Christmas dinner facts for kids
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Christmas dinner is a special meal eaten around Christmas. This meal can happen any time from the evening of Christmas Eve to Christmas Day. These meals are often very big and tasty. They are a main part of family get-togethers to celebrate the Christmas season. Sometimes, families say a prayer before eating.
The food eaten for Christmas dinner changes around the world. It depends on local traditions and what foods are popular in that area. In many places, especially countries that used to be part of the British Empire, the meal is like an English Christmas dinner. This often includes roasted meats and a type of pudding. The famous Christmas pudding and Christmas cake came from this tradition.
In countries without a long Christian history, the Christmas meal might be different. It can be more influenced by popular culture. For example, in Japan, many families traditionally eat KFC chicken for Christmas.
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Christmas Dinner Around the World
Asia
India
In India, people cook many different foods for Christmas. These include biryani with chicken or mutton, and chicken or mutton curry. For dessert, they might have cake or sweets like kheer. Christian groups in India, like Goan Catholics, often have pork or beef dishes. Popular choices are pork vindaloo and sorpatel. A sweet dish called bebinca is also very popular for dessert.
The Kerala Christian community is the largest Christian group in India. They celebrate Christmas with midnight church services, Christmas carols, and special food. The celebrations start on Christmas Eve. Churches are decorated, and large Christmas trees are a big attraction. Common dishes for Christmas dinner include Pork Vindaloo, Beef Stew, and Mappas. People in Kerala visit each other's homes to celebrate and dance during carol singing. Everyone, including Hindus and Muslims, celebrates Christmas. They share sweets and gifts and join in town celebrations. Plum cake is a famous dessert in Kerala. Families gather to cut the cake after midnight church service. This is a special tradition.
Japan
Japanese Christmas cake is a white sponge cake with cream and strawberries. It is often eaten during Christmas. Stollen cake, which is a German fruit bread, is also popular. In the 1970s, a successful advertisement made eating KFC chicken a Christmas tradition in Japan. KFC chicken meals are so popular that people often reserve them months ahead of time.
Lebanon
Lebanese Christians have big Christmas dinners. The feast is usually on Christmas Eve night and for lunch on Christmas Day. Families gather for both meals. A traditional sweet treat is sugar-coated almonds. Roast turkey is a common main dish. Other popular foods include roasted duck, Lebanese salad (Tabbouleh), and pastries like honey cake. Beirut celebrates Christmas with bright lights and big parties.
Philippines
In the Philippines, Christmas dinner is called Noche Buena. It happens around midnight on December 24th. This meal usually follows a late evening church service called the Misa de Gallo. The main dish for Noche Buena is often hamón, which is a cured leg of pork. It is usually served with queso de bola, a ball of Edam cheese. Other common dishes are pasta and fruit salad for dessert. The dinner often includes tsokolate, which is hot cocoa made from local cacao beans.
Families might also prepare a big feast with dishes like lechón (roasted pig), lumpia (spring rolls), adobo (a popular Filipino dish), stuffed chicken, roast turkey, and paella. Even families with less money try to have a simple Noche Buena. This shows how important family unity is in Filipino culture. Most family members are expected to join the Noche Buena meal. Filipinos living abroad are encouraged to come home for this important holiday. Many families exchange Christmas presents right after dinner, unlike in some Western countries where gifts are opened on Christmas morning.
Europe
Austria
In Austria, Christmas Eve marks the end of the pre-Christmas fast. Christmas is mainly celebrated by Christians. On Christmas Eve, families decorate the Christmas tree and light it with real candles. This is when the Christkindl (Christ Child) is said to visit. Christmas Day is a national holiday. Most Austrians spend the day eating with their families. They enjoy fried carp, Sachertorte (a chocolate cake), and Christmas biscuits. Other chocolate treats are also popular. Christmas dinner often includes goose or ham. It is served with Gluhwein (mulled wine) and Rumpunsch.
Czech Republic
A traditional Christmas meal in the Czech Republic is fried carp and potato salad. This is eaten for dinner on Christmas Eve. It often comes with a fish soup made from carp. Many homes also bake a variety of special Christmas biscuits. These are prepared days before and take a long time to decorate. It is also common to hang wrapped chocolate sweets on the Christmas tree for children.
