Christmas In Orkney

Christmas in Orkney: Why Your Most Memorable Festive Season Awaits in the North

When you picture the perfect Christmas, what do you see? Decorated city streets, packed-out German markets, and a frantic rush for last-minute gifts? Now, erase that.

Instead, picture this: a 5,000-year-old tomb, built by your Neolithic ancestors, perfectly aligned to capture the brief, golden light of the winter solstice sun.

Imagine the roar of a town divided, as hundreds of men push in a primal, chaotic street-ball game that has raged for centuries. 

Picture wild, dramatic seas, cosy pubs with roaring fires, and a sky so dark it might just gift you the Northern Lights.

This is Christmas in Orkney.

For many, spending Christmas on a remote archipelago in the North Sea seems counter-intuitive.

It’s dark.

It’s wild.

But that is precisely its magic.

An Orcadian Christmas isn't a passive, commercial experience; it's a raw, soul-stirring celebration of community, history, and light's return in the deepest dark.

If you’re craving a festive season that feels real, that connects you to something ancient and powerful, this guide is for you.

We’ll explore the unique traditions, festive events, and practical tips you need to celebrate Christmas in Orkney.

The Magic of an Orkney Winter: Setting the Scene

To love Christmas in Orkney, you must first embrace the Orkney winter.

The "simmer dim" (the endless summer twilight) is a distant memory. In its place are long, dark nights and short, precious days. This isn't a drawback; it's the entire point.

The darkness makes the light more profound. A winter sunrise over the Standing Stones of Stenness is a spiritual experience. A walk along the cliffs at Yesnaby, with the Atlantic thundering against the sea stacks, makes you feel alive (but please be careful).

The wild weather is an invitation to get outside, to be battered by the wind, and then to earn your reward: retreating to a cosy cottage or a warm pub like The Kirkwall or The Ferry Inn, dram of Highland Park in hand. Or indeed a trip to our very own Barrier View Cafe to warm up and watch the dramatic scenes over the Churchill barriers.

This is Orkney’s answer to hygge—a rugged, wind-scoured warmth that feels deeply restorative. And when the skies are clear, that deep darkness offers one of the world's most spectacular festive light shows: the Aurora Borealis, or as Orcadians call them, the "Merry Dancers."

Ancient Yule: Where Christmas and the Neolithic Collide

Long before the first Christmas carol was sung, Orkney’s Neolithic inhabitants were celebrating their own festival of midwinter. The most powerful evidence of this is at Maeshowe, a 5,000-year-old chambered tomb and a masterpiece of Stone Age engineering.

Maeshowe was not built by chance. For three weeks surrounding the winter solstice (around December 21st), something incredible happens.

As the sun sets, its last rays shine directly down the tomb's 11-meter-long entrance passage, illuminating the back wall of the central chamber with a precise, golden glow.

To stand inside this ancient stone structure and watch this beam of light pierce the darkness is to share a moment with people who lived 5,000 years ago.

They built this monumental calendar to mark the day the sun "stopped" and began its long journey back, promising the return of life. It is the original celebration of light in the darkness.

Actionable Tip: Tickets for the Maeshowe winter solstice are extremely limited and sought-after. You must book months in advance via Historic Environment Scotland. If you miss out, visiting Skara Brae or the Ring of Brodgar on a crisp winter's day with fewer crowds is a magical experience in itself.

The Main Event: The Kirkwall Ba' Game

If Maeshowe is the ancient soul of Orkney's winter, the Ba' Game is its thundering, modern heart. This is the Christmas game in Orkney and a huge Kirkwall Christmas tradition.

It is a chaotic mass-football games, and it is the absolute centrepiece of Christmas in Orkney.

Played every Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, the Ba' pits two halves of the town of Kirkwall against each other: the Uppies and the Doonies. Traditionally, your team was decided by your birthplace - if you were born "up" from the Cathedral, you were an Uppie; if "doon" (down) towards the harbour, you were a Doonie.

Today, family allegiance is just as important.

How it Works:

1. The Ba': The "ball" itself is a beautiful, hand-crafted, cork-filled leather ball. A new one is made for each game.

2. The Start: At 1:00 PM (10:00 AM for the Boys' Ba'), the Ba' is thrown into the air from the Merkit cross outside the walls of St. Magnus Cathedral.

3. The "Scrum": Hundreds of men immediately form a massive, steaming, heaving scrum around the Ba'. This scrum can remain almost static for hours, moving inch by inch up or down the street.

4. The Goals: The goals are miles apart. The Uppies must touch the Ba' against a wall known as Mackison's Corner at the south end of the town. The Doonies must get the Ba' into the water of Kirkwall Bay at the harbour.

