To the world, Tom Holland is the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe—a gravity-defying superhero whose films have grossed billions at the global box office. But in his hometown of Kingston upon Thames, he is subject to a much stricter authority than the Avengers: his father, comedian and author Dominic Holland. Dominic has often shared that regardless of how many Spider-Man sequels Tom films, the family’s “unbreakable” Christmas tradition remains the same. Every year, Tom is “forced” to swap Hollywood red carpets for a local pub crawl, where he is treated like anything but a VIP. The Kingston Pub Crawl: Standing in Line for a Pint Dominic Holland, who famously chronicled his son’s rise to fame in his book Eclipsed, takes great pride in keeping the “superhero” grounded. The tradition is simple: every Christmas season, the Holland men—Dominic and his four sons, Tom, Harry, Sam, and Paddy—embark on their traditional local pub circuit. Dominic recounts that Tom is not allowed to use his fame to skip the queue. “He has to stand in line for beer like everyone else,” Dominic shared humorously. For the Hollands, maintaining an “ordinary” upbringing is a point of honor, even if it means the world’s most famous actor is stuck waiting behind a crowd of locals. “He’s Just the Loser in the Family Game!” One legendary story shared by Dominic highlights Tom’s refusal to leave his normal life behind, even when things get chaotic. During one Christmas outing, a local pub had already announced its closing time, and fans were beginning to realize that Spider-Man was in their midst. Instead of making a quick exit to avoid the swarming crowd, Tom reportedly refused to leave. The reason was a high-stakes game of darts with his younger brothers. Dominic revealed that while the staff was flicking the lights to signal closing time, Tom was hyper-focused on the board, refusing to admit defeat. “Here, he’s not a superhero,” Dominic joked. “He’s just the loser in the family game who can’t handle being beaten by his brothers!” The 2025 Twist: Sobriety and the “Kingston Golden Pils” By Christmas 2025, the tradition has taken on a new flavor following Tom’s well-documented journey into sobriety. This shift inspired the launch of his non-alcoholic beer brand, Bero, which features a flagship flavor named “Kingston Golden Pils” as a direct homage to his roots. In late 2025, Tom and his mentor Robert Downey Jr. even collaborated on a campaign to ensure UK pubs offer better non-alcoholic options. Tom described this as a “deeply personal” milestone, linking his global success back to the very social scene where he still spends his holidays. A Hero in the Queue: The Real Tom Holland As the 2025 holiday season reaches its peak, Tom Holland remains one of the few global stars who can be found in a rainy London suburb, waiting his turn at the bar. The family continues to use their “Posh Pub Quizzes” to raise thousands for their charity, The Brothers Trust, supporting smaller organizations in need. For Dominic Holland, the shocking truth isn’t that his son is a superstar; it’s that he is still the same ordinary boy who happens to have an extraordinary job. In Kingston, Spider-Man doesn’t swing from buildings to save the day. Instead, he stands in line, buys his dad a drink, and desperately tries to hit a bullseye before the lights go out for the night.