Brazier Family's Unique Christmas Tradition Honours Jade Goody's Memory

Jeff Brazier and his sons, Freddie and Bobby, have found a unique way to celebrate Christmas in honour of their late mother, Jade Goody. The family, who are currently appearing together on Celebrity Race Across The World, still feel the pain of Jade’s loss 15 years after her passing.

Jeff admitted that Christmas is a difficult time for them, as Jade's vibrant spirit still casts a long shadow. "We still feel sad and overwhelmed when it comes to Christmas," he shared. To cope with the emotional weight of the festive season, the family has adopted a non-traditional ritual: an early morning dip in the sea on Christmas Day.

“We have a tradition of travelling in the campervan to a beautiful coastline and going for a dip in the morning,” Jeff explained. This ice-cold dip, regardless of the weather, is followed by a traditional Christmas dinner at a nearby picturesque location.

The idea of replacing Jade's extravagant Christmas celebrations with a chilly plunge might seem strange, but Jeff insists it's more enjoyable than it sounds. He revealed that the family is looking forward to their festive adventure this year, despite Bobby's well-known aversion to outdoor pursuits.

“Bobby once begged me to ‘get him down’ from a mountain hike in the rain after just two minutes,” Jeff chuckled. This incident led Jeff to choose Freddie as his travel partner for Race Across The World, as Freddie showed more resilience during their challenging hike.

Jeff fondly reminisced about the magical Christmases they shared with Jade in the early days. “She was the best at Christmas. She went as far as putting out mince pies, festive characters and footprints on the floor,” he recalled. “It was long before Elf on the Shelf was invented and I'd never seen anyone go to such lengths to make Christmas Day as special as she did.”

Sadly, after Jade’s death, Jeff realised that recreating those joyful Christmases was impossible. “I quickly realised that it wasn't possible for Christmas to be the same anymore,” he said. “I'd made a mistake hoping we could get through the day without feeling sad or overwhelmed.”

Despite the sadness, their unique Christmas tradition is a poignant reminder of Jade's enduring presence in their lives. Their journey to find their own way of celebrating the holiday demonstrates the resilience of the Brazier family and their commitment to honouring the legacy of their beloved Jade.

Celebrity Race Across The World airs today at 5:55pm on BBC Two.