10 Christmas traditions from around the world

1. United Kingdom

British Christmas dinner

The classic British Christmas dinner is an elaborate and traditional meal with plates typically piled high with roast turkey, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, stuffing, brussels sprouts and an assortment of other veggies including parsnips, red cabbage, cauliflower cheese and carrots. Everything is generously doused with the obligatory Christmas gravy, plus cranberry sauce and bread sauce depending on personal preference. It’s not a British Christmas dinner without a Christmas pudding to round off proceedings.

Discover our traditional Christmas dinner menu and Tom Kerridge’s tips for a traditional Christmas. If you want to break with the norm, try our alternative Christmas dinners and alternative Christmas desserts.

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Christmas cookies

British Christmas food traditions

To reward Father Christmas and Rudolph’s feat of delivering presents to all the children in the world in one night, sherry (or milk for a tee-total Santa), mince pies and a carrot for Rudolph are left out by the fireplace. This tradition is believed to originate in the Netherlands, where Dutch children typically left food and drink for Father Christmas in exchange for presents.

Find out the best festive snacks to leave for Santa this Christmas Eve to keep you and your family on his good list, as well as our best mince pie recipes. Discover our twists on mince pies for some alternative mince pie ideas.

2. United States

American Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner in the States is also a time for a hearty family meal. Thanksgiving, celebrated a month or so before Christmas, is traditionally when Americans will enjoy a roast turkey with all of the trimmings. For Christmas they may celebrate with a glazed ham, but they may also enjoy a similar roast to Thanksgiving or ribs, Mexican-inspired dishes and seafood.

For dessert, there might be a classic pumpkin pie or pecan pie to look forward to. For Jewish families, the tradition is to eat Chinese food on the big day.

American Christmas food traditions

Kids will typically leave out the classic all-American pairing of milk and cookies for a hungry Santa and his reindeer. For more inspiration, try our Thanksgiving recipes as well as more American recipes.

3. Australia and New Zealand

Christmas dinner down under

With Australia and New Zealand celebrating Christmas during the height of summer, their Christmas meal is a reflection of the warmer weather. A family barbecue on the beach is a popular option, and as such Christmas dinner is largely a more informal occasion. Roast lamb is a popular meat in New Zealand, and Aussies may enjoy tucking into a make-ahead glazed ham outdoors in the sunshine. A classic Christmas pavlova is likely to be on the menu for dessert.

In New Zealand, Māori families may cook a hāngī – a meal that is slow-cooked using heated stones in a pit oven – for their Christmas dinner. This can typically include meats such as pork and lamb as well as veggies such as kūmara (sweet potato), pumpkin and cabbage.

Antipodean Christmas food traditions

Aussies and Kiwis share many Christmas food traditions with us Brits due to our cultural similarities, so it’s not uncommon for families to leave out a carrot and water for Rudolph – although they might also include a refreshing beer for Santa to keep cool in the heat. Kids often make up a batch of trail mix, sometimes with a sprinkle of edible glitter, to help Father Christmas and Rudolph get their energy up for the long journey ahead.

It’s also becoming increasingly common to celebrate ‘mid-winter Christmas’ during June or July when the weather is at its coldest. People may dress up in Christmas jumpers and enjoy a roast dinner of chicken or lamb with friends or colleagues. Discover our Australian recipes.

4. Italy

Italian Christmas dinner

Seafood plays a prominent role on the Christmas dinner table in Italy. On Christmas Eve, the ‘Feast of the Seven Fishes’ involves eating seven different types of seafood – perhaps a seafood linguine, roasted fish or sea bass one-pot. In America, families with Italian heritage may also take part in this popular tradition. On Christmas Day there are several courses, often starting with an antipasti platter then continuing with dishes which vary from region to region – lasagne in northern Italy or tortellini in Rome, for example.

For dessert, a chocolate or raisin-studded panettone may complete the meal, while pandoro, panforte and nougat are all commonplace additions too. Find out our top Italian desserts.

Italian Christmas food traditions

Italian families leave out a glass of wine and tangerines for Father Christmas and Rudolph to enjoy. Discover all of our Italian recipes.

5. Sweden

Swedish Christmas dinner

Swedish Christmas food is known as julbord, which translates to ‘Christmas table’. This includes a smorgasbord of traditional Scandi dishes, including Christmas ham, gravadlax, meatballs, herring salad, liver pâté, rye bread and red cabbage, and is typically eaten on 24 December.

