Christmas food

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "List of Christmas dishes" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (December 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) A plate of dry Italian Pavese agnolotti, with a Pavese stew-based sauce, a Christmas dish. This is a list of Christmas dishes by country.

[edit] Baklava Gjel deti me përshesh[citation needed] Trelece[citation needed]

[edit] See also: Argentine cuisine and Uruguayan cuisine Vitello tonnato is a popular Christmas dish in Argentina, where it is known as vitel toné. The Piedmontese dish is valued during the summer for its cold serving temperature, and is the legacy of the large Italian immigration to the country. Panettone (known locally as pan dulce) and turrón are the most popular Christmas sweets in Argentina regardless of socioeconomic status, with 76% of Argentines choosing the former and 59% the latter in 2015. Mantecol, a typical peanut dessert, is also popular, being favored by 49% of Argentines in the same survey. Sparkling wines, ciders and frizzantes concentrate most of their sales during Christmas season; sparkling wine is mostly consumed by small families with high and medium socioeconomic status living in Greater Buenos Aires and the country's largest cities, while cider and frizzantes are popular among lower classes and large families.

Vitel toné Turrón Pan dulce Asado (beef, chicken, calf, lamb, suckling pig) Clericó (or clericot), a sangria-like beverage that combines wine with chopped fruit. Cider (apple, pineapple) and sparkling wine Budín Salads Russian salad Waldorf salad Fruit salad Pionono Matambre Lengua a la vinagreta Garrapiñadas, dried fruits and comfits Mantecol Sandwiches de miga Pavita

[edit] Candy Cane can be hung as edible decorations. White Christmas, a sweet slice made of copha and mixed fruit Cold ham and cold turkey Seafood and salads Roast chicken, ham and turkey Stuffing Christmas cake or Christmas pudding Custard Gingerbread in Christmas shapes Christmas damper – in wreath or star shape, served with butter, jam, honey or golden syrup. Made in the Australian bush in the 19th century. Lollies, such as rocky road; rum balls; candy canes Champagne Eggnog Trifle Pavlova Prawns Mince pie Christmas cookies

[edit] This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Bock Bratwurst Christmas carp Christmas goose Glühwein Kaiserschmarrn Knödel Linzer torte Red cabbage Vanillekipferl

[edit] See also: Bengali cuisine and Bangladeshi cuisine Pitha Nankhatai Pulao Rôst Musallam Cha Homemade Christmas cake Shobji Mishti (Bengali sweets) Nakshi Pitha Chunga pitha Patishapta Pith Bhapa pitha Tel pitha

[edit] Cougnou (with various like cougnolle), sweet bread in the form of the infant Jesus

[edit] Tamales Ponche (Christmas fruit punch served hot with much fruit) pavo (turkey) Buñuelos (fluffy sweet dessert made with corn with maple syrup) chicken (prepared with different stuffings and accompanied with various side dishes such as salads or rice)

[edit] Apple cider Buñuelo Roasted chicken Cuy Chactado Potato salad Roast pork Roast turkey Chocolatada

[edit] Lombo à Califórnia – pork loins Rabanada – French toast Leitão assado – roasted piglet Peru – roast turkey Farofa Pavê – trifle Ham Bacalhau – codfish Brazil nut Arroz à grega Potato salad Salpicão – chicken salad with raisins Panettone Crème caramel Mousse Cider Grape juice Wine

[edit] Gingerbread house Bûche de Noël Butter tarts Candy canes Christmas pudding Eggnog Fruitcake Mince pie Cranberry sauce Roasted turkey Brussels Sprouts Mashed Potatoes and Gravy Shortbread Stuffing (also known as Trimming or Dressing) Trifle Tourtière Ragoût de Boulettes (Meatball Stew) Ragoût de Pattes de Cochon (Stewed Pig's Feet) Salted Beef (commonly known as Corned Beef) Fish and Brewis Gingerbread cookies (or Ginger and Molasses cookies) Figgy duff (pudding) Christmas slush (made from a mixture of fruit juices, vodka, ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda) Roasted chestnuts Christmas cookies Snowball dessert (made with cocoa, rolled oats and coconut) Nanaimo Bar Mulled Wine Christmas Ham Tarte au sucre Hot chocolate (also known as "hot cocoa", in various flavours like peppermint, white chocolate, etc.) Gingerbread house Sweet potatoes or Yam Hot Apple cider Raw Caribou, Seal meat, and Muktuk (eaten in Nunuvut by the local Indigenous communities) Arctic char (raw or cooked)

[edit] Pan de pascua Cola de mono – (literally, "monkey's tail") a Chilean Christmas beverage, with aguardiente, milk, coffee, and flavoured with vanilla and cloves Pan de Pascua – Chilean Christmas sponge cake flavoured with cloves and with bits of candied fruits, raisins, walnuts and almonds. Roasted turkey Ponche a la romana – eggnog-style beverage made of champagne and pineapple-flavoured icecream.

