Christmas: Recipes and Traditions

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

Pozole

(Mexican pork and hominy stew)

Pasteles

(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

Coquito

(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

Pavo Salvadoreño

(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)

Nacatamales

(Honduran, Nicaraguan meat and vegetable-filled tamales)

Alfajores

(South American dulce de leche sandwich cookies)

Atole

(Mexican warm cornmeal beverage)

Sorrel Punch

(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)

Pan de Jamón

(Venezuelan ham, raisin and olive bread)

Chicken Stock

(How to make chicken stock, with variations)

Yorkshire Pudding

(English savory puff pudding)

Dresdner Stollen

(German Christmas fruitcake)

Baked Country Ham

(American Southern roasted ham)

Rumtopf

(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

Tamales de Pollo

(Mexican steamed corncakes with chicken)

Roast Prime Rib

(English roast rib of beef)

Bibingka Especial

(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

Tourtière

(French Canadian pork pie)

Bigos

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

Mulled Wine

(English spiced wine)

Eggnog

(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Pavlova

(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

Lanttulaatikko

(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

Mashed Potatoes

(Irish and American potato puree)

Lefse

(Norwegian potato flatbread)

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