Football. Food. Family. In that order.
Christmas is much more than pretending you're pleased with your auntie's present and enjoying drunken family members you see twice a year engage in a verbal dispute during a game of charades. The camaraderie's great, of course, and the food is what many look forward to, but deep down, the festive period is all about the football.
While Europe's tendency to have some time off at the end of the year means fixtures from the continent's top leagues arrive at a less relentless rate, English football supporters are set to be treated to another barrage of festive action.
Here are all the notable Christmas and New Year football fixtures in the 2023/24 season.
Football to watch over Christmas and New Year - 2023/24
England
Premier League festive fixtures
Manchester City's presence in the Club World Cup means they'll be absent for the first round of festive Premier League fixtures. That gameweek sees title rivals Liverpool and Arsenal face off at Anfield, while Wolves also host Chelsea in the first Christmas Eve fixture in almost 30 years.
The league's Boxing Day coverage, which includes six games, finishes with the biggest game of the day when Aston Villa visit Manchester United. From that point onwards, there is at least one Premier League fixture every day until 2 January excluding 29 December.
Championship festive fixtures
Championship lovers are used to the hectic nature of the festive calendar and there will be four rounds of action to enjoy this time around. There's a full cohort of fixtures leading up to Christmas, while every team is in action on Boxing Day.
Another set of games arrives in midweek before another mammoth Championship offering on New Year's Day.
Carabao Cup quarter-final fixtures
The Carabao Cup quarter-finals will take place the week before Christmas. We're guaranteed to see one EFL side in the last four as Port Vale and Middlesbrough collide, while the other three ties are all-Premier League affairs.
France
Ligue 1 festive fixtures
There will be a Ligue 1 hiatus over Christmas, with the league enjoying a three-week break after its final matchday in December.
The standout fixture sees the impressive Nice take on Lens, who finished second in Ligue 1 last season. Paris Saint-Germain should conclude 2023 with a victory at home to Metz.
*Television scheduling is yet to be confirmed but Ligue 1 football is shown on TNT Sports.
Germany
Bundesliga festive fixtures
*fixture dates are scheduled to change
Who knows how many goals Harry Kane will be on by the time the Bundesliga's Hinrunde concludes the week before Christmas. The Englishman may have already broken Robert Lewandowski's single-season goal record. Nevertheless, Bayern wrap up 2023 with a tricky away clash at Wolfsburg.
Fellow title rivals Bayer Leverkusen take on the lowly VfL Bochum, while Borussia Dortmund host Mainz.
*Television scheduling is yet to be confirmed but Bundesliga football is shown on Sky Sports.
Italy
Serie A festive fixtures
It's all go in Italy over the festive period with calcio enjoyers getting their fix of Serie A to close out the calendar year. Two full matchdays have been scheduled between 22 and 30 December, with both rounds boasting a standout fixture well worth tuning into.
While Roma perhaps haven't been the most thrilling watch this season, there's bound to be drama when Jose Mourinho's side take on Scudetto holders Napoli and Juventus to finish 2023.
*Television scheduling is yet to be confirmed but Serie A football is shown on TNT Sports.
Coppa Italia round of 16 fixtures
Calcio's big boys enter the Coppa Italia in the round of 16, with Lazio and Fiorentina hosting their cup ties at the start of December. Napoli and Inter are both in action before Christmas, while the remainder of the ties are scheduled for the new year.
*Television scheduling is yet to be confirmed but Coppa Italia football is shown on Viaplay Sports.
Spain
La Liga festive fixtures
*fixture dates are scheduled to change
There will be a mini-break in La Liga over Christmas but there are still two matchdays to enjoy over the festive and New Year period. There's also a bonus fixture on 23 December as Champions League hopefuls Atletico Madrid and Sevilla clash in the capital.
Real Madrid and Barcelona will both be expected to claim maximum points from their listed fixtures above.
*Television scheduling is yet to be confirmed but La Liga football is shown on LaLigaTV and Viaplay Sports.
World
Club World Cup fixtures
Manchester City will be hoping to become the latest Premier League club to win the Club World Cup in 2023. The Cityzens join the competition in the semi-finals where they'll face either Club Leon or Urawa Reds.
Presuming they progress through that, City could take on Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense in the final on 22 December.
This article was originally published on 90min as The ultimate guide to football over Christmas and New Year - 2023/24 TV schedule.