Swedish Christmas food traditions

In Sweden, children will leave out coffee for Father Christmas – quite sensible to keep him awake throughout the night. Swedish glögg, similar to mulled wine, is typically drunk during the festive period.

Find out the top foods to try in Sweden and all of our favourite Swedish recipes.

6. Japan

Japanese Christmas dinner

A successful marketing campaign in the 70s has meant that many families now enjoy a KFC Christmas bucket on 25 December. It’s so popular, many families have to get their orders in weeks before Christmas to ensure they can take part in the famous tradition.

For a taste of this tradition from home, try our fried chicken recipes.

Japanese Christmas food traditions

Christmas isn’t a public holiday in Japan and as such isn’t a particularly big celebration. However, ‘strawberry shortcake’ – a layered strawberry and cream sponge cake – has become a popular option, and makes quite a contrast to the dense Christmas cakes and puddings we are used to over here.

Try our strawberry cake recipes for a lighter dessert this Christmas.

7. Ethiopia

Ethiopian Christmas dinner

In Ethiopia, Ganna (or Genna), the equivalent of Christmas, is celebrated on 7 January, although celebrations last for weeks. Doro wat is a spicy chicken stew enjoyed on the day, served with injera, a fermented, pancake-like flatbread for scooping up the stew. A ceremonial coffee is served after the meal, with coffee being roasted and passed around to spread the aroma.

Try our spicy peanut chicken stew for a recipe inspired by this dish.

Ethiopian Christmas food traditions

In the run-up to Christmas Day, Orthodox Christians will fast for 43 days. This is known as the ‘Fast of the Prophets’ and involves giving up meat, dairy and alcohol. During the fast, people essentially eat a vegan diet and have one meal a day.

8. Mexico

Mexican Christmas dinner

In Mexico, tamales are enjoyed during important celebrations including Christmas, which Mexicans celebrate on 24 December. Tamales are made using corn dough, which is then steamed in a banana leaf or corn husk. Other dishes on the Christmas table in Mexico vary from region depending on what is available, but often include bacalao (salt cod), pozole (a traditional soup) and bunuelos (a bit like mini doughnuts).

Try our bacalao a la vizcaína (Mexican salt cod stew).

Mexican Christmas food traditions

Ponche Navideño – Christmas punch – is served in the lead-up to Christmas Eve. It’s typically alcohol-free and made by simmering fruit such as guava and apples with spices, herbs and sugar. Traditionally it’s drunk during Las Posadas, the week leading up to Christmas, which celebrates Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem.

Discover our Mexican cocktail recipes.

9. Poland

Polish Christmas dinner

Christmas dinner is traditionally free of meat, eggs and milk in Poland. Although not everyone in Poland strictly abides to these Orthodox religious practices, you can expect to see a fairly fish-heavy table on the 24 December (their Christmas Day). The meal includes 12 dishes – one to represent each of the apostles and months of the year – and starts when the first star in the night sky can be seen. Carp, borsch (with or without meat) or beetroot soup and a sauerkraut version of the popular pierogi dumplings can all be part of the spread, which is known as Wigilia.

Ukraine and Lithuania similarly celebrate Christmas with a 12-dish dinner. Discover our Polish recipes and Ukrainian-inspired recipes to try.

Polish Christmas food traditions

In Poland there is no tradition of leaving out snacks for Father Christmas and his reindeer, and some children receive presents on 6 December for Saint Nicholas Day. Traditionally, Polish people don’t drink alcohol on 24 December, and instead drink a fruit compote-like drink made with dried fruit and warming spices.

10. Germany

German Christmas dinner

A typical German Christmas dinner usually involves roast meat such as duck or goose as well as potato and red cabbage on the side. Stollen and a gingerbread house will often finish off proceedings.

Try your hand at our German recipes and German dessert recipes. Next try our twists on stollen.

German Christmas food traditions

In Germany, Santa and his reindeer get a break from all the sweet treats with hand-written letters left out by children as he delivers presents.

Markets play an integral role during Christmas festivities in Germany, with many people visiting them from all over the world. Gluhwein (similar to mulled wine) is drunk, and bratwurst (German sausage) and currywurst are enjoyed by many at the Christmas markets. Find out the best European Christmas markets to visit.

More Christmas recipe inspiration

Christmas menu for a crowd
Christmas menu for two
Christmas Day drinks recipes
Non-alcoholic Christmas drinks recipes
Twists on pigs in blankets
Twists on mulled wine

How many of these traditions did you already know about? Let us know how you celebrate Christmas in the comments…