[edit] Colombian BuñuelosColombian natillaColombian Christmas dishes are mostly sweets and desserts. Some of the most popular dishes include: Buñuelos Natilla Manjar blanco Hojaldres Brevas (Candied figs with cheese) Christmas cookies Sweet bread filled with fruits like raisins and raspberries. Lechona (rice baked inside a pig, with peas, the meat of the pig and other delicacies) Tamales Ponqué envinado (red wine cake) Turkey Pernil de Cerdo (pork leg, usually roasted) Potato salad Panettone

[edit] Crema De Vie – Eggnog made with rum, lemon rind, and spices. Majarete – A pudding made with corn, cornstarch, milk, lemon rind, spices, and sugar Platillo Moros y Cristianos Lechon asado Turrón

[edit] Christmas cookies (vánoční cukroví) Kapustnica – Christmas cabbage soup Fish soup Christmas carp Potato salad with mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs and boiled vegetables Kuba – groats and mushrooms Grilled white sausage Vánoční cukroví – Christmas cookies Christmas bread (vánočka) Fruitcake Gingerbread Before the Christmas holidays, many kinds of sweet biscuits are prepared. These sweet biscuits are then served during the whole Christmas period and exchanged among friends and neighbours. Also very popular are a preparation of small gingerbreads garnished by sugar icing.

[edit] Danish Christmas meal Main article: Danish cuisine Æbleskiver – traditional Danish dough ball made in a special pan (a type of doughnut with no hole), sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with raspberry or strawberry jam Sylte – a form of head cheese, a terrine or meat jelly made from pork, traditionally pig's head was used Julesild – spiced pickled herring often flavoured with Christmas spices such as cloves and allspice Boiled whole potatoes Brun sovs (brown sauce) – a traditional dark gravy, used to cover meat dishes like roasted pork and duck (flæskesteg, andesteg) and the boiled potato Brunede kartofler – caramelised potatoes Julebryg – Christmas beer Gløgg – mulled red wine combined with spices, sugar, raisins and chopped almonds typically served warm Risalamande – rice pudding. A dish made from rice, whipped cream and almonds, served cold with cherry sauce (kirsebærsauce) Flæskesteg – roast pork with cracklings Andesteg – roast duck with apple and prune stuffing Rødkål – red cabbage pickled, sweet-sour red cabbage served hot as a side dish Christmas cookies – Vaniljekranse, klejner, jødekager, pebernødder, honningkager, brunkager and finskbrød Konfekt, marzipan, caramelised fruits, nougat and chocolate-covered nuts Ground nuts

[edit] Croquette Empanada Ensalada Rusa – Olivier salad (Russian potato salad) Ensalada verde – iceberg lettuce, onions, cucumber, and tomatoes salad Moro de guandules con coco – rice with pigeon peas and coconut milk Pasteles de hojas – Puerto Rican tamales Pastelon – casserole Pig roast Pollo al horno – roasted chicken Telera – Dominican bread similar to Mexican sandwich rolls Drinks:

Anisette – anise-flavored liquor Guavaberry – a drink from the Lesser Antilles historic Saint Martin natives now a part of the Dominican Republics Christmas tradition Ponche crema – eggnog Jengibre – ginger tea with spices and lemon Mandarin Liqueur – Mandarin peels fermented with rum and sugar Desserts:

Buñuelos – fried cassava dough balls covered in spiced flavored syrup Turrón – honey and almond nougat. Tradition from Spain Vaniljekranse – Danish butter cookies Fruits and nuts – a variety of nuts, fresh, and dried fruit

[edit] Main article: Cuisine of Finland A Karelian pasty Mulled wine Christmas smorgasbord from Finland, "joulupöytä", (translated "Yule table"), a traditional display of Christmas food served at Christmas in Finland, similar to the Swedish smörgåsbord, including:

Christmas ham with mustard (almost every family has one for Christmas) Freshly salted salmon (gravlax graavilohi) and whitefish graavisiika Pickled herring in various forms (tomato, mustard, matjes or onion sauces) Rosolli (cold salad dish with diced beetroot, potato and carrot – some varieties also incorporate apple) Lutefisk and Béchamel sauce Whitefish and pikeperch Potato casserole (sweetened or not, depending on preference) Boiled potatoes Carrot casserole Rutabaga casserole (lanttulaatikko) Various sauces Assortment of cheese, most commonly (leipäjuusto) and Aura (aura-juusto) Christmas bread, usually sweet bread (joululimppu) Karelian pasties, rice pasties, served with egg-butter (karjalanpiirakka) Other meat dishes could be:

Karelian hot pot, traditional meat stew originating from the region of Karelia (karjalanpaisti) Desserts:

Rice pudding or rice porridge topped with cinnamon, sugar and cold milk or with mixed fruit soup (riisipuuro) Joulutorttu, traditionally a star-shaped piece of puff-pastry with prune marmalade in the middle Gingerbread, sometimes in the form of a gingerbread house or gingerbread man (piparkakut) Mixed fruit soup or prune soup, kissel (sekahedelmäkiisseli, luumukiisseli) Drinks:

Glögg or mulled wine (glögi) Christmas beer (jouluolut); local manufacturers produce Christmas varieties "Home beer" (non-alcoholic beer-like drink, similar to the Russian beverage kvass) (kotikalja)

[edit] Foie gras en cocotte Oysters Foie gras Smoked salmon Scallops Champagne Crêpes (Brittany) Chapon (roasted chicken) Dinde aux Marrons (chestnut-stuffed turkey) Ganzeltopf (goose) (Alsace) Goose (Normandy) Bûche de Noël Kouglof (Alsace) Thirteen desserts (Provence): The thirteen desserts are the traditional Christmas dessert in the French region of Provence. The Christmas supper ends with 13 dessert items, representing Jesus Christ and the 12 apostles. The desserts are traditionally set out Christmas Eve and remain on the table three days until December 27. Walnut Quince cheese Almond Raisin Calisson of Aix-en-Provence Nougat blanc Nougat noir au miel Apple Pear Orange Winter melon Fougasse (Provençal bread)

