#simon amman

Dear @princephilipplahm I am pleased to present you with your Secret Santa present :) I hope you like the little Christmas peaks into the lives of all your favourites! I hoper you have a brilliant Christmas and a happy New Year with lots to celebrate!

Christmas Spotlights

24th of December 2022

The snow that had glistened on the Swiss alps last weekend had been replaced by mud and rain everywhere in Germany in just two days. Even the southern Bavarians were lacking snow in the valleys. Constantin looked out of his window and dreamed along with Bing Crosbys „White Christmas“ before turning around. Seeing the beautiful tree they had put up and decorated with various ornaments - some in his family for generation – cheered him up significantly, especially the carefully wrapped presents underneath it. This was the one day of the year he was definitely spending inside, he shouldn’t be worrying about the weather. Consti grabbed his phone from the small table beside the sofa and took a picture of the tree before opening the WhatsApp group chat and typing:

„Merry Christmas boys. Hope you get lots of presents. Eat as much as you want, I am ready to beat you in Oberstdorf!“

Karl must have sent a picture at the same time, because right after he had sent his, he saw Karls daughter Luisa next to a tree and a new ski set as well as a Playmobil train in her arms. The accompanying message read „The christkind made someone happy here!“ Consti grinned and replied with a heart eyes emoji. The little girl was just too cute.

„Consti, you said you would prepare desert, I am counting on you“, his mother shouted for him. „Yes, move your ass“, his girlfriend added. „On my way!“ he laughed and decided not to let the weather dampen his mood again.

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In Willingen Stephan Leyhe sat on his couch alone. He had decided not to tag along with his family which was visiting his aunt. They’ll see each other tomorrow anyway, so he just enjoyed having the quiet house for himself, reading the last pages of his current book. He finished it quite quickly and eyed the wrapped presents carefully, he suspected new books in at least two packets. Stephan grabbed his phone and he saw four notifications in the teams group chat. He smiled at the tree pictures from Consti, Karl, Andi and Severin, before adding his own.

„Merry Christmas boys! Keeping it quiet here.“

After sending the text, he wandered around the living room and started setting the table for dinner, beginning to regret staying behind. He loved his family and winter was the part of the year he spent the least time with them, even his loud younger cousins. So when he heard the key in the lock he perked up and smiled at the commotion in the hallway, where everyone was getting rid of wet shoes and coats. Quiet was nice and well, but family was always better.

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In Switzerland Simon Amman was quite busy. They always decorated their tree on the 24th so after his wife and his kids had given up and decided it was boring, he stuck around. Adding another bauble here or there, rearranging something he didn’t like before until he was fully satisfied with it. They had a beautiful tree. He sat down in an armchair and his thoughts wandered around the last year. The ups and downs of his jumping, his shoes, his studies. And once again he wondered how it would keep going. Trying to block the last weekend in Engelberg – of all places – out of his mind, he didn’t even let the thought of the Four Hills tournament rise up. This was Christmas, the time he spent with his family. The kids were super excited to get their presents later on and hoped their wish list did make it to Santa. He had told them he was really sure, and he was, because he had been the one to go shopping and get some of the stuff on it. The absence of the much anticipated real rocket will be a slight disappointment, but he was sure they could cope with that. Simon hadn’t noticed his oldest daughter coming into the room until she spoke:

“You did a good job daddy! I like the sparkles!” He smiled, stood up and picked her up from the ground.:

“I like them too. Are you ready for the presents later?” She nodded her head vigorously and he laughed. After placing her back on the ground he followed her into the dining room where he looked at his family. No matter what his jumping was doing, he had fun doing it and would do it as long as it would let him, and if not, his life was definitely not over.

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Killian didn’t really care for the break in the world cup. Yes it was Christmas, that was wonderful and everything, he just wanted to keep going. He just started in the World Cup in Titisee-Neustadt and it wasn’t working as well as he hoped. He was buzzing to be better in Oberstdorf and the following places. But as much as he wished it could go on he couldn’t change it. So he took another strip of sticky tape and finished wrapping the earrings he bought for Veronika. He was always late with preparing everything and she had given him an ultimatum 25 minutes ago. Time for presents was in 30 minutes, and if he didn’t finish wrapping til then he would have to endure the whole evening filled with Ariana Grandes Christmas songs on repeat. He could cope with that but would prefer a wider mix, so he was pleased with himself as he stood up and gathered the four presents.

“I’m done!” he shouted happily as he entered the living room, where his wife sat in a chair, reading on her tablet.

“Well I just have to threaten you with Ariana and you’ll actually do something!” she grinned. Killian laughed: “Oh no, I made myself vulnerable!”

He placed his presents under the tree and sat down on the floor next to it.

“Can I have my presents now?” And while they exchanged gifts and enjoyed their evening with a movie, Killian decided the break was kind of okay.

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Manuel had loved the perfect Christmases at his parents’ house, shared with girlfriend and her family as well. But this was their first Christmas as their own family, the three, well four – counting their dog – of them alone. And it hadn’t quite been the perfect day so far. Henrik had woken them up at an unholy hour, just to fall asleep to System of a Down before noon. He then vomited up her milk on the living room floor, thankfully next to the carpet, but they had to keep the dog away from it and well, it had all been a bit chaotic. Not quite the definition of perfect he had dreamt of. Manu and Sylvie sat down on the couch with a glass of Coke each. They decided not to have alcohol with the baby being so little, in case of emergencies. He was lying in a crib next to them, now totally at peace and dreaming away. Manuel thought about his last results and the upcoming four hills tournament and he couldn’t wait to get started there. He was on a high again and this year would be great, he just knew it. And sitting there, with the twinkling lights around him, his family next to him, everything did feel perfect in the end. He was totally ready for his next tasks in the world cup.

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Simon Ammann: