The UK has a history of games at Christmas going back as far as medieval times and with workers hard fought rights for a day off.
Between the wars there were sporting events, pantomimes, cinemas open, all on Christmas day, even trains!
Football eventually shifted to Boxing day, as Christmas day became more family orientated but far more relevant, public transport options largely disappeared.
The best-known Christmas Day football match took place in 1914, when war paused briefly in some places. The First War, so called, ‘Christmas Truce’ saw around 100,000 troops along the Western Front exchange gifts, take photographs, sing carols and, of course, play football.
British and German soldiers at Ploegsteert, Belgium, Christmas Day 1914
A truce it was not, as on 25 December 1914, almost one hundred British soldiers lost their lives in France and Flanders, with another 62 dying over the next 24 hours but in defiance of officers’ preference not to cease fighting, British and German soldiers did indeed exchange gifts, share photos and enjoy a bit of football.
A tradition maintained.
Here is our Xmas time football memories scrapbook!
Old Trafford, Christmas Day
Beer was too cold – hot drinks from flasks
Play in the snow
Sunderland’s Arthur Bridgett, refused to play football on a religious holiday
Christmas Day at Stamford Bridge
Trains on Christmas Day?
And finally, the Bees
Bradford CIty v Brentford 12th January 1955 [2-2]
We won the replay, 1-0, 20th January, 1955