[edit] A Christmas Stollen Christstollen – Stollen is a fruitcake with bits of candied fruits, raisins, walnuts and almonds and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon; sprinkled with confectioners sugar. Often there's also a core of marzipan. Pflaumentoffel Christmas carp Pfefferkuchenhaus – a gingerbread house decorated with candies, sweets and sugar icing (in reference to the gingerbread house of the fairy tale Hänsel and Gretel) Printen Oblaten Lebkuchen Springerle Weihnachtsplätzchen (Christmas cookies) Roast goose, often paired with kartoffelklosse Venison – e.g. meat of roe deer usually served with red cabbage, brussels sprout and lingonberry sauce Herring salad – salad of pickled or soused herring, beetroot, potatoes, apple Kartoffelsalat (potato salad) with Wurst (sausages) is traditionally eaten in northern Germany for supper on Christmas Eve Schäufele (a corned, smoked ham) usually served with potato salad in southern Germany for dinner on Christmas Eve Weisswurst – sausages with veal and bacon, usually flavored with parsley, lemon, mace, onions, ginger and cardamom Feuerzangenbowle Glühwein (hot spiced wine)

[edit] Kourabiedes Melomakarono Diples Christopsomo (Christmas bread) Pork or turkey

[edit] Chicken Creole (Haitian stewed chicken) Djon Djon Pikliz

[edit] Töltött káposzta Christmas carp Fish soup (halászlé) various recipes Stuffed cabbage (töltött káposzta) Roast goose Roast duck Pastry roll filled with walnut or poppy seed (bejgli) Bread pudding with poppy seed (mákos guba or bobájka) Szaloncukor Cheesy Garlic Bread Sticks

[edit] Möndlugrautur Hamborgarhryggur – a smoked, cured pork roast. Lambalæri - heated or smoked sheep meat from a sheep's foot. Ptarmigan – gamebird in the grouse family Hangikjöt Oven-roasted turkey Beverage combination of Malt and Appelsín. Jarðarberjagrautur Möndlugrautur – a Christmas rice pudding with an almond hidden inside (the same as the Swedish Julgröt) Caramelised potatoes Pickled red cabbage Smákökur – small cookies of various sorts Jólasúkkulaðibitakökur Loftkökur Mömmukökur Sörur Spesiur Gyðingakökur Piparkökur Marens Kornflexkökur Laufabrauð – round, very thin flat cakes with a diameter of about 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 inches), decorated with leaf-like, geometric patterns and fried briefly in hot fat or oil

[edit] Indian Christians and Pakistani Christians in Indian subcontinent celebrate Christmas by enjoying several dishes, such as Allahabadi cake, Candy canes, Plum cakes etc. Some of the popular dishes eaten during Christmas in India and Pakistan are:

Allahabadi cake. Christmas cake – a type of fruit cake. Mathri – a traditional flaky biscuit. Gulab Jamun – a traditional sweet prepared with khoa. Walnut fudge Jalebi Mincemeatpie Kheer – boiled rice cooked with milk, sugar, saffron and is garnished with nuts such as almonds and pistachios. It can also be made with barley. Chhena Poda – a dessert made with Chhena (cottage cheese) which is slightly roasted and soaked in sugar syrup. It is garnished with cashew nuts and served. Chhena Poda is popular in the Odisha state of India. It is eaten during the Christmas season but is available throughout the year. Ghee cookies Rose cookies Bolinhas de coco – a type of coconut cookies Chocolate covered fruit Marzipan Dumplings – dumplings filled with Indian spices with a sweet or savoury filling. Tarts Nankhatai Neureos – a kind of dumpling made of semolina, khoa and nutlet. Roast chicken Dates roll- a type of Christmas cookies with dates Bebinca – a dessert popular in Goa which is eaten during Christmas season. Biryani Stew – stews prepared with chicken, mutton, fish. Candy canes Cormolas Milk cream – milk fudge Chocolate candies Vindaloo – a spicy Goan curry with pork made during Christmas. Fruits, such as apple, orange, guava. Mixed nuts Kulkuls Pilaf Duck curry Jujubee Cupcakes Drinks, such as cider, ginger ale, etc. Church services are also held in churches throughout India and Pakistan, in which Christmas dinners are held which include dishes such as Allahabadi cake, candy canes, Christmas cookies. The Koswad is a set of sweets and snacks prepared in the Christmastide by people of the Konkan region. South Indian states such as Kerala have traditions observed of home-brewed wine, mostly grapes but sometimes other fruits as well like apple and rose apple; ethnic recipes of slow-cooked beef fry, rice and coconut Hoppers, lamb stew, fried rice Indian and fusion style; desserts such as Falooda, pastry, and a whole array of steamed, boiled or baked sweets, often with coconut, jaggery, sugar and spices such as cardamom and cloves (Achappam, Murukku, Tapioca chip, Sukiyan, Neyyappam).

