Just imagine...waking up on Christmas morning, opening the presents, and then heading over to the local soccer stadium to catch a pro soccer game. Back in the days of the first American Soccer League, you could. Christmas Day games were regular features on the ASL schedule. Over the decade long existence of the league, a number of notable events happened in these Christmas Day matches. The first Christmas game found New York FC defeating the Brooklyn Wanderers, 3-2. Scoring a goal for the Gothams was Archie Stark, a lethal striker who would soon establish himself as soccer's "Mr. Christmas." The 1924-25 season was the beginning of the ASL's (and American soccer's) golden era, with the league expanding to 12 teams and playing a 44 game schedule. This was the first year there was a full slate of Christmas games. Bethlehem Steel, the top American team at the time, trounced Fleisher Yarn of Philadelphia, 4-1, with Archie Stark scoring 2 goals. (Stark went on to score 67 goals in 44 games that year, the American record for goals in a season). Bethlehem Steel's dynasty would soon give way to that of the greatest American side of all-time: the Fall River Marksmen won the ASL title in 1924-25 season, and repeated in 1925-26 for their second of five ASL titles. In the marquee matchup of the 25-26 season, Fall River defeated Bethlehem, 2-1. Somewhat predictably, Stark scored during the match. However, it was goals from two ex-Steelmen, Harold Brittan and Dougie Campbell, that carried the day for the Marksmen. The most goals scored by a single player in a Christmas Day match was in 1927, when the New York Giants' George Moorhouse netted 4 in a 7-2 rout of the Providence Clamdiggers. The following year saw the Boston Wonder Workers draw J&P Coats of Pawtucket, 2-2. Nothing special here, except one of the goals was scored by a young Billy Gonsalves, his first since a hat trick in his ASL debut several weeks earlier. Gonsalves, of course, would go on to a career which would allow him to lay claim to the title of greatest American-born player ever. In 1929, "Mr. Christmas" returned as Archie Stark scored two goals for Bethlehem in a 2-4 loss to the New York Giants. Not to be outdone, Bobby Yule scored a goal for the Brooklyn Wanderers in their 2-2 draw with the Hakoah all-Stars. By 1930, the ASL was on its last legs. Christmas of that year saw, among other matches, Fall River defeat Providence 2-1 behind 2 goals from Bert Patendaude who, several months earlier, became the first man to score a hat trick in the World Cup. It's not likely MLS will revert to a fall-winter anytime soon, so it looks like Christmas games will remain a thing of the past. But it's clear that fans had plenty to talk about over Christmas dinner in the 1920s. Happy Christmas!