For most families, Christmas is a time filled with cozy moments, laughter-filled mornings, and the thrill of ripping open those presents! But for Savannah James, the holiday season has been more about adapting to the unpredictable nature of an NBA superstar’s career. While many are waking up to the mouth-watering smell of cinnamon rolls or bacon sizzling in the kitchen (or roast ham, if you’re going the traditional route), LeBron’s wife has spent more Christmases on the road than at home, making the holiday season a bit of a juggling act.

But how does she, well … ‘juggle’ it effectively? Speaking on Episode 5, Season 3 of her podcast, Everybody’s Crazy, the mother of three reflected on how Bron’s demanding career has shaped James Gang’s festive plans…

“[LeBron] has never not played on Christmas. It’s really here or there, somewhere,” Vannah revealed. “For, I would say, like six years in a row, we were here. So I would like, ship all the gifts to the hotel, have the hotel put up a Christmas tree. I had to create Christmas where we were because we weren’t [home].”

That’s not exactly an enviable position to be in. At all! And the 4x champion doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to change that, either. This year, too, James will play in his 19th Christmas Day Game, extending a remarkable streak of 18 (!) consecutive appearances dating back to 2008. Across stints with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers, LeBron’s holiday matchups have become as iconic as his career itself.

Unfortunately for Savannah James, this has also meant spending 11 Christmases away from home. As such, maintaining traditions has been quite a creative challenge for Mrs. James. Sarcastically spooked by the revelation, her podcast co-host also went on to deem, “This is why she (Vannah) don’t like it.” So, while being super supportive of Bron’s grueling schedule, what does she do then?

Savannah James found herself resorting to ‘unconventional’ Christmas Day traditions, courtesy of LeBron

“When I was younger, growing up, we used to do a Christmas morning brunch… We keep the tradition now in my house. But we have Chinese food for dinner, for Christmas; that’s just what we did because we would have brunch and then nobody felt like cooking no more, so we all ordered Chinese food. I just kept that tradition going… [So] Christmas Day dinner is Chinese,” she shared.

Her best friend and co-host, April McDaniels, couldn’t help but marvel at Savannah’s resolve (right with you there!). “Oh My God! You never had a regular Christmas?” she asked incredulously. And her candid reply? “Never.” 

A hardcore Christmas fan (as she revealed earlier in the pod), McDaniels really felt the pain. And her response was what everyone watching their interaction would have wanted to say to Vannah. “My sweet baby boo!” the Crown+ Conquer founder exclaimed, before pointing out, “This is why she don’t like it.“

Yet, even with the unfavorable circumstances, Mama James has managed to create beautiful memories for her family, finding ways to make the best of challenging situations. Also, she makes up for it with her insane Halloween celebrations!

“Obviously, y’all know Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love it!” the 38-year-old excitedly admitted earlier.

Going back to James’ schedule this year, the ‘Akron Hammer’ will be in San Francisco, facing the Warriors at 8:00 PM ET. It’s a bittersweet continuation of Bron’s Christmas legacy. Why, you ask? Way back in 2015, when he was with the Cavs and they were preparing to face the Golden State, James had expressed his frustrations about the holiday schedule.

“I won’t be with my family on Christmas, unfortunately. … They’re not even here [in Ohio] right now. They’re in L.A. right now, actually. So, no, we have no traditions. If I can get a home game on Christmas, then we’ll have a tradition,” he said, via ESPN.

However, the NBA’s priorities have rarely aligned with his wish for a quiet Christmas at home.

That said, Savannah’s reflections reveal the sacrifices and adaptability required when your life is intertwined with a basketball legend. But as LeBron’s career approaches its twilight, perhaps the James’ can look forward to more traditional Christmases in the future! For now, they’ll continue to find joy in their unique holiday traditions—with a little help from Chinese takeouts and a lot of love.