[edit] Gulai Klappertaart Poffertjes Ayam rica-rica Lampet Rendang Kohu-kohu Kidney bean soup

[edit] Ash-e doogh Aush reshteh Baghali polo Chelow kebab Kafbikh Nan-o-kabab Tahchin

[edit] Christmas cake Christmas pudding Irish coffee Minced pie Sherry Trifle Spiced beef (traditionally served in Ireland and Northern Ireland) Roast turkey

[edit] Main article: Christmas in Italy See also: Italian cuisine and List of Italian dishes Panettone Cappelletti Abbacchio Struffoli Christmas in Italy (Italian: Natale, pronounced [naˈtaːle]) is one of the country's major holidays and begins on 8 December, with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the day on which traditionally the Christmas tree is mounted and ends on 6 January, of the following year with the Epiphany (Italian: Epifania [epifaˈniːa]). According to tradition, the Christmas Eve dinner must not contain meat. A popular Christmas Day dish in Naples and in Southern Italy is capitone, which is a female eel. A traditional Christmas Day dish from Northern Italy is capon (gelded chicken). Abbacchio is more common in Central Italy. The Christmas Day dinner traditionally consists by typical Italian Christmas dishes, such as abbacchio, agnolini, cappelletti, Pavese agnolotti, panettone, pandoro, torrone, panforte, struffoli, mustacciuoli, bisciola, cavallucci, veneziana, pizzelle, zelten, or others, depending on the regional cuisine. Christmas on 25 December is celebrated with a family lunch, also consisting of different types of pasta and meat dishes, cheese and local sweets.

Abbacchio (Central Italy). Agnolini (Mantua) – a type of egg-based stuffed pasta. Bisciola (Valtellina) – an artisanal Italian sweet leavened bread. Cappelletti (Emilia-Romagna and Marche) – a ring-shaped Italian stuffed pasta so called for the characteristic shape that resembles a hat (cappello in Italian). Capon (Northern Italy). Cavallucci (Siena) – a rich Italian Christmas pastry prepared with anise, walnuts, candied fruits, coriander, and flour. Eel (Southern Italy). Pandoro (Verona) – a sweet originally from Verona. Pandoro is today the most consumed Italian Christmas dessert together with panettone. Panforte (Tuscany) – a traditional chewy Italian dessert containing fruits and nuts. Panettone (Milan) – a type of sweet bread and fruitcake, originally from Milan, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Western, Southern, and Southeastern Europe, as well as in South America, Eritrea, Australia, the United States and Canada. Pavese agnolotti (Oltrepò pavese) – a type of egg-based stuffed pasta of the Lombard cuisine served hot or warm. Pizzelle (Ortona) – an Italian waffle cookies made from flour, eggs, sugar, butter or vegetable oil, and flavoring (usually anise or anisette, less commonly vanilla or lemon zest). Prosecco (Veneto) Mustacciuoli (Naples) – a dessert having a soft, spicy, cake-like interior covered in chocolate. Spumante (Piedmont) Struffoli (Naples) – a type of deep-fried dough. Torrone (Northern Italy) – a sweet containing whole hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios or only have nut meal added to the nougat. Veneziana (Milan) – a sweet covered with sugar grains or almond icing. Zelten (Trentino) – a sweet prepared using rye flour, wheat flour, dried and candied fruits, orange zest, and various spices.

[edit] Christmas (fruit) cake or black cake – a heavy fruit cake made with dried fruit, wine and rum. Sorrel – often served to guests with Christmas cake; Sorrel is made from the same sepals as Latin American drink "Jamaica," but is more concentrated and usually flavored with ginger. Adding rum is traditional at Christmas time. Curry goat Rice and peas – a Sunday staple, at Christmas dinner is usually made with green (fresh) gungo (pigeon) peas instead of dried kidney beans or other dried legumes. Christmas ham Chicken Pine and ginger

[edit] Christmas cake – the Japanese style Christmas cake is often a white cream cake, sponge cake frosted with whipped cream, topped with strawberries and with a chocolate plate that says Merry Christmas. Yule Logs are also available. Christmas cookies - A Christmas sugar cookie's main ingredients are sugar, flour, butter, eggs, vanilla, and baking powder. Sugar cookies may be formed by hand, dropped, or rolled and cut into shapes. They are commonly decorated with additional sugar, icing, Christmas sprinkles. Decorative shapes and figures can be cut into the rolled-out dough using a cookie cutter. Christmas cupcakes Crème caramel pudding in Japan - a crème caramel ubiquitous in Japanese convenience stores under the name custard pudding. Made with eggs, sugar and milk, sometimes served with whipped cream and a cherry on top. French fries Fruit parfait - Made by boiling cream, egg, sugar and syrup to create layers differentiated by the inclusion of such ingredients as corn flakes and vanilla ice cream. Topped with melon, banana, peach, orange, apple, kiwi, cherries and strawberries and whipped cream. Gingerbread house Ice cream KFC fried chicken – turkey as a dish is virtually unknown in Japan and the popularity of KFC's fried chicken at Christmas is such that orders are placed as much as two months in advance. Nabemono Poached egg salad Shōyu ramen Tamagoyaki - Japanese Omelette Yakiniku

[edit] South Korea celebrates Christmas as a holiday after support of the united nations during the Korean War. Generally, Christmas themed foods similar to the ones found in western countries are enjoyed. Because North Korea bans any form of religion, Christmas is not allowed.

[edit] Twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper – twelve dishes representing the twelve Apostles or twelve months of the year – plays the main role in Lithuanian Christmas tradition. The traditional dishes are served on December 24. Poppy milk (aguonų pienas) Slizikai ( or kūčiukai) – slightly sweet small pastries made from leavened dough and poppy seed Auselės (Deep fried dumplings) Herring with carrots (silkė su morkomis) Herring with mushrooms (silkė su grybais) Cranberry Kissel - thickened and sweetened juice normally served warm

[edit] Bolo Rei – a type of cake Candy canes Christmas cake Christmas pudding Chap chye – a vegetable stew Devil's curry – from the Eurasian tradition Egg salad Steamboat – a hotpot dish for communal Jiaozi Kue semprong Pineapple tart Semur Vindaloo – a spicy Goan curry made usually with pork