Denmark
In Denmark, the traditional Christmas meal is served on December 24th. Most families eat duck or roast pork with crispy skin. Some also have turkey or goose. The meat is served with boiled potatoes (some are caramelized or roasted), red cabbage, and gravy. For dessert, they have Risalamande, which is rice pudding with cherry or strawberry sauce. A whole almond is hidden inside, and the person who finds it gets an extra gift. People drink Gløgg (mulled wine) and special Christmas beers.
Finland
The Joulupöytä (Christmas table) is the traditional food spread in Finland. It is similar to a buffet. The main dish is usually a large Christmas ham. It is eaten with mustard or bread. Fish dishes are also served, like lutefisk or smoked salmon. With the ham, there are different casseroles made with potatoes, rutabaga (swedes), or carrots. The traditional Christmas drink is mulled wine (glögi), which can be with or without alcohol.
Germany
In Germany, the main Christmas dishes are roast goose and roast carp. Sometimes, suckling pig or duck is served. Common side dishes include roast potatoes and different types of cabbage like kale and red cabbage. In some areas, the big Christmas dinner is on Christmas Day, not Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, dinner might be simpler, like sausages and potato salad. Sweets and Christmas pastries are very important. These include marzipan, gingerbread (Lebkuchen), and different fruitcakes like Christstollen.
Portugal
In Portugal, families traditionally gather on Christmas Eve. They eat boiled dried-salted cod with boiled cabbage or greens, boiled potatoes, onions, and eggs. Sometimes, a simple sauce with onions, garlic, or parsley is added. This meal is served with lots of olive oil. There are some differences across the country. Often, turkey or pork is served for lunch on December 25th.
Spain
In Spain, Christmas Eve is called "Nochebuena," meaning "Good Night." It is celebrated with a large family feast late in the evening. This meal can last for hours. Some families go to midnight church service before or after eating. Christmas Eve is a time for celebrating in cafes and with family and friends. It is a time for exchanging gifts. However, the main gift-giving day is usually January 6th, for Epiphany.
In the past, medieval Catalan cuisine for Christmas dinner included poultry and lamb stew. Desserts included cheese, neula (a type of wafer), and clarea (a white sangria-like drink).
Sweden
The Swedish Christmas dinner, or Julbord, often has many courses. The first courses are different types of fish, like pickled herring and salmon. These are eaten with boiled potatoes or crisp bread. The next course is cold meats, with the Christmas ham being the most important. Smoked sausages, apple sauce, and liver pâté are also common. Then come warm dishes like meatballs, small fried sausages, and Janssons frestelse (a potato casserole). Finally, there's a cheese plate and dessert. The most popular dessert is rice pudding (risgrynsgröt) with a whole almond hidden inside. The person who finds the almond is said to get married before next Christmas. Some families serve all these dishes buffet-style. Common drinks are Christmas beer, julmust (a soft drink), and snaps.
United Kingdom
Christmas dinner in the United Kingdom usually includes roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy, pigs in blankets (small sausages wrapped in bacon), and cranberry sauce or redcurrant jelly. Other sides are bread sauce, roast potatoes, and vegetables like Brussels sprouts and parsnips. For dessert, people often have Christmas pudding, mince pies, or trifle. These are served with brandy butter, custard, or cream.
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In England, during the 16th and 17th centuries, goose or capon (a type of chicken) was common. Rich families sometimes ate peacock and swan. The turkey started appearing on English Christmas tables in the 16th century. By 1573, turkeys were commonly served. The tradition of turkey at Christmas quickly spread in the 17th century. Goose also remained popular until the Victorian era. A famous English Christmas dinner scene is in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (1843), where Scrooge sends Bob Cratchitt a large turkey. The dessert course often includes Christmas pudding, which has been around since medieval England. Trifle, mince pies, Christmas cake, or a yule log are also popular.
