2019-12-01_Red_UK

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December 2019 | REDONLINE.CO.UK

experience

C

hristmas Day growing up was

noisy and busy. I have four

brothers, and there was always

a lot of arguing over what to

watch. I’m an impatient person,

so I would get up before

everyone else and tear the

wrapping paper off any present with my name on it.

The best bit was camping out on the sofa watching

Christmas movies. Even though it’s not technically

a Christmas film, my favourite is Sister Act 2, which

is always on around the festive period. It’s just so

feelgood. Controversially, I’ve never been into Elf.

I would always drown my turkey in gravy. My

mum would make Christmas lunch, but she’d spend

ages cooking, so sometimes it would end up being

dinner! Chocolate is obviously very important at

Christmas, too – I needed my selection box. I was that

person who picks out all the good ones and leaves

the coffee- and orange-flavoured chocolates behind.

Before we ate, my mum would make us gather

around the table to pray. My dad wasn’t a religious

man – he was a scientist by trade – so when I’d open

my eyes to peek at him while my mum was deep in

prayer, I’d catch him laughing a bit and that would

always set me off, too. It happened every year!

Christmas is bittersweet for me nowadays. We

lost my dad in 2015 and Christmas without him

is difficult. The first year, we made a group effort

to make sure we all had a nice time, but last year,

Clara

Amfo

THE FESTIVE SEASON IS A TIME OF MIXED EMOTIONS FOR

BBC RADIO 1 DJ CLARA AMFO. HERE, SHE EXPLAINS WHY...

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it really hit me. I really missed him. I was a bit

overwhelmed with that sadness, but I let myself

feel it, and then moved on.

I adore old school Christmas music. I love

Nat King Cole’s version of The Christmas Song,

which starts with Chestnuts Roasting On An

Open Fire, and I think 8 Days Of Christmas

by Destiny’s Child is highly underrated. I also

had Robyn perform a cover of Wham!’s Last

Christmas on my show [BBC Radio 1’s Live

Lounge], which was amazing.

I’m very last-minute. I’m that person who’s

running around on 23rd December thinking I’d

better get some presents. That’s just who I am.

Recently, I’ve been trying to go to Ghana

every year. I have endless family out there and

it’s so fun and festive, even though it’s really hot!

I head out after Boxing Day and there’s always

some party I can find.

Christmas is ultimately about reflection. For

me, it’s a nice time to think about my family,

including those who are no longer here. I count

my lucky stars I have my siblings. Even though

we’re now grown-up and live far apart, we

always look after each other.

‘CHRISTMAS IS

BITTERSWEET FOR

ME NOWADAYS’

Festive films

and old school

music always

get Clara

Amfo in the

Christmas spirit.

Clara Amfo hosts BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge; weekdays, 10am-1pm