From frost dusted streets and candlelit kirks to roaring fires and warming drams, Christmas in Orkney is a rich blend of Norse heritage and island hospitality. At the heart of it lies the legendary Ba’ Game. A fierce, rugged and historic street game played through the winding lanes and streets of Kirkwall on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Homes and buildings are barricaded and the Island is divided into two teams – Uppies and Doonies, who aim to get the Ba to their respective goals at opposite ends of Kirkwall. The Basin (Harbour) for the Doonies and Makinson’s Corner on Junction Road for the Uppies. The rules are simple – there aren’t any, the Ba is thrown, kicked and smuggled to the goal by any means necessary through the dense crowd of both sides.
With the boys Ba being thrown up at 10am on Christmas morning – it makes for a different Christmas morning for Orkney families. The mens Ba is thrown up at 1pm – and can last well in to the evening. Although this means Christmas dinner can look different for an Orkney household – the tradition and the bringing together of the community to watch or participate in the game is heartwarming, exciting and like no other place in the world!
The Ba’s themselves are locally hand crafted and donated, one to the boys and one to the men. The winner keeps them – a much sought after treasure to have in the home.
