Christmas: Recipes and Traditions

Christmas gingerbread house
Image © iStockphoto

The celebration of Christmas takes place on December 25th every year. It commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians consider the Son of God and Savior of mankind. Favorite Christmas traditions include exchanging gifts with family and friends, lighting and decorating Christmas trees, singing carols, drinking eggnog and baking all manner of sweets and treats.

Christmas food traditions vary widely around the world. Puerto Ricans make pasteles. Germans roast goose or duck. The British prefer roast turkey. And Mexicans steam enormous batches of tamales.

Traditions differ from family to family, but a typical Christmas Eve dinner is a relatively simple affair, sometimes followed by nighttime church services. Gifts are exchanged on Christmas morning, followed by a large family meal.

International Christmas Recipes

Mashed Potatoes 
(Irish and American potato puree)
Bowl of mashed potatoes

Mashed Potatoes 
(Irish and American potato puree)

Pan de Jamón 
(Venezuelan ham, raisin and olive bread)
Two loaves of pan de jamon

Pan de Jamón 
(Venezuelan ham, raisin and olive bread)

Tamales de Pollo 
(Mexican steamed corncakes with chicken)
A freshly steamed tamal de pollo

Tamales de Pollo 
(Mexican steamed corncakes with chicken)

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)
Half a coconut split open

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

Cioppino 
(American West Coast fish and seafood stew)
Bowl of cioppino

Cioppino 
(American West Coast fish and seafood stew)

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)
Many decorated gingerbread men

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

Champurrado 
(Mexican chocolate-cornmeal beverage)
Bowl of hot champurrado, a Mexican chocolate-cornmeal beverage

Champurrado 
(Mexican chocolate-cornmeal beverage)

Pozole 
(Mexican pork and hominy stew)
Bowl of pozole blanco

Pozole 
(Mexican pork and hominy stew)

Bacalhau com Natas 
(Portuguese salt cod with potatoes and cream)
Serving dish of bacalhau com natas with a portion removed

Bacalhau com Natas 
(Portuguese salt cod with potatoes and cream)

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)
Fresh Brussels sprouts on a countertop

Brussels Sprouts Gratin 
(English roasted Brussels sprouts with cheese sauce)

Pavo Salvadoreño 
(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)
Roast turkey

Pavo Salvadoreño 
(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)
Linzertorte on platter with a serving cut out

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)
Individual Yorkshire puddings

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)
Swedish roast goose on a platter

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)

Janssons Frestelse 
(Swedish potato, onion and cream casserole)
Spooning out some Jansson's frestelse

Janssons Frestelse 
(Swedish potato, onion and cream casserole)

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)
Puerto Rican pasteles, wrapped and unwrapped

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)
Panforte (Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)
Glass bowl with cranberry sauce

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)

Bigos 
(Polish hunter’s stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)
Bigos stew in a dish

Bigos 
(Polish hunter’s stew of meat, cabbage and sauerkraut)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)
Pavlova (Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)
Eggnog Recipe (American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)
Plate of Swedish meatballs

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)
Freshly baked bibingka

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)
Bowl of oyster stew

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)

Tourtière 
(French Canadian pork pie)
Freshly baked tourtiere

Tourtière 
(French Canadian pork pie)

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)
Two ghapama pumpkins on a table

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)
Slices and full loaf of Dresdner stollen

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

Peanut Brittle 
(American toffee candy with peanuts)
Peanut brittle ready to enjoy

Peanut Brittle 
(American toffee candy with peanuts)

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)
Dried hibiscus flowers

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)
Rumtopf (German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)
Flaming Christmas cranberry pudding

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)

Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy 
(American holiday turkey)
Beautifully roasted holiday turkey

Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy 
(American holiday turkey)

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)
Simmering mulled wine with spices and fruit

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)

Baked Country Ham 
(American Southern roasted ham)
Freshly roasted country ham

Baked Country Ham 
(American Southern roasted ham)

Chicken Stock 
(How to make chicken stock, with variations)
Chicken stock simmering in a pot

Chicken Stock 
(How to make chicken stock, with variations)

Popcorn Balls 
(American caramel-coated popcorn treat)
Popcorn balls

Popcorn Balls 
(American caramel-coated popcorn treat)

Atole 
(Mexican warm cornmeal beverage)
An olla filled with atole

Atole 
(Mexican warm cornmeal beverage)

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)
Half-served casserole dish of lanttulaatikko

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

Classic Bread Stuffing 
(American seasoned bread side dish)
Casserole dish with bread stuffing

Classic Bread Stuffing 
(American seasoned bread side dish)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)
Fresh lefse on a plate

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

Alfajores 
(South American dulce de leche sandwich cookies)
A plate of alfajores dusted with powdered sugar.

Alfajores 
(South American dulce de leche sandwich cookies)

Nacatamales 
(Honduran, Nicaraguan meat and vegetable-filled tamales)
A freshly steamed nacatamal

Nacatamales 
(Honduran, Nicaraguan meat and vegetable-filled tamales)

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)
A bottle of homemade aquavit.

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)

Roast Prime Rib 
(English roast rib of beef)
Roast prime rib of beef

Roast Prime Rib 
(English roast rib of beef)

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