You would think if you were the second highest paid coach in college football, being at a Wal Mart somewhere near Birmingham, Ala., would be the last place you would be on Christmas Eve. However, that’s exactly what Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney will be doing on Christmas Eve.
It’s hard to imagine, but Swinney still has some last minute Christmas shopping to do and he does it all himself.
No one loves Christmas and celebrating the holiday more than Dabo Swinney. During the Holiday Season, he hosts a Christmas Party at work and also hosts one in his Clemson home. He even watches Christmas movies.
“Last night we watched the Grinch that Stole Christmas … me, Kath and all three of our boys,” Swinney said. “We sat around and watched the Grinch that Stole Christmas. We have not seen that one in a while. Jim Carey was hilarious.”
Swinney’s house is always decorated with lights, tress and the whole nine yards. He even has a special arrangement with good ol’ Saint Nick.
“I have Santa coming to my house tonight. I have a special arrangement with him because we do Christmas at my house early,” Swinney said Friday as the Tigers closed down Sugar Bowl practice for Christmas Break. “We always do Christmas early at the Swinney house and then we will go to Alabama for a couple of days.”
Swinney spent Friday afternoon finishing up his shopping in Clemson before he and his family got together later at his house to celebrate the holiday. Then today they will travel to Alabama to spend time at his mom’s house, while also visiting his wife’s family too.
In between all of that, Swinney says he will have to make one more stop at the Wal Mart back home in Pelham, Ala., to get some last minute shopping done on Christmas Eve, which these days can be a little uncomfortable for the Clemson coach after beating Alabama in the national title game last year, and now his Tigers’ again face the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
“It’s always an adventure,” Swinney said while smiling.
“I’m probably going to get some stares this year,” he continued. “Last year, everybody was nice to me because they beat us the year before. We were probably going to lose to Ohio State so they were not going to see us again. Everybody was real nice to me. This year, they might not be as friendly.”
Swinney does not wear anything Clemson when he goes into the stores in Alabama, and though he is trying to be incognito as much as possible, he always gets recognized.
“No, I don’t wear anything Clemson,” he said while laughing. “I just wear a hat. I don’t know, I guess my nose gives it away or something … the look.”