CHRISTMAS DAY TIES

Christmas day was a rare public holiday and so people made the most of it, sometimes by playing football. One classic Christmas Day match was held at Flanders when German and British troops held a truce and played that famous friendly in No Man's Land. It has been blogged before along with some other famed Christmas Day encounters:
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/christmas-day-football-light-relief-for.html

Some league games were "paired up" on Christmas Day and Boxing day so that travelling distances were equalled. In 1908 Manchester City hosted and beat Chelsea 2-1 and then lost away at Chelsea 2-1. Bristol City did the same against Bradford City with a 1-0 score.

In 1909 James Main of Hibernian died from a ruptured bowel following a tackle in the game at Partick Thistle.

Dick, Kerr Ladies from the same named munitions factory played their first match on Christmas Day 1917 in an attempt to lighten spirits and raise money for charity during the Great War. They played at the local factory, Coulthards and tens of thousands turned up raising £488 for a local hospital.

Matches on religious days were not usual and during the festive season (and Sunday of course) the FA stated that players were given the choice about playing.

The Highbury ground was built on land once owned by St John 's College of Divinity. As a result, up to 1925, no Arsenal players played on religious days due to their beliefs, as stated by the "lease". Arsenal subsequently bought the land and on Christmas Day 1925 at 11.15am they played their first Christmas Day match against Notts County, winning 3-0 with the famous Charles Buchan on the score sheet. 33,500 watched.

The last full set of Christmas Day fixtures was in 1971 in Scotland.

Of course, there are many other moments involving the game and Christmas. Here are some:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/african-ferry-horror-boat-carrying-9518244