To make a splash this holiday season and spread some cheer, we recently teamed up with our favorite World Champion Swimmer, Ryan Murphy, to launch 12 Days of Fishaways—12 straight days of giveaways including FREE swim lessons, Goldfish swag from this year’s holiday package collection, autographed gear from Ryan and more!

ENTER HERE by December 11, 2020 at 11:59 PM ET for your chance to win.

To keep the fun going, we sat down with Ryan to learn more about his favorite holiday memories and to get his top picks for aspiring young swimmers on your gift list.

Q: What is your favorite part of the holiday season?

Ryan: Getting to spend time with my family! My family is really close, but we all have jobs in different areas of the country, so the holidays are one of the few times during the year when we all get to be together. However, I’m sad that this year might look a bit different. We’re currently exploring safe options!

Q: Does your family have any special holiday traditions?

Ryan: When I was a kid, we would always open gifts from each other on Christmas Eve. Then, Santa would leave many toys and other items on Christmas morning! Some of my other favorite traditions as an adult include the festive treats my family whips up during the holidays. My mom always makes a green jello, and my dad makes a competing red jello.

Q: What were some of the best gifts you ever received as a kid?

Ryan: My parents were always huge proponents of all of us kids dreaming big. My dream when I was younger was to go to Stanford, and I was so excited when I got a Stanford shirt for Christmas one year. Luckily, as I got older, I realized that Cal-Berkeley was the best fit for me!

Q: Why do you think swim lessons make a wonderful gift for kids?

Ryan: I highly recommend giving the gift of swimming and water safety. As a lifelong skill, it truly is the gift that keeps on giving. Some of my best memories as a kid include spending time near the water with my family. We spent a lot of time at the pool or the beach, which is why my mom signed all of us up for swim lessons when we were little. She wanted us to learn how to be safer in and around water, and thanks to her I discovered my love for the sport of swimming. For me, swimming has opened the door to so many incredible experiences, and even took me to the Olympics!

Q: Aside from swim lessons, what are some other go-to gift ideas for aspiring young swimmers?

Ryan: You can’t go wrong with swim gear, whether that includes a new pair of goggles, a special swim bag, or a towel to dry off with after class. When I was younger, I always put the fastest suits on my wish list! I also think it’s incredible to support your child’s dreams, so including something like an Olympic Flag or USA swim cap could be a neat idea, too.

Thanks for sitting down with us to share your favorite holiday memories and go-to gift ideas for aspiring young swimmers who hope to follow in your footsteps, Ryan!

To learn more about swim lessons at Goldfish, or inquire about special holiday packages, contact your local Goldfish Swim School about giving your little fish a gift that will last a lifetime.