We pick every product that we think you’ll love the most. We may earn money from carp borscht links on this page. You won’t believe what they eat in Japan on Christmas Day. But this is one holiday that is celebrated across the globe, and a typical Christmas dinner looks very different in other countries.
Get a glimpse at some of the eclectic dishes that are served on holiday dinner table in various cultures around the world. Sweden, like many other Nordic countries, celebrate Christmas dinner smörgåsbord-style. You won’t see any roast beef or turkey on the table on Christmas Eve in Poland — it’s actually a meat-free day. The dinner is called Wiglia in Poland, and it begins when the first star appears in the sky.
Nothing can be eaten until all the members of the family have broken the Christmas wafers together and exchanged wishes for good health and prosperity. Interestingly enough, the Japanese love to indulge in some KFC on Christmas. The fast food restaurant becomes so popular that Christmas orders are placed up to two months in advance. At Christmastime, the most important food tradition in Puerto Rico is lechon, or roast suckling pig. It’s a regional speciality that takes a very long time to prepare — in fact, it usually leads to a whole weekend gathering.
Christmas dinner in Greenland is certainly unique. By contrast, Christmas dinner in France is a very elaborate affair. Two very popular dishes include oysters and foie gras. The most traditional Christmas food in Venezuela is hallaca, which is similar to a tamale. Preparing hallaca takes a very long time, and it is only made during the holidays. Christmas dinner in the Philippines is a grand affair including many traditional dishes.
Weihnachtsgans, or Christmas goose, is perhaps the most important Christmas tradition in Germany. There are two theories as to where it came from. Tamales are a very important traditional Costa Rican Christmas food. A popular British Christmas tradition you may have heard of is the mince pie. According to BBC, this is a tradition that can be dated all the way back to the 13th century.
Christmas is a huge holiday in Greece, and many religious people fast before, making the Christmas feast even more special. Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians in Ukraine traditionally have two different Christmas dinners. The first one is a Lent Dinner, which is held on January 6 and consists of meatless dishes. Like many other countries in South America, roast suckling pig is a big part of Christmas dinner in Peru. The meal also includes things like applesauce, tamales, potato purée, and a rice dish. Christmas in Australia is very different than what we’re used to, mainly because it’s summer during the holidays for Australians. This means that there is a lot more grilling and eating outside than sitting around a cozy fire with a roast.
Very religious people in Montenegro will fast for 40 days leading up to Christmas, but most people just fast on Christmas Eve. Orthodox Ethiopians use the old Julian calendar and celebrate Christmas on January 7th, which is called Ganna or Genna. Most people fast during the 43 days before Christmas beginning on November 25th. Christmas Eve dinner in Lithuania begins when the Western star rises, and the meal includes 12 dishes to represent the 12 apostles of Christ. In the Czech Republic, Christmas is celebrated on Christmas Eve, December 24th. It translates to “Generous Day,” and is a day full of traditions, including typical Czech food.
A traditional Danish Christmas dinner isn’t so different from the country’s typical fare: it usually includes roast pork, boiled potatoes, red cabbage, and gravy. It’s the dessert that really stands out. Christmas is not traditionally popular in China as it is a Western celebration, and so the Chinese don’t have too many holiday traditions. One that stands out, though, is the gift of apples. In Mexico, it’s a tradition to eat dinner late at night with family on Christmas Eve. Christmas dinner in Spain centers around family and includes a very long dinner consisting of dishes that come from traditional family recipes.
While the Feast of the Seven Fishes may be popular for Italian Americans and parts of Southern Italy, it isn’t a tradition recognized throughout the entire country. But most of Italy does celebrate with panettone, a sweet bread made with candied peel, sultanas, raisins, and dried fruits. Christmas dinner in Finland is eaten on Christmas Eve. It includes many traditional Finnish dishes, like ham, mixed beetroot salad, liver casserole, smoked salmon, herring dishes, and the traditional lanttulaatikko, a rutabaga casserole. If you don’t know what to expect from a typical Norwegian Christmas dinner, then you might be a bit surprised. One typical food that is a Christmas mainstay is Smalahove, a whole, steamed sheep’s head. Other popular options include ribbe, which is fatty pork ribs, which are said to provide energy for the rest of winter.