during the holiday season. Simone jumped at the chance to deck out the store, adding her signature flair.

In a video posted on YouTube, fans saw her creating a comfortable holiday atmosphere with four chic Christmas trees and two goats with gold coats and medals–her humorous reference to her accomplishments. As the background was full of gifts, it’s understandable how the locals would have an excellent holiday season.

But wait, there is more to the festivities. As part of the campaign, Biles will receive a generous $100,000 Sports Matter grant from DICK’S Sporting Goods and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. This grant will be given to the local sporting bodies in Houston and will also help young talents and spread the holiday spirit.

While she misses having Jonathan by her side, Simone’s creativity and community spirit make her holiday season a special one, blending celebration with meaningful contributions to those around her.

Is Simone Biles’ choice to stay with her husband a testament to love over tradition?

Eva Aggarwal is an Olympic Sports writer at EssentiallySports. The track and field athlete herself, Eva brings a unique perspective to her written content when she covers various avenues of athletics. Being a National level Shot-put player and Black-Stripe Taekwondo artist, Eva adds a storytelling aspect to her coverage all while donning her sporting lens.