5. The "Game": There are no written rules, only traditions. It's a test of strength, strategy, and sheer endurance. The game is only over when a goal is scored, which can take anywhere from 4 minutes to over eight hours. The Ba' is then awarded to a player on the winning side who has been deemed to have played a significant role over the years (although there's a lot more that goes into it)

How to Watch the Ba': For a visitor, watching the Ba' is an unforgettable spectacle. Find a safe spot on the sidelines - the steps of the Cathedral are popular.

Be aware that the scrum can move very quickly and unexpectedly, so stay alert, listen to the marshals, and be ready to duck into a shop doorway. The atmosphere is electric, charged with centuries of friendly, fierce rivalry.

Kirkwall's Festive Sparkle: Lights, Lasses, and Local Crafts

While the Ba' is the main event, Kirkwall town centre is a festive hub in its own right. The winding, flagstoned streets of Albert Street and Victoria Street are strung with beautiful Christmas lights, all framing the magnificent red sandstone of St. Magnus Cathedral.

A cherished local tradition is the St. Lucy's Procession. Drawing on Orkney's deep Scandinavian and Norse heritage, this "Festival of Light" sees local girls, dressed in white gowns, process through the Cathedral carrying candles and singing, led by "St. Lucy" herself, who wears a crown of lit candles. It's an ethereal and beautiful event, usually held on a day near St. Lucy's Day (December 13th).

This is also the heart of Christmas shopping in Orkney. Forget generic high-street chains. Here, you shop for unique, world-renowned crafts.

• Art & Crafts: Plenty independent shops are full of local art, pottery, knitwear, and textiles. And there are plenty of craft fairs to entice you too.

• Food & Drink: Put together a "Taste of Orkney" hamper. Grab a bottle of whisky from Highland Park, gin from one of the many local distilleries (like Kirkjuvagr), Orkney cheese, and treats from Donaldson's Butchers (their haggis is legendary).

Particular mention should be given to both Shearers and the Wellpark Garden Centre - who put on a wonderful Christmas display each year. And each year it is different!

Beyond Kirkwall: The Stromness Yule Log and Island Cheer

Kirkwall doesn't have all the fun. Orkney's second-largest town, the impossibly picturesque seaport of Stromness, has its own unique traditions.

On Hogmanay (New Year's Eve), Stromness hosts the Yule Log Pull. Like the Ba' Game, this is a contest of strength between two halves of the town: the Northenders and the Soothenders.

A huge log is placed in the street, and the two teams engage in a massive tug-of-war, attempting to pull the log to their respective goals at opposite ends of the town.

It's another fantastic, chaotic, and joyous community spectacle, often followed by fireworks.

Stromness, with its winding stone alleys and artist's-perch views, is also home to the Pier Arts Centre, a world-class gallery that's perfect for a quiet, cultural afternoon.

Beyond the mainland, the smaller isles of Orkney host their own community events. You'll find local craft fairs, carol services in tiny, ancient churches, and tree-lighting ceremonies that bring the whole community together.

The Tractor Run

In between Christmas and New Year, there is also the tractor run. An event where tractors and all sort of farm machinery is decorated with lights and displays to trundle around the streets of Kirkwall, and out to Scapa beach and back.

We especially like grabbing a festive drink from Some Good Cuppa at Scapa beach and watching them go by.

And the best bit - it's all to raise money for local charities.

Your Practical Guide to a Christmas Trip to Orkney

Convinced? Here’s what you need to know.

• How to Get There: You can fly into Kirkwall (KOI) with Loganair from major Scottish cities. Or, you can take the car ferry, NorthLink Ferries, from Aberdeen, Scrabster, or Gills Bay. Book all transport well in advance, as they fill up for Christmas. And absolutely be prepared for disruption

• What to Pack: There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing. Pack thermal base layers, a 100% waterproof and windproof outer layer, a warm hat, gloves, and sturdy, waterproof boots. You’ll also want something smart for a nice festive dinner. Read our seasonal guide here.

• Where to Stay: From cosy self-catering cottages with peat fires to comfortable hotels in Kirkwall or Stromness, there are plenty of options. We recommend booking a central location in Kirkwall if you want to be in the thick of the Ba' Game action.

• What's Open? Most shops and visitor attractions (Maeshowe, Skara Brae, museums) will be open, but with reduced winter hours. They will likely be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, and January 2nd (which is a public holiday in Scotland). Pubs and restaurants will be open but very busy. Book your festive meals weeks or even months ahead.

Why an Orcadian Christmas is Unforgettable

A Christmas in Orkney is an active, not a passive, experience. It’s for the person who wants to feel the spray of the North Sea, stand in awe of 5,000 years of history, and witness a community come together in a raw, joyous, and utterly unique celebration.

You won't just watch Christmas; you'll feel it in your bones.

You'll trade the generic for the authentic, the commercial for the communal.

You’ll leave with wind-chapped cheeks, a full heart, and a story to tell that no one else who went to a simple Christmas market can ever match.