Christmas Puok
A William Penn University basketball player gets a lot of questions about her name throughout the year and especially now.
Christmas Pouk from Des Moines is a senior post player. “I was born December 24th, so Christmas Eve. My mom thought it was a perfect choice to choose Christmas. And in our culture, the South Sudanese culture, Nya, you put it before a girl’s name, so it’s Girl Christmas,” Pouk explains.
She admits her name has some disadvantages — including the constant questions.
“Almost every day,” Pouk laughs. “People really think that I’m not being serious. They’re like ‘ Are you sure your name’s Christmas? Is this a joke?’ And I’m like,’No, that’s really my name.'”
And here’s the obvious question: What would Christmas like for Christmas? “Hmmmm….(laughs)…I would like to come back and go and win the (Heart of America Athletic) Conference championship to take us to nationals. That’s what I want for Christmas,” she says.
Christmas Pouk will celebrate her 22nd birthday on Christmas Eve.
(By Joe Lancello, KBOE, Oskaloosa/photo courtesy of William Penn)