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

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

Champurrado 
(Mexican chocolate-cornmeal beverage)

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)
Fresh lefse on a plate

Lefse 
(Norwegian potato flatbread)

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

Ghapama 
(Armenian rice-stuffed and baked whole pumpkin)

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

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

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

Pasteles 
(Puerto Rican savory cakes in banana leaves)

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)

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)
Dried hibiscus flowers

Sorrel Punch 
(Jamaican hibiscus flower beverage)

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

Janssons Frestelse 
(Swedish potato, onion and cream casserole)

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

Rumtopf 
(German rum-soaked fruit dessert)

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

Mulled Wine 
(English spiced wine)

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

Tamales de Pollo 
(Mexican steamed corncakes with chicken)

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

Stekt Gås 
(Swedish roast Christmas goose with pan gravy)

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

Linzertorte 
(Austrian jam tart)

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

Classic Bread Stuffing 
(American seasoned bread side dish)

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)

Tourtière 
(French Canadian pork pie)
Freshly baked tourtiere

Tourtière 
(French Canadian pork pie)

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

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

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

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)

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

Roast Prime Rib 
(English roast rib of beef)

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

Pozole 
(Mexican pork and hominy stew)

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

Baked Country Ham 
(American Southern roasted ham)

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)
Individual Yorkshire puddings

Yorkshire Pudding 
(English savory puff pudding)

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

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)

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

Alfajores 
(South American dulce de leche sandwich cookies)

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

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

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)

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

Aquavit 
(Swedish herb-infused vodka)

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

Atole 
(Mexican warm cornmeal beverage)

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

Popcorn Balls 
(American caramel-coated popcorn treat)

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

Pavlova 
(Australian meringue with whipped cream and fruit)

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

Bibingka Especial 
(Filipino sweet coconut and rice flour cake)

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

Cioppino 
(American West Coast fish and seafood stew)

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)
Bowl of oyster stew

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)

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

Gingerbread Men 
(English spiced Christmas cookies)

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

Köttbullar med Gräddsås 
(Swedish meatballs with cream sauce)

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

Mashed Potatoes 
(Irish and American potato puree)

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

Dresdner Stollen 
(German Christmas fruitcake)

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

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

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

Peanut Brittle 
(American toffee candy with peanuts)

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

Lanttulaatikko 
(Finnish mashed rutabaga casserole)

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

Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy 
(American holiday turkey)

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

Coquito 
(Puerto Rican coconut-rum beverage)

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

Panforte 
(Italian Christmas honey fruitcake)

Pavo Salvadoreño 
(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)
Roast turkey

Pavo Salvadoreño 
(Salvadoran roast turkey with sauce)

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