We got in touch with seven of Ireland's top athletes and asked them whether they had any Christmas Day training or limited diets planned for the festive period, or if food comas and laziness would be the order of the day for them as well as the rest of us.
If there is a tiny part of some lucky professional athetes' existences that entails glory and fame, the vast majority of life as an elite sportsperson involves the unseen hours and quiet work done away from the spotlight, "away from witnesses" as Muhammad Ali put it. Part of this involves training at times and on days most of us wouldn't even fathom. Christmas Day, for example.
We asked a scattering of Ireland's top athletes for a couple of lines on whether or not they train on Christmas Day and if they are as strict with regard to diet as they are for the rest of the year.
Here's what they had to say - some answers are a bit longer than others but feck it, we'll live.
Scott Evans (badminton)
I always train Christmas Day. Go for a 10k run with my brother and then we do a circuit session at home. It's a tradition we have. I eat the usual Christmas dinner but wouldn't be going mad with chocolate and all that.
Kevin Doyle (football)
Thankfully I don't have to play at Christmas anymore. I will be in Wexford, up with the kids early checking out what Santa brought, getting my once-a-year Mass in, visiting a few relatives before getting back to my house for a late afternoon dinner followed by more drinking, eating, sleeping. And there will be zero thoughts of keeping fit at any stage over Christmas. It's been a long season this year and I plan to winter well!
Monika Dukarska (rowing)
In terms of Christmas traditions, things are done a bit different in Poland. So we eat our dinner on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas Day. We also unpack all of our presents on Christmas Eve, we don’t have to wait so long! Also, we eat fish (Karp – carp) rather than chicken and there is no meat on the table on Christmas Eve.
My favourite dish of all would be dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms. My grandmother used to do them in Poland and now my mother does them. I think I would go on strike if there were no dumplings at Christmas. I think my record stands at 23 - that’s how many of them I ate one Christmas Eve! Crazy! Who knows…might break the record this year! They are delicious!
I usually start my dinner with mushroom soup followed by dumplings. If there is any space left…I have some fish!
In terms of training, I usually try and do something every day. On Christmas Eve I train as normal, I go for a run and a row. It is best to get out of the house when mom is cooking! I’m responsible for cleaning so once that’s done, I’m off the hook.
On Christmas Day I usually go for a run, spin on the rowing machine or a bike. Training sessions are usually shorter but of similar intensity. I hate not doing anything and eating loads…but because I’m a heavyweight, I don’t really have to worry about my body weight too much.
Although I’m trying to train every day, I do have two days off scheduled on my programme: Christmas Day and New Year’s. If I feel like training those days, I can move things around. I have flexibility in my programme.
Everyone and everything seems to slow down at Christmas but for athletes, and me, it is a normal time of the year. It is a time of the year when you can make gains. We don’t get a lot of time to slacken off. We can’t lose focus. We have ergometer testing in January and plenty to work on before the racing season starts so I try and keep it as normal as possible. I like routine so it doesn’t bother me too much.
Ciara Mageean (athletics)
Christmas Day in the Mageean house is one of my favourite days of the year. At the grand old age of 24 I am very lucky that Santa still leaves me a present. So usually at the crack of dawn my wee sister Nuala (who is actually 17) wakes the whole house up. We check out what Santa has left and usually go back to bed for a few hours. I'll then get up, eat a small breakfast, stretch and let it settle. Then I'll head for my 70 minute run.
Once I'm done, I'll get cleaned up and then head to Mass. All this time mummy Mageean will be slaving away on the dinner with my daddy and siblings following her commands. I'll give a hand, call my grandad and whatever other family are coming round this year up for dinner and we will all settle down.
I eat a lot of food normally and Christmas Day is no exception. Prawn cocktail and home made soup for starters. A lovely turkey dinner after - roast potatoes, sprouts, carrot and parsnip, the lot. Then for dessert, my mummy makes a mean pavlova. I will 100% take my share, then sit in front of the fire drinking a cup of tea while I sink into a food coma. Later that night my whole family will nibble on turkey sandwiches and the odd sweet out of those trusty Christmas tins.
James McGivern (boxing)
Well, on Christmas Day and Boxing Day I take the day off to enjoy food with my family. I count those days as family days to enjoy good food and company but this year, with the Seniors (national championships) being so close after, I will fit a training session in somewhere and lay off the sweets to keep my weight in check. But usually I'd take a few days at Christmas to spend time with family and friends.
Christina McMahon (boxing)
I celebrate Christmas at home in Carrickmacross. My mam is an amazing cook. I'm not! I started going out with my husband on Christmas Eve, so we celebrate by spending the whole day together, messing about and probably squeezing in his last minute pressies he didn't buy. I won't be training Christmas Eve or Day and don't even want to walk! I eat pavlova and complain of a bloated tummy. Training wise, I just keep ticking over with an odd session with a few headers like myself from the boxing club. I love Christmas.
Cora Staunton (Gaelic football)
My plan for Christmas Day is to sit back and relax for the day and enjoy eating good food. This year we will be having Christmas dinner in my sister's house so will be busy with my little nieces and nephews running around. I am taking a couple of weeks off training as it has been a long eleven months, with the club only finishing up at the end of November and with no decision made regarding me playing next year. The body and mind will be having a bit of time off!
