Boxing day bandy

Boxing Day Bandy is a sporting event held on Boxing Day, where two rival teams meet and play. The event is held in several cities where bandy is particularly popular.

Location: In cities and towns where bandy is popular, for example Nässjö, Bollnäs,Tranås, Edsbyn, Uppsala, Vetlanda, Sandviken and Söderhamn.

Photo of two bandyplayers skating on ice.

Bandy is played by two teams on an ice rink, with players wearing ice skates and using sticks (similar to hockey sticks) to score goals. It is played with a small cerise-coloured ball. Photo: Roman Mitrofanov

Boxing Day Bandy is an annual event that draws many spectators. As it is held during the Christmas holidays, it is also an occasion for those visiting their hometowns to meet old friends and family. Typically, the Boxing Day Bandy is a derby game, meaning that it is a game between two geographically close teams. Bandy is played by two teams on an ice rink, with players wearing ice skates and using sticks (similar to hockey sticks) to score goals. It is played with a small cerise-coloured ball.

In the early history of Swedish bandy, Boxing Day marked the beginning of the bandy league and was considered a festive occasion. As the starting game of the league was moved, the Boxing Day game no longer had any particular significance. To bring back the festivities of Boxing Day, the tradition of scheduling derby games on this date was introduced in 1966. The games are scheduled by the Swedish Bandy Association, but the local clubs play an important role by inviting supporters and creating the festive character of these games.

Families usually attend Boxing Day bandy games together, and the support of a certain team is often passed on within the family. Bandy is taught to children by local clubs through ice skating courses. Children can then choose to join a team, and from the age of 18 players can be recruited to adult teams according to their skills.

Literature

Torbjörn Andersson (2019), Den döende bandyn?: en säregen historia om svensk natur, nationalism och nostalgi. Arx förlag. Malmö.

Christoffer Million (2023), Stor publiksuccé på annandagen: ’Traditionen är tveklöst starkLänk till annan webbplats. External link.. Artikel från webbsidan Bandypuls.se.

Erik Ström (2023), Idrottshistorikern: Än mer viktigt att annandagen bibehåller sin magiLänk till annan webbplats. External link.. Artikel från webbsidan Bandypuls.se.