PHANTOM OF THE OPERA - LAUREN GRAHAM ENJOYS PHANTOM CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

GILMORE GIRLS star LAUREN GRAHAM enjoys an unusual after-meal activity on Christmas Day - she and her fellow diners race to clear the table to the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA soundtrack.

The actress, who was once romantically linked to former FRIENDS star MATTHEW PERRY, admits the long-running activity is the brainchild of her aunt.

She says, "In my family there's something called the 'Running of the Phantom', which was started a long time ago by my aunt.

"You put on the Phantom of the Opera CD and run around the table. The winner is the person who gets the most stuff cleared.

"It is really, we realised, just an elaborate way to get the kids to do the dishes. Duh. But it still kind of works."