We are a small, independent team of football lovers, history readers and parents who think the best holiday stories deserve to be told properly.
Every December, the same questions come up around the table: did they really play football in the trenches? Why is there always a match on Boxing Day? We built this advent board so families could find warm, accurate answers in one place.
We rely on published histories, club records, contemporary newspaper reports and archive collections. Where memories conflict, such as truce scorelines, we say so plainly rather than pick the most exciting version.
We are not affiliated with any club, league or football association.
Our stories are written to be read aloud.
Imperial War Museums archives, the National Football Museum in Manchester, the Sandygate ground in Sheffield, the memorials around Ploegsteert and Messines in Belgium, and the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire have all shaped our understanding of these stories. We encourage readers to visit them in person.
Tell us and we will fix it.
Contact