Last Sunday, December 22, was the final matchday of the year for most of the football leagues in Europe. LaLiga, Bundesliga or Ligue 1 don't return until January, in some cases won't return for a month, giving time to other domestic competitions like Cups or Supercups.
Italy's Serie A is an exception with matchday 18 taking place from 28 to 30 December, being the second time they have scrapped the winter break. But England takes it even further, with two almost back to back matchdays between December 26 and 30, and even a Brentford-Arsenal match on New Year's day.
But where does the tradition of the "festive fixtures" come from? As Premier League has explained, it dates back from late 19th Century, when Boxing Day (26 December) was designated as a public holiday in England and Wales. Back then, when the working class lived in crowded and cold residences, having a two-day break was seen as an opportunity to spend more time away than at home, the opposite of today.
When the Football League was created in 1888, they decided to make good use of this holiday break and cram as much football as possible during the Christmas period. Going to stadiums to watch football became a tradition.
But as homes became more comfortable and warm, people preferred to spend the holidays with their families at home. Playing on Christmas day became old fashinoned, and the final football match played on 25 December was in 1965.
As time went by, more care was put into players' right to rest, but to keep up with the tradition of the Holiday football, a mid-season break was created and placed in February since 2020 season. A winter break that has been dropped this season, however, opting for a longer summer break.
Even if England is one of the only countries where football matches are played during the Christmas period, there are still some measures to protect player's physical and mental wellbeing, including rearranging the games so that no club plays two matches within 60 hours of each other at any point between 21 December and 5 January, and exclusing December 25, 28, January 2 and 3.