[edit] Panettone – from the Italian tradition Fruitcake – from British influence Christmas/Yule log (cake) – a log (similar to a tree's) that is made from chocolate and candied fruits Mince Pies – from British influence Timpana – traditionally served as a starter Roast Turkey – from British influence

[edit] Christmas roast Meat Roasted turkey – stuffed, roasted turkey served with gravy. Glazed ham – ham glazed with honey or sugar dressed with cherries and pineapples. Jamón (Spanish Dry-Cured Ham) Lechon Seafood Bacalao – cod Basque style. Traditionally eaten in the central and southern states of Mexico. Shrimp – cocktail or prepared in Torrejas (dried shrimp pancakes) Octopus – cocktail Crab Stews Menudo – a Christmas morning tradition in northwestern states, Menudo is a tripe and hominy soup. Menudo is often prepared the night before (Christmas Eve) as its cooking time can take up to 5 hours. Pozole – hominy soup with added pork Salads and other side dishes Tamales – can sometimes replace the traditional turkey or Bacalao with romeritos, particularly in northern and southern parts of Mexico. Ensalada Navideña – Christmas salad with apples, raisins, pecans, and marshmallows. Ensalada de Noche Buena – Christmas Eve salad Ensalada Rusa – potato salad, particularly popular in northern states. Romeritos – also a Christmas tradition of the central region, romeritos are small green leaves similar to rosemary mixed generally with mole and potatoes. Sweets Buñuelo – fried sweet pastry Capirotada – bread pudding Turrón Cocada – coconut candy Volteado de piña – pineapple upside-down cake. Turned-over cake with cherries and pineapples. Carlota de Chocolate – cake Mantecados and polvorones – crumbly cakes Marzipan, almond cakes Pan dulce – sweet rolls Churros Fresh Fruit Tejocotes Guayabas Caña de azucar - Sugar cane Drinks Champurrado – thick hot chocolate Chocolate – hot chocolate Cidra – apple cider Atole – corn based drink Rompope – similar to eggnog Ponche Navideño – a hot, sweet drink made with apples, sugar cane, prunes and tejocotes. For grown-ups, ponche is never complete without its "piquete" – either tequila or rum

[edit] Banket Mandarin orange Marzipan Mixed spice Mulled wine Oliebol (more widely considered as a New Years' classic) Speculaas Kerstkransjes Rollade

[edit] A homemade Christmas pavlova decorated with pomegranate seeds and Chantilly cream. Cherries Christmas pudding Christmas mince pies Ham Hāngī Lamb Lollies (candy) such as candy canes Pavlova Potato salad Seafood Strawberries Trifle Wine

[edit] Scandinavian-style gingerbread Akevitt – Akvavit, a spirit flavored with spices like caraway and aniseed Gløgg – mulled wine Julepølse – pork sausage made with powdered ginger, cloves, mustard seeds and nutmeg. Served steamed or roasted. Pinnekjøtt – salted, dried, and sometimes smoked lamb's ribs which are rehydrated and then steamed, traditionally over birch branches Svineribbe – pork belly roasted whole with the skin on. Usually served with red or pickled cabbage, gravy and boiled potatoes. Risgrøt – Christmas rice porridge with an almond hidden inside Julebrus – Norwegian soft drink, usually with a festive label on the bottle. It is brewed by most Norwegian breweries, as a Christmas drink for minors. Julekake – Norwegian yeast cake with dried fruits and spices Sosisser – small Christmas sausages Medisterkaker – large meatballs made from a mix of pork meat and pork fat Raudkål/Rødkål – sweet and sour red cabbage, as a side dish Kålrabistappe/Kålrotstappe – Purée of rutabaga, as a side dish Peparkake/Pepperkake – gingerbread-like spice cookies flavoured with black pepper Lussekatter – St. Lucia Buns with saffron Multekrem – a dessert consisting of cloudberries and whipped cream Riskrem – Risalamande

[edit] Arroz con Pollo Tamales Ham Turkey Grapes Fruit cake Egg nog Potato salad Pan de Rosca Pan Bon Spaghetti

[edit] Apple cider Beef tongue sometimes covered in vinaigrette Cider Clericó (citric alcoholic drink made out of a mix of fruits and wine) Roasted chicken Potato salad Roast pork Sopa paraguaya

[edit] See also: Christmas Eve § Philippines Typical traditional noche buena meal in the Philippines, with a lechón as the centerpiece Large bibingka from the Philippines Adobo Almondigas (meatballs) Arroz valenciana Bibingka – traditional dessert made with rice flour, sugar, clarified butter and coconut milk; baked in layers and topped with butter and sugar. Biko Buko salad (young coconut salad) Caldereta Callos Castañas (roasted chestnuts) Champorado Chicken galantina Chicken pastel Churro Crema de fruta Embutido Fruitcake Fruit salad Filipino spaghetti Ham Hamonado Inihaw Kinutil Leche flan Lechon Lengua estofado Lumpia Mango float Macaroni salad Mechado Membrilyo Menudo Morcon Paelya Pancit Puto bumbong – a purple-coloured Filipino dessert made of sweet rice cooked in hollow bamboo tubes placed on a special steamer-cooker. When cooked, they are spread with margarine and sprinkled with sugar and grated coconut. Queso de bola (edam cheese) Relyenong bangus (stuffed milkfish) Sapin-sapin Suman Tsokolate Turon Ube halaya

[edit] On 24 December, Christmas Eve, twelve dishes are served as a reminder of the Twelve Apostles. Polish people often do not eat meat on this day; instead, they choose from a variety of fish and vegetable dishes. The meal begins when the first star is seen.

