Holiday Culinary Traditions around the World

Austria

Children in Austria hope to find sweets, apples, nuts and chocolate in their stockings, signaling they’ve made the “nice” list. If they’re on the “naughty list,” St. Nick might make them deal with Krampus, a half-man, half-goat creature who chases them.

Australia

As Christmas falls during the summer season in Australia, it should come as no surprise that they like to enjoy their Christmas dinner barbecued—think shrimp, beef or chicken. And barbecued or not, you can guarantee there will be an abundance of seafood.

Britain

In Britain, they engage in a tradition called Stir-up Sunday prior to Advent. They make a pudding that every family member takes a turn stirring while making a wish for the year ahead. (Sometimes they also add a coin for good luck.)

China

Gifts of apples are popular in China during Christmas, likely because the Mandarin word for “Christmas Eve” is Ping’anye, which happens to sound similar to pingguo, their word for “apple.” The result is a new word that means “peace apple”: ping’anguo.

Czech Republic

In the Czech Republic, the holiday is celebrated on Christmas Eve (“generous day”). Fish soup/fried carp is the traditional first course. Many people often fast during Christmas Eve day until dinner, at which time it is purported you will see a golden piglet fly through the evening sky for good luck.

Denmark

Families in Denmark make rice pudding with one whole almond. Whoever finds it wins a present, but participants must be prepared to eat a lot of the pudding, as the event is not over until the almond is found.

Ethiopia

Orthodox Ethiopians celebrate Christmas on January 7th, and they fast for 43 days before Christmas (one meal a day). They break their fast for Christmas dinner, which usually includes a meat stew, hard boiled eggs in sauce and a flat bread that's used in place of utensils to scoop food.

France

Love dessert? Add this French tradition to your Christmas repertoire. Representing Jesus and the 12 apostles, some regions in France serve 13 desserts, which include things like candied fruit, nuts and nougat.

Greece

Pomegranates are a popular addition to Christmas decorations in Greece, symbolizing fortune, fertility and prosperity. On New Year’s Eve after the clock strikes midnight, a homeowner will throw a pomegranate on the front doorstep; the scattered seeds are said to represent health and happiness for the family.

Iceland

Christmas Eve in Iceland involves exchanging books and reading them while sipping jólabland, an alcohol-free Christmas ale. Christmas in this country would also not be complete without the sharing of laufabrauð (leaf bread), which looks like a large, flat snowflake that is fried and eaten with butter.

Italy

In Southern Italy, people enjoy a Feast of Seven Fishes over the holidays. Seven, for the most repeated number in the Bible. All the dishes are seafood, with popular choices like cod, fried calamari and shrimp, linguine with clam or lobster sauce and octopus salad.

Japan

Since the mid-1980s, Japanese Christmas has been synonymous with chicken—but not just any chicken: Kentucky  Fried Chicken. It’s been reported that on Christmas Eve Day, KFCs across the country sell five to ten times more fried chicken than usual.

Mexico

In Mexico, the Day of the Three Kings is celebrated on January 6th, when they eat a special cake called the 12th Night Cake. Baked inside the cake is a figure of baby Jesus, and whoever finds it becomes the “Godparent” of Jesus for that year. 

Poland

Christmas Eve dinner in Poland consists of a hearty 12 dishes representing the 12 biblical apostles and usually include carp, herring, beetroot soup and poppy seed cake, and is served just after the first star appears in the sky. 

Spain

Count out 12 grapes prior to midnight on New Year’s Eve when celebrating the holidays in Spain. Then before the clock stops chiming its 12th note, eat every grape to ensure a lucky year ahead.

Venezuela

Before indulging in holiday food in Venezuela, it’s tradition to attend Mass—and to get there by first strapping on your roller skates and gliding to the service. Afterwards, roll back home and enjoy a feast of holiday tamales (hallacas).