Christmas Food Around the World: 20 Festive Dishes
Every December, kitchens around the world turn into workshops of tradition. Venezuela wraps hallacas as a family assembly line, Sweden glazes its julskinka, the Philippines eats bibingka warm from midnight mass. Here are 20 festive dishes from 20 countries — with authentic recipes, in time for your most ambitious holiday season yet.
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Hallacas
VenezuelaCorn dough, stewed meat and olives wrapped in banana leaves — Venezuelan families make them together by the hundred.
Discover Hallacas, the festive heart of Venezuelan cooking! Soft, golden corn dough is spread over banana leaves, filled with a richly seasoned stew of meat, olives and spices, then tied into neat parcels and simmered until …
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Stollen
GermanyDresden's sugared loaf of dried fruit and marzipan — Germany's Christmas in cake form since 1474.
There is something deeply comforting about a freshly baked almond stollen, its buttery crumb scented with vanilla and ground nuts and finished with a snowy dusting of icing sugar. This is a traditional East German (DDR) recipe — …
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Bibingka
PhilippinesCoconut rice cakes baked in banana leaves, eaten warm outside church during Simbang Gabi.
Discover Bibingka, the festive treat that fills Filipino kitchens with the warm scent of coconut every Christmas season. This soft, gently baked rice cake balances mellow sweetness with the rich aroma of coconut milk, and is …
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Bûche de Noël
FranceThe chocolate yule log that turned a pagan fire ritual into France's favourite dessert.
Bring a touch of festive elegance to your table with Bûche de Noël, the classic French yule log that turns any Christmas gathering into something memorable. A light sponge rolled around a silky chocolate cream and finished to look …
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Julskinka
SwedenMustard-glazed Christmas ham, centrepiece of the julbord — Sweden without it is unthinkable.
Meet Julskinka, the tender Christmas ham that takes pride of place on every Swedish festive table. A joint of good pork is gently simmered until succulent, then finished with a fragrant mustard crust and a warm hint of cloves. It …
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Panettone
ItalyMilan's tall, buttery dome of candied fruit — the world's most gifted (and regifted) bread.
There is something magical about pulling a golden, dome-topped Panettone from the oven, its airy crumb studded with jewel-like fruit and the whole kitchen filled with the scent of citrus and vanilla. Born in Milan and now beloved …
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Tamales
MexicoMasa parcels steamed by the dozen — a Mexican Christmas is measured in tamales.
Discover Tamales, the soulful national dish of Mexico! These neat little parcels of corn dough, wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves and gently steamed, carry centuries of history in every bite. Filled with savoury pork, tender …
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Mince Pies
EnglandSpiced fruit in buttery pastry — England has eaten them at Christmas since the Crusades.
Few treats capture the spirit of an English Christmas quite like Mince Pies. These little pastries hide a richly spiced filling of dried fruit, nuts and a generous splash of brandy beneath a tender, buttery crust. Each bite brings …
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Melomakarona
GreeceHoney-soaked walnut cookies that appear in every Greek home the moment December starts.
Discover Melomakarona, one of Greece's most cherished festive treats! These tender, spiced honey biscuits are soaked in fragrant syrup and crowned with chopped walnuts, filling the kitchen with the warm scents of cinnamon and …
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Bigos
PolandThe hunter's stew that simmers through the twelve days of a Polish Christmas, improving daily.
Discover Bigos, the rich, slow-cooked hunter's stew that many Poles regard as their national dish. Built on tender sauerkraut and generous helpings of braised meat, it is warming, deeply savoury and famously forgiving — the kind …
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Risalamande
DenmarkAlmond rice pudding with cherry sauce — whoever finds the whole almond wins the present.
Discover Risalamande, the creamy dessert that sits at the heart of a Danish Christmas! Cold, softly set rice pudding is folded through with whipped cream, fragrant vanilla and chopped almonds, then crowned with a glossy spoonful …
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Kutia
UkraineWheat, poppy seeds and honey — the ancient first dish of Ukraine's twelve-course Holy Supper.
Meet Kutia, a dish that carries the very soul of Ukrainian culture in every spoonful. Traditionally prepared for festive occasions such as Christmas Eve, it stands as a symbol of prosperity and good fortune. Cooked wheat mingles …
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Verivorst
EstoniaBlood sausage with sauerkraut — Estonia's dark, delicious solstice tradition.
Meet Verivorst, the dark, richly spiced blood sausage that sits at the very heart of an Estonian Christmas. Plump pearl barley soaks up pork blood and rendered fat until every slice turns deep and glossy, while onion, garlic and …
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Joulutorttu
FinlandPrune-jam pinwheels — the star-shaped pastries of every Finnish December.
Few things say Christmas in Finland quite like Joulutorttu. These star-shaped pastries appear on every festive table from the first Advent candle onwards, their buttery pinwheel points folded around a dark, sweet spoonful of prune …
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Vánočka
CzechiaBraided sweet bread whose plaits once told fortunes — Czech Christmas Eve begins here.
Meet Vánočka, the golden, plaited Christmas bread that graces festive tables across the Czech Republic. This beautifully braided sweet bread is enriched with raisins and almonds, gently spiced, and finished with a snowfall of …
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Olivier Salad
RussiaThe mayonnaise-bound salad no post-Soviet New Year's table can legally lack.
Meet Olivier Salad, the creamy, colourful centrepiece of every Russian celebration table. This much-loved classic brings together tender diced potatoes, carrots, peas and crunchy pickles, all bound in a rich, velvety dressing. …
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Cozonac
RomaniaWalnut-swirled sweet bread — Romania's holidays smell of this baking.
Meet Cozonac, the pride of Romanian festive baking! This airy sweet bread is famous for its feather-light crumb and its irresistible swirls of filling — think toasted walnuts, rich cocoa or fragrant poppy seeds. Traditionally …
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Hangikjöt
IcelandBirch-smoked lamb with béchamel and peas — Iceland's Christmas Day, unchanged for generations.
Discover Hangikjöt, the smoked lamb that sits at the very heart of Iceland's festive table. Gently cured over birchwood and served in thin, fragrant slices, it carries a depth of flavour you will not find anywhere else. Paired …
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Natilla
ColombiaCinnamon custard set overnight — Colombia's novenas end with a slice of it.
Meet Natilla Colombiana, a silky festive custard that sits at the heart of a Colombian Christmas. Set to a gentle wobble and perfumed with cinnamon and cloves, it turns a handful of everyday ingredients into something that feels …
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Panetón
PeruItaly's panettone became Peru's obsession — eaten with hot chocolate at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Discover Panetón, the fragrant sweet bread that lights up Peruvian Christmas tables! This airy, buttery loaf is generously studded with dried fruit and nuts, giving each slice a wonderful texture and a warm, festive aroma. Though …
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