The magic of twinkling lights, warm family moments, and the opportunity to dream big for the upcoming year are all part of the holiday season. However, have you ever wondered what Olympic athletes, such as Lindsey Vonn, Simone Biles, Sha’Carri Richardson, and others, might ask Santa for in a letter before the New Year?

Just like the rest of us, they have dreams and hopes, maybe a bit bigger than we can imagine, tied to their goals, their loved ones, and the journeys they’ve been on. This Christmas, let’s take a stab at guessing what these athletes might dream for under the twinkling lights.

Simone Biles’ holiday wishes for the next year

By now, fans almost expect it. Another holiday season, another look at Simone Biles and Jonathan Owens grinning through Christmas while wearing matching pajamas. So what sporting wish could she make?

With Biles out of the elite gymnastics scene (for now), she might wish wish for a season in which the Chicago Bears finally overcome the label of “almost there” and make a breakthrough. A season in which the Bears make a serious run for the Super Bowl, as Owens emerges as the undisputed MVP.

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Biles has been one of the team’s biggest cheerleaders this season. Even though she was raised in warm, sunny Texas, she still showed up for Owens at his games, even when the weather was freezing cold. And moreover, her game-day fashion says it all, too. Custom ensembles with Owens’ name and jersey number 36 have become her signature style.

For Jonathan Owens, though, there’s more than just cheers on the line. His two-year contract with the Bears, signed in March 2024, will expire after the 2025 season, which means he’ll hit free agency in 2026 unless Chicago decides to keep him around.

But for now, it’s all about the Bears’ upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers on December 28, 2025, one of the last regular-season hurdles before the playoffs begin.

Sha’Carri Richardson’s Christmas wish outruns the eggnog

Sha’Carri Richardson might be wishing a little more than a happy holiday season after a challenging 2025 – she could be looking towards the next season and reclaiming the “Flo-Jo of Our Time” title bestowed upon her by Vogue Magazine.

So, Richardson might be wishing for a healthy, injury free season where her results and times show the track world exactly what she’s capable of. And after the ups and downs of 2025, she might also be hoping to become a more regular medal threat with consistent performances.

Her 2025 season didn’t start smoothly. Early races were slower than she or her fans expected. Even her fastest clocking of 10.94 seconds couldn’t secure a top spot at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where she finished outside the medals in the women’s 100m final – a result far from what she envisioned as defending world champion.

Let’s just hope this year she remembers that Christmas is for cookies, not just cardio (like she did last year)!

Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin’s slope wishlist

Lindsey Vonn has long dreamed of teaming up with Mikaela Shiffrin, but that is yet to happen. And perhaps that dream would come true very soon, with a little help from Santa. At this point, both of them are hoping for something bigger than Vonn’s 82 and Shiffrin’s 105 World Cup.

If they were writing a letter to Santa, it could contain their hopes to represent Team USA at the upcoming Olympics while staying healthy. And of course, to stand atop the podium with gold hardware around their necks in Cortina.

The last time a U.S. woman won Olympic gold in alpine skiing was in 2018, when Mikaela Shiffrin took the top podium in PyeongChang. Before that, Shiffrin also claimed gold at the 2014 Sochi Games. And back in 2010, Lindsey Vonn won gold in the women’s downhill at Vancouver.

The thought of both of them together on the Olympic team would be a dream come true for fans and likely for them, too.

Jordan Chiles‘ NCAA dreams

One huge wish that Jordan Chiles could have in her mind this holiday season could be to make UCLA shine before she wraps up her college gymnastics career. After winning Olympic gold and earning a third place finish on Dancing With the Stars, there’s one thing left on Jordan Chiles’ wishlist: winning the team championship with the Bruins.

And perhaps, winning a few individual titles en route too.

After all, the Bruins came heartbreakingly close in 2025, when the University of Oklahoma edged them out with 198.0125 points. Chiles’ reason for returning to UCLA after taking a break for the Paris Olympics was simple: she had unfinished business to finish with her team a.k.a helping UCLA win an 8th National Championship.

As she explained earlier this year, “I know you’re probably thinking, ‘Jordan, you have NCAA titles; what do you have left to prove?’ But I want to win a natty with this team.” Everything she’s working toward is about leaving a lasting legacy with the Bruins.

The USMNT ho-ho-hopes for glory

The U.S. men’s national team might have one wish at the top of their list. With the 2026 World Cup set to begin across the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the first time next summer, what better gift could they ask for than a historic win on home soil? After all, the U.S. have never lifted the trophy.

The closest the USA team ever came to the World Cup was back in 1930, when they reached the semifinals and were later recognized as finishing third. But now, with home advantage, strong investments in youth development, coaching, and infrastructure, the dream feels closer than ever it was.

Head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, is already thinking big: “For me, it’s about winning. I think if you don’t win what does it matter? If you are second, nobody ever remembers.” So maybe this Christmas, the USMNT is hanging up their stockings and dreaming of hoisting that golden trophy.

With a little holiday magic (and maybe a sprinkle of Santa’s extra cheer), 2026 could be the year these athletes turn their wishes into reality.