North America
Canada
In English-speaking Canada, Christmas dinner is much like in Britain. A traditional Christmas dinner has turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other meats like roast beef or ham are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are common desserts. Eggnog, a creamy drink often with alcohol, is popular during the holidays. Other Christmas treats include Christmas cookies, butter tarts, and shortbread. These are usually baked before the holidays and served to guests.
In French-speaking Canada, traditions might be more like those in France. Different ethnic groups in Canada also keep their own old traditions.
United States
Christmas traditions in the United States come from many places. Most traditions come from the United Kingdom. But there are also influences from other parts of Europe like Spain, Italy, and Germany. More recently, Latin American areas like Florida and the Caribbean have also added to the traditions.
So, the main part of the meal is often British in origin. This includes roasted root vegetables, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a roasted bird like turkey or goose. Or it might be a special cut of roasted beef. In the Southern US, where many people have British roots, Christmas is a time for different kinds of country ham or Christmas ham. This is an older British tradition. Cookies of many kinds are popular, like gingerbread, snickerdoodles, or sugar cookies. They are baked in December and shaped into figures.
Fruitcake is similar to the British Christmas pudding. However, in the US, it's often seen as a joke gift that no one really wants. The comedian Johnny Carson once joked that there's only one fruitcake in the world, and people just keep sending it to each other. There's even a yearly event in Manitou Springs, Colorado, where people throw unwanted fruitcakes to see who can throw them the farthest!
Drinks like Shirley Temples (for kids) are common at Christmas parties. For adults, there are many types of wines and cocktails.
In Florida and other areas with Latin American roots, Christmas celebrations are influenced by Spanish culture. Lechon, a roasted piglet, is the main dish instead of turkey or ham. The crispy skin from the pig is a special treat.
West of the Mississippi River, Mexican culture has a big influence. This includes roasted corn in its husk and biscochitos (cookies).
Other regions have their own special foods. Virginia might have oysters, ham pie, and fluffy biscuits. The Upper Midwest has dishes from Scandinavian backgrounds, like lutefisk and mashed rutabaga. In the southern US, rice is often served instead of potatoes. On the Gulf Coast, shrimp and other seafood are common appetizers. Desserts might include Charlotte Russe or pumpkin and pecan pies. In some rural areas, wild game like elk or quail might be served.
An Italian American meal for Christmas Eve might be the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Panettone and struffoli (honey balls) are popular desserts.
It is a common tradition for many Jewish Americans to eat American Chinese food on Christmas. This is because these restaurants are often the only ones open on the holiday in many cities.
Oceania
Australia
Christmas dinner in Australia is based on traditional English meals. However, Christmas in Australia happens during the hot summer. So, meats like ham, turkey, and chicken are sometimes served cold with cranberry sauce. They are often served with side salads or roast vegetables. Barbecues are also a popular way to cook and avoid the heat of the oven. Seafood like prawns, lobster, oysters, and crayfish are common. Barbecued steak or chicken are also popular.
For dessert, Australians love pavlova. This is a dessert with fruit like strawberries, kiwifruit, and passionfruit on top of a baked meringue with whipped cream. Trifle is also a favorite. Fresh fruits of the season, like cherries, mangoes, plums, nectarines, and peaches, are enjoyed. Panettone, a sweet bread, is also widely available, especially in Sydney and Melbourne, thanks to Italian Australians.
South America
Brazil
In Brazil, the Christmas meal is a big feast. It is served on the evening of December 24th. There is a lot of food, including roast turkey, fresh vegetables, fruits, and Brazil nuts. Colorful rice and platters of ham and fresh salad are also common. Sometimes cold potato salad is served. Some parts of Brazil also have roast pork or chicken. Red wine, white wine, and apple cider are common drinks. Other Christmas foods include desserts like lemon tart, nuts pie, chocolate cake, and Panettone.
Peru
On Christmas Eve (Noche Buena), families gather for dinner. They eat roast turkey and white rice seasoned with garlic. Roast potatoes and sweetened apple puree are also often served. The main dessert is panettone. It is usually served with a cup of thick hot chocolate. Other desserts include a special marzipan made from Brazil nuts. At midnight, families make a toast and exchange good wishes. Then, they sit down to eat while singing Christmas Carols.