Barszcz with Uszka Makowiec Barszcz (beetroot soup) with uszka (small dumplings) - a classic Polish Christmas starter. Pierogi with sauerkraut and forest mushrooms; filled with cottage cheese and potatoes Zupa rybna – fish soup Żurek – soup made of soured rye flour and meat Zupa grzybowa – mushroom soup made of various forest mushrooms Bigos – savory stew of cabbage and meat Kompot – traditional drink a light, refreshing drink most often made of dried or fresh fruit boiled in water with sugar and left to cool and infuse. Gołąbki – cabbage rolls Pieczarki marynowane – marinated mushrooms Kartofle gotowane – simple boiled potatoes sprinkled with parsley or dill Kulebiak – with fish or cabbage and wild mushrooms filling Ryba smażona or ryba po grecku – fried fish laid under layers of fried shredded carrots, onions, root celery and leek Sałatka jarzynowa – salad made with boiled potatoes and carrots with fresh peas, sweetcorn, dill cucumber, and boiled egg, mixed with mayonnaise. Łamaniec – type of flat and rather hard pancake that is soaked in warm milk with poppy seeds. Eaten in eastern regions such as around * Białystok Makowiec – poppy seed roll

[edit] Bolo-Rei Bacalhau – codfish Cabrito assado – roasted goat Borrego assado – roasted lamb Polvo cozido – boiled octopus Polvo à lagareiro - dish based on octopus, olive oil, potatoes (batatas a murro), grelos and garlic. Carne de Vinha d' Alhos – mainly served in Madeira – pork dish Bolo de mel – mainly served in Madeira - Cake made with molasses Bolo Rei (king cake) – a beautifully decorated fluffy fruitcake Bolo-Rei escangalhado (broken king cake) – it is like the first one, but has also cinnamon and chilacayote jam (doce de gila) Bolo-Rainha (queen cake) – similar to Bolo-Rei, but with only nuts, raisins and almonds Bolo-Rei de chocolate – it is like the Bolo-Rei, but has less (or no) fruit, nuts, chilacayote jam and many chocolate chips Broa castelar – a small, soft and thin cake made of sweet potato and orange Fatias douradas – slices of pan bread, soaked in egg with sugar, fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon Rabanadas – they are like fatias douradas, but made with common bread Aletria – composed of pasta, milk, butter, sugar, eggs, lemon peel, cinnamon powder and salt Formigos – a delicious dessert made with sugar, eggs, pieces of bread, almonds, port wine and cinnamon powder Filhós / Filhozes / Filhoses – depending on the region, they may be thin or fluffy pieces of a fried dough made of eggs, honey, orange, lemon, flour and anise, sprinkled - or not with icing sugar Coscorões – thin squares of a fried orange flavoured dough Azevias de grão, batata-doce ou gila – deep fried thin dough pastries filled with a delicious cream made of chickpea, sweet potato or chilacayote, powdered with sugar and cinnamon Tarte de amêndoa – almond pie Tronco de Natal – Christmas log – a Swiss roll, resembling a tree's trunk, filled with chocolate cream, decorated with chocolate and mini – 2 cm Christmas trees Lampreia de ovos – a sweet made of eggs, well decorated Sonhos – an orange flavoured fried yeast dough, powdered with icing sugar Velhoses – they are like the sonhos, but made with pumpkin Bolo de Natal – Christmas cake Pudim de Natal – Christmas pudding, similar to flan Vinho quente – mulled wine made with boiled wine, egg yolk, sugar and cinnamon Turkey – on the island of Terceira, turkey has recently taken over as the traditional Christmas dish over Bacalhau, due to the influence of American culture on the island, home to the United States Air Force's 65th Air Base Wing.

[edit] Arroz con gandules – yellow-rice, pigeon peas, olives, capers, pieces of pork, spices and sofrito cooked in the same pot. Escabeche – pickled green bananas or cassava and chicken gizzards. Macaroni salad – with canned tuna and peppers. Morcilla – blood sausage. Pasteles – Puerto Rican tamle made from milk, broth, root vegetables, squash, green banana, plantain dough, stuffed with meat, and wrapped in banana leaves. Hallaca – tamale made from grated cassava and stuffed with meat wrapped in banana leaves. Pastelón – sweet plantain "lasagna". Pig roast – Puerto Rico is famous for their pig roast. It is also a part (along with arroz con gandules) of their national dish. Potato salad – most commonly made with apples, chorizo and hard-boiled eggs. Potatoes are sometimes replaced with cassava. Drinks:

Bilí – Spanish limes or cherries fermented in rum with spices, brown sugar, citrus peels, bay leaves, avocado leaves, often cucumber, ginger, and coconut shells. Coquito – spiced coconut eggnog. Coquito de guayaba - spiced guava eggnog with cream cheese or coconut milk added. Piña colada Rum punch – rum, orange liqueur, grenadine, ginger ale, grapefruit juice served with fruit, lemon and lime slices. La Danza – champagne with passion fruit juice, orange liqueur, lime juice, lemon juice, and strawberry juice. Dessert:

