Going Home for Christmas

Growing up I always loved watching all those Christmas movies that showed people returning to a family house, picture-perfect, and in a small town. All those childhood memories, happy families, and special holiday gatherings. I wished that my family could also gather that way but I was born and raised in NYC so we always lived in apartments. The closest I ever came at Christmas was going to my grandma and grandpa’s house on Long Island which at least looked like a home in those movies. All of the families in the countries mentioned might also not live in traditional family homes but what brings them together are Christmas traditions and food.

Europe

Iceland

In Iceland much like the 12 days of Christmas in the US, people celebrate 13. Each of these nights before Christmas, the children of Iceland are visited by the 13 Yule Lads. They place their shoes by the window and go to bed, In the morning, they’ll find candy in their shoes if they’ve been good and if they’ve been bad rotten potatoes.

On Christmas Day it is traditional to eat Hanigikjot. The dish includes sliced meat from lamb or mutton. The meat is smoked over dried sheep dung and served with a cream sauce.

Finland

It is a tradition on Christmas morning to eat porridge made with rice and milk and topped with cinnamon, milk, or butter. The one who finds the almond that has been placed in one of the porridge bowls “wins”. At the end of the day, Finnish families enjoy a sauna together.

On the Christmas table, they have Lanttulaatikko, a rutabaga casserole. The rutabaga is boiled and mashed with bread crumbs, treacle, egg, and spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger. Then it is placed in a baking dish, baked, and served as a side dish to accompany ham or fish.

Norway

The Christmas season known as Julebord, begins on Dec 3 as people enjoy the local restaurants and bars throughout the month. Families celebrate Little Christmas on Dec 23 when each family has its own traditions like decorating the tree, making gingerbread houses, and eating risengrynsgrot, a hot rice pudding.

Among the traditional foods is dried cooked lamb’s head and dried lamb ribs boiled for many hours.

Sweden

Traveling to Sweden during Christmas you might look up expecting a large Christmas tree. What you’ll see is the Yule Goat or Gavle Goat, a giant straw goat. Each year this goat gets constructed on the same spot. Fans can watch livestreams from the first Sunday of Advent until after the New Year when it gets taken down.

The Swedish Christmas feast is called julbord, a smorgasbord that consists of hot and cold dishes. The dishes include ham, spare ribs, a variety of fish, potatoes, meatballs, and boiled cabbage.

Denmark

In the evening on Dec 24, Danish families place their Christmas tree in the middle of the room and dance around it singing carols.

The traditional Christmas dinner includes a special dessert known as Risalamande, a cold rice pudding served with hot or cold cherry sauce.

England

Christmas dinner includes turkey, goose, or chicken with many different sides. Sides can be Brussels sprouts, bacon-wrapped sausages, roast carrots, and everything topped with savory gravy.

Ireland

A tall red candle is placed in the front window overnight. This is a welcoming symbol of warmth and shelter during the holiday season.

The traditional Irish dinner includes homemade roast goose, vegetables, potatoes, and cranberries.

Netherlands

Sinterklaas is the Dutch name for Saint Nicholas. Children know him by his long white beard, red cape, and red miter. It is traditional for children to put a shoe by the chimney or back door to find treats on Christmas morning like marzipan, gingerbread men, and chocolate letters in the shoes.

Gourmetten is the traditional Christmas meal. It includes small meats and vegetables cooked on a tabletop hotplate by the family.

Austria

Austrian children get scared by a legend. A devil-like creature called Krampus joins their St. Nicholas festivities on December 6. They’re asked for their lists naming their good and bad deeds. Good children get sweets, apples, and nuts. Bad children have to worry about what Krampus might bring them on Christmas morning. There is a Krampus Parade in various cities.

Switzerland

Families in Switzerland make their own advent calendars. They’re given to children as a surprise or made by the family together as a fun activity. Each day’s bag has a new surprise or treat with the biggest gift on Christmas Eve.

For Christmas dinner, families enjoy a Fondue Chinoise. Slices of meat are dipped with skewers into boiling broth.

Poland

On Christmas Eve a Polish tradition is to share oplatek, an unleavened religious wafer. Each person breaks off a piece and wishes the others Merry Christmas. Dinner cannot begin until the first star lights up the night sky. An extra setting is placed on the dining table in case someone uninvited shows up.

The Christmas Eve dinner consists of a clear borscht. This is a beetroot stew with mushroom-filled dumplings called uszka. This is just one of 12 dishes with none of them containing meat.

Slovakia

Christmas Eve in Slovakia starts with a big meal. A typical dish is sauerkraut soup with mushrooms eaten on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day pork is added to the menu.

Greece

On Christmas Eve Greek families prepare a rustic sweetbread Christopsomo or Christ’s bread. The dough is filled with raisins, apricots, nuts, cardamom, and cloves. The top is decorated with a cross and honey glaze. On Christmas Day it is the centerpiece on the table.

Asia

Philippines

Every year San Fernando holds its Ligligan Parul or Giant Lantern Festival. The amazing lanterns symbolize the Star of Bethlehem. This has made this city the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines”.

Christmas dinner comes at the stroke of midnight on Christmas Day, The table includes the Fiesta ham with rice and Pinoy-style spaghetti.

Japan

To celebrate Christmas Japanese families go to their local Kentucky Fried Chicken. This tradition started in 1974 after the successful marketing campaign called "Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!" or "Kentucky for Christmas!" People in Japan order their boxes months in advance or they have to stand in long lines. It is now a tradition to eat a bucket of fried chicken with your family and friends.

Africa

South Africa

Christmas trees are decorated with a variety of baubles among them hand-beaded African ornaments.

At Christmas families in South Africa look forward to a cookout called braaing. The cookout includes marinated steaks and boerewots sausages as the main course. For dessert, there is malva pudding served with custard.

Australia

Since Christmas comes during the summer in Australia families enjoy things like grilled prawns.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Christmas tree is called Pohutukawa, a coastal species that blooms in a bright red color in December.

For New Zealand families Christmas means grilling food on a Barbie or grill. Usually with fresh seafood, meat, and seasonal vegetables. Dessert includes the traditional meringue-based cake, Pavlova.

North America

Mexico

People in Mexico put on Pastorels or Shepherd’s Plays to retell the Christmas story. The Mexican Christmas begins in early December with Las Posada, a religious march reenacting the journey of Mary and Joseph. Bright red poinsettia flowers are used in holiday arrangements.

Mexican Christmas tables vary from region to region. In Central Mexico traditional are romeritos, made with sprigs of seaweed, shrimp seasoning, and mole a traditional sauce flavored with chili peppers, nuts, and spices served with dried shrimp patties or between slices of bread.

Central America

Central American countries like El Salvador have Christmas fireworks displays on December 24 and 25.

Tamales are a big part of the Christmas meal. They’re usually made with corn, pork, carrots, sweet peppers, and achiote wrapped in plantain leaves and cooked.

South America

Families in Brazil enjoy Christmas midnight mass called Missa Do Galo or Rooster Mass meeting with friends and family followed by fireworks in the town square.

The main Christmas dish in Venezuela is hallacas corn-stuffed dough filled with seafood or meat. Also pan de jamon bread with ham, fried bacon, raisins, and green olives.