Perdita Felicien celebrates winning gold in the 100m Hurdles at the 2003 IAAF World Championships (© Getty Images)
It is always a lot of fun coming home (to Pickering, Ontario) just because I get to see my family and usually Christmas time is the last time before I start my winter season that I see them. It is always an enjoyable time. This year was something different because we actually had our Christmas the day after Christmas, on December 26th, only because my mum had to work on the 25th. So the family all came over the day after.
Everybody was there: my mom, all my siblings, we had some family friends that came over, my nieces, my nephews. And it was really fun. My mum cooked a whole bunch of food that actually ending up lasting another week. We played games and we opened presents and just had good conversation and kind of touched base.
Actually this is the first year since I have been at college that I have been able to do all my training over the holidays. Typically, when I come back (to Pickering, Ontario) it will be hard to get into training because I don't have the facilities or the right equipment or the snow is so bad that I can't get to the track at all. But this year I have been able to do every single thing and the weather was actually quite mild (by Ontario standards!). I didn't train on Christmas day but I trained all the days before and after.
A lot of things happened around this holiday. My brother is having another baby so that was the big news. My younger sister is getting engaged, my cousin also got engaged Christmas Eve. So a lot of things were going on for us. The holidays have just brought out this really great sense of family and togetherness. I think with every family, not just mine. It is a great time to be together.
Perdita Felicien