Arroz con dulce – Spiced coconut and raisin rice pudding. Bread pudding – soaked in coconut milk and served with a guava rum sauce. Dulce de cassabanana – musk cucumber cooked in syrup topped with walnuts and sour cream on the side. Dulce de papaya con queso – Fermented green papaya with spices and sugar syrup served with ausubal cheese or fresh white cheese. Flancocho – Crème caramel with a layer of cream cheese and Puerto Rican style spongecake underneath. Majarete – rice and coconut custard. Made with coconut cream, marshmallows, milk, rice flour, sugar, vanilla and sour orange leaves with cinnamon served on top. Rum cake Tembleque – a pudding made with cornstarch, coconut cream, sugar, milk, orange blossom water and coconut milk. Turrón – Sesame brittle or almond brittle. Mantecaditos – Puerto Rican shortbread cookies. Made with shortening, coconut butter, flour, almond flour, vanilla, nutmeg and almond extract. They are usually filled with guava jam or pineapple jam in the middle. Natilla – Milk, coconut cream and egg yolk custard made with additional cinnamon, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest and orange blossom water. Served in individual ramekins with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

[edit] CozonacRomanian Christmas foods are mostly pork-based dishes. Five days before Christmas, Romanians are celebrating the Ignat Day, a religious holy day dedicated to the Holy Martyr Ignatius Theophorus, associated with a practice that takes place especially on villages scattered around the country: the ritual of slaughtering the pigs. And they are using everything from the pigs: from their blood to their ears. Five days later their tables are filled not only with generous pork roasts but also with: Piftie – pork jelly, made only with pork meat, vegetables and garlic Lebăr – liver sausages, a local variety of liverwurst Caltaboș – sausages made from organs Cârnaţi – pork-based sausages Sângerete – blood sausages Tobă – head cheese made from various cuttings of pork, liver boiled, diced and "packed" in pork stomach like a salami Sarmale – rolls of cabbage pickled in brine and filled with meat and rice (see sarma) Salată de boeuf – a more recent dish, but highly popular, this type of salad uses boiled vegetables and meat (beef, poultry, even ham). It can include potatoes, carrots, pickled red peppers and cucumbers, egg whites bits. Everything is mixed together with mayonnaise and mustard. Cozonac, the Romanian equivalent of panettone or sweet bread. Strong spirits: Palinka, Rachiu, Ţuică

[edit] Main articles: Serbian cuisine and Montenegrin cuisine Česnica – Christmas soda bread with a silver coin to bring health and good luck baked in the bread. Koljivo – boiled wheat which is used liturgically in the Eastern Orthodox and Greek Catholic Churches. Riblja čorba for Christmas Eve

[edit] Christmas is in the summer in South Africa, so many summer fruits such as watermelon and cantaloupes are enjoyed at this time. Popular desserts include trifle, melktert and peppermint crisp tart. Many people in South Africa hold Braai for Christmas or New Year's Day.

Beef tongue Gammon Potato salad Garden Salad Turducken Turkey Braaivleis Boerewors Potjiekos Breyani Bobotie Meatballs Fried chicken Trifle Fruitcake Mince Pies Influenced by British tradition, mince pies filled with dried fruits and spices are enjoyed over the holidays. Christmas pudding Ice cream Melktert Peppermint crisp tart – fridge tart made with peppermint crisp, caramel treat and tennis biscuits Yogurt tart – fridge tart Cookies Hertzoggies Lamingtons Watermelon Melon Mango Pineapple Strawberries Peanuts Lollies such as candy canes

[edit] Jamón, jamón ibérico (Spanish dry-cured ham). Fish: oven gilt-head bream, oven sea bass, elvers. Seafood: Langostinos (king prawn), Shrimp, Lobster, Crab. Meat: Roasted turkey, Roasted lamb. Sweets: Turrón Turrón Yema – egg-based dessert Mantecados and polvorones – crumbly cakes Marzipan – almond cakes King cake known as roscón de Reyes in Spanish and tortell in Catalan. Frutas de Aragón - a confit of fruit covered in chocolate Peladillas - sugared almonds Churros cider

[edit] Julbord Christmas dinner in Sweden Julbord - Christmas smorgasbord ("Christmas table"), a catch-all term for all the dishes served during Christmas Eve: Köttbullar – Swedish meatballs Julskinka – Christmas ham Dopp i grytan ("dipping in the kettle") – dipping bread slices in the ham broth after boiling the Christmas ham. Prinskorv – small hot dog sausages Fläskkorv – big pork sausage Isterband – smoked fresh pork sausage Revbensspjäll – spare ribs Inlagd sill – pickled herring (usually of different types) Gravad lax – lox Janssons frestelse ("Jansson's temptation") – warm, scalloped potato casserole with "ansjovis" (a type of swedish spiced and pickled european sprat), not to be confused with anchovies. Vörtlimpa – Swedish rye bread with grated orange peel made for Christmas, with or without raisins. Knäckebröd – dry crisp bread Rödkål – sweet and sour red cabbage, as a side dish Grönkål – sweet and sour kale as a side dish Brunkål ("brown cabbage") – cabbage flavoured with syrup, hence the name Rödbetor – sliced beet root An array of cheeses – bondost, herrgårdsost, prästost, mesost (hard goat milk cheese) Mumma – mixed drink Lutfisk – lye-fish (whitefish) that has been boiled served with white gravy Julmust – a traditional, very sweet, stout-like, Christmas soft drink, originally intended as an alternative to alcohol beverage called Mumma Glögg – mulled wine Knäck or Christmas butterscotch – Christmas toffee Pepparkakor (gingerbread) – brown cookies flavoured with a variety of traditional Christmas spices Julost – Christmas cheese Julgröt – Christmas rice pudding with an almond hidden inside Lussekatter – Saint Lucy saffron buns Limpa bread – orange and rye spice bread

[edit] Anisbrötli Basler Läckerli Baumstriezel Cardon argenté épineux genevois Fondue Grittibänz Lebkuchen Mailänderli [de] Pain d'épices Panettone Spitzbube [de] Tirggel

[edit] In Trinidad and Tobago traditional meals consists of generous helpings of baked ham, pastelles, black fruit cake, sweet breads, along with traditional drinks such as sorrel, ginger beer, and ponche de crème. The ham is the main item on the Christmas menu with sorrel to accompany it.

