Samia Longchambon has opened up about a Christmas tradition close to her heart.
The Corrie star, 38, lost her dear dad Joseph 11 years ago, and she's found a touching way to honour him twice a year.
On both his birthday in June and on Christmas Day, the Maria Connor actress heads to the graveyard and pours his favourite drink on his grave.
"I always go to the cemetery," she told OK! magazine, "My dad was a massive fan of whisky, so on his birthday in June we took a can of whisky and cola and poured it over the soil on his grave so he could have a drink.
"We'll probably do that again and lay some nice flowers. And we always toast to him. He might be gone but he'll never be forgotten."
Samia will be spending the holidays with Dancing on Ice pro hubby Sylvain Longchambon, their five-year-old son Yves and Samia's eleven-year-old daughter with ex Matthew Smith, Freya.
But another tradition may have to be put on hold this year.
They usually head round for a drink to Matthew and his partner Hayley's for a drink, as they live only a stone's throw away.
"Matt, Freya's dad, his partner Hayley and their two boys live five minutes from us, so they always come in and have a drink, or we'll go there," Samia told.
"It's all really friendly. It's so much easier to get on – luckily we all do."
Their New Year plans have been scuppered to as the pandemic keeps them from travelling to France to see Sylvain's family.
"We'll definitely have a drink over Zoom with them, though," Sylvain chimed in, "But on Christmas Day, we're always in England. Freya sees her dad half of the day, so we wouldn't go to France."
Samia's played Maria on the Cobbles for two decades now.
Joining the cast in 2000, she returned to set in June as TV shows got up and running again.
And in that time she's racked up an impressive 31 boyfriends.