Christmas ham Sorrel Pastelles also known as Hallacas Ponche de crème – a version of eggnog Black cake

[edit] Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians in Ukraine traditionally have two Christmas dinners. The first is a Lent Dinner, it is held on January 6 and should consist of meatless dishes. The second is a Christmas Festive dinner held on January 7, when the meat dishes and alcohol are already allowed on the table. The dinner normally has 12 dishes which represent Jesus's 12 disciples. Both Christmas dinners traditionally include a number of authentic Ukrainian dishes, which have over thousand-year history and date back to pagan times.

Kutia Uzvar Varenyky Borshch Deruny Pampushky Holubtsi Makivnyk

[edit] Main article: British cuisine Christmas pudding In the United Kingdom, what is now regarded as the traditional meal consists of roast turkey with cranberry sauce, served with roast potatoes and parsnips and other vegetables, followed by Christmas pudding, a heavy steamed pudding made with dried fruit, suet, and very little flour. Other roast meats may be served, and in the nineteenth century the traditional roast was goose. The same carries over to Ireland with some variations.

Beef Wellington (alternative main course) Brandy butter Bread sauce Brussels sprouts Candy canes Chocolate yule log Christmas cake Christmas ham (usually a honey or marmalade glazed roast or boiled gammon joint) Christmas pudding Cranberry sauce Devils on horseback Dundee cake (traditional Scottish fruit cake) Gingerbread Mince pies Mulled wine Nut roast (a popular vegetarian alternative) Pigs in blanketsPigs in blankets (Chipolata sausages wrapped in bacon) Roast turkey Roasted chestnuts Roast duck Roast goose Roast pheasant Spiced beef (traditionally served in Ireland and Northern Ireland) Trifle Tunis Cake Twelfth Night Cake (traditionally eaten on the final day of Christmas) Yorkshire Christmas pie (primarily historical)

[edit] Roast turkey Christmas ham Apple cider Boiled custard Candy canes Champagne, or sparkling apple cider Chocolate fudge Christmas cookies Cranberry sauce Eggnog Fish as part of the Feast of the Seven Fishes Fruitcake Gingerbread, often in the form of a gingerbread house or gingerbread man Christmas ham Hawaiian bread Hot buttered rum Hot chocolate Mashed potatoes Mixed nuts, chestnuts, dried figs, dried dates Oyster stew, composed of oysters simmered in cream or milk and butter. Persimmon pudding Pie Apple pie Pecan pie Pumpkin pie Sweet potato pie Pork Loin Red velvet cake Roast Beef, often made using more expensive/luxury cuts such as Beef Tenderloin or Prime Rib Russian tea cakes Stuffing, sometimes referred to as “dressing.” Sweet Potatoes, often roasted with sugar and spices (“candied yams”) or baked into a casserole Tom and Jerry Turkey, perhaps the archetypal main course in the traditional American Christmas Dinner. Other fowl - especially duck, goose, chicken or pheasant - sometimes take the place of turkey as a main course, but are much less common. See also: Thanksgiving Dinner (many dishes tend to be similar)

[edit] Hallaca Hallaca – rectangle-shaped meal made of maize, filled with beef, pork, chicken, olives, raisins and caper, and wrapped in plantain leaves and boiled to cook. Pan de jamón – ham-filled bread with olives and raisins and often sliced cheese. Dulce de lechosa – dessert made of cooked sliced unripe papaya in reduced sugar syrup. Ensalada de gallina – salad made of potato, carrot, apple and shredded chicken (hen usually home or locally raised as opposed to store bought chicken). Pernil – commonly referred to as roast pork

[edit] Bò 7 món Bún thịt nướng Canh chua Chả giò Cháo Gỏi cuốn Lẩu Pho Thịt gà nướng Vietnamese tea

The real magic of Christmas food isn’t the individual dishes but the tradition of gathering around the table. Families often revive recipes passed down for generations, turning a simple roast or pudding into a visual timeline of heritage. The act of cooking together—kneading dough, stirring a mulled wine, or glazing a ham—creates a shared ritual that signals the start of the festive season. It’s this sense of continuity that makes even the humblest side dish feel essential, because it links present celebrations to the stories of grandparents and childhood kitchens.

Start by planning the core items—roast, veg, and pudding—at least two weeks ahead, and note any dietary restrictions early. For the roast, choose a joint with a good layer of fat; a well‑marbled turkey or a pork shoulder will stay juicy, especially if you brine it overnight. Stock up on fresh herbs like sage and rosemary, which add flavour without extra cost. For sides, buy root veg in bulk and store them in a cool dark cupboard to maintain sweetness. Finally, don’t forget the small extras: good-quality butter for crumpets, a hearty mince pie crust, and a festive tin of brandy for the pudding flambé.

Many think Christmas food must be lavish and elaborate, but the most beloved dishes often thrive on simplicity. A classic British Christmas pudding, for example, isn’t about exotic ingredients but about the slow steam that transforms humble dried fruit into a moist, spiced treat. Likewise, the iconic mince pie doesn’t need a pastry chef’s skill; a ready-made shortcrust works perfectly when filled with a well‑spiced mixture. Over‑complicating these staples can strip away the comforting nostalgia that makes them a festive staple.