Do you ever get bored with your own Christmas traditions? I do. I’m always looking for something different to do on the holidays. In some countries, Christmas eve is the main event, and in others, it’s Christmas day. But, what the heck do people eat?

To answer that question, I’ve collected a cornucopia of dinners from countries A to Z. I hope you enjoy!

Note: For more in-depth information, please click the source links to see the original articles.  

Australia and New Zealand

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. (Source)

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Brazil

Not one for downplaying festivities, Brazil’s Ceia de Natal (Christmas dinner) is a veritable banquet served late on Christmas Eve. Turkey – often decorated with local fruits – is served alongside a plethora of accompaniments like ham, garlicky kale, salted cod, salada de maionese (potato salad with raisins and apple slices), farofa (seasoned and toasted cassava flour), rice and nuts.

When it comes to dessert, Italian and German influences mean that panettone (Italian sweet bread) and stollen (a German fruit cake) have pride of place amidst the tropical fare. Rabanada is also a favourite festive pudding in Brazil – a variation on French toast, slightly stale bread is dipped in eggs and milk and fried before being covered in sugar, cinnamon and a spiced-port syrup. (Source)

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Croatia

Croatian Christmas dinner typically features seafood, particularly bakalar (salted cod stew). Meat dishes like svinjsko pečenje (roast pork), purica (turkey), and sarma (minced meat and rice in sour cabbage) are also common. Some families enjoy the meal at lunch instead of dinner. (Source)

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Denmark

Whether it’s pickled, smoked or fried, herring is on the menu in Denmark 365 days a year. But Christmas calls for a special kind. Served as a starter during julefrokost (Christmas lunches enjoyed throughout December between friends, family and colleagues), julesild herring is pickled and spiced with cinnamon, cloves and sandalwood. It’s best eaten with a wedge of rugbrød (Danish rye bread) and a spoonful of homemade remoulade. Save a little room for the accompanying gravlax and cured meats, too, though. (Source)

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Egypt

A Coptic Christmas dinner is, in many ways similar to a typical Western Christmas feast. The centerpiece is usually a Christmas turkey, surrounded by delicious traditional Egyptian dishes. A popular dish is “sarma,” which is pickled cabbage stuffed with meat, and “ajvar,” a Balkan-inspired dish made with roasted peppers and eggplant. Rice pudding, made with milk, rice, sugar, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg is a tasty side dish, and for dessert, you might find baklava – layers of phyllo dough filled with nuts and syrup. (Source)

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Ethiopia

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. (Source)

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Finland

Finland enjoys its largest festive meal on Christmas Eve, where roast ham, smoked fish and pickled beetroot salad take centre stage. Just as important are the vegetable casseroles that accompany the meat, such as lanttulaatikko, a spiced swede bake. The swede is first boiled and mashed, then combined with double cream, breadcrumbs, nutmeg and treacle before baking. For a golden, crisp finish, save some buttered breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top before cooking. (Source)

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Germany

Translating to ‘fire tong punch’, feuerzangenbowle is no ordinary mulled wine. The drink, which is served in German Christmas markets throughout December, starts as a normal glühwein (warm red wine infused with orange peel, cinnamon and cardamom). But then something magical happens: a rum-soaked sugar cone known as zuckerhut is set on fire over the wine, filling the spiced red liquid with drops of caramelised, boozy sugar.  (Source)

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.

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. (Source)

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Hungary

The festively laid tables are decorated with green fir twigs, Christmas confectionery, oranges or polished, red-cheeked apples, which symbolize peasant culture, health and love. As a relic of the former church tradition of fasting for Advent, it is still traditional for fish to be eaten by many Hungarian families on Christmas Eve — often in the form of a halászlé (fish soup). (Source)

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Iceland

Cookies and cakes abound at Christmas time in Iceland, with many households outdoing themselves with festive bakes. Icelanders further prove their culinary (and artistic) skills by frying up laufabrauð (leaf bread), a wafer-thin bread decorated with intricately cut patterns and shapes.

The pièce de résistance of the Icelandic Christmas dinner is typically hangikjöt (smoked lamb) and sometimes rjúpa (a type of seabird), and in recent years, even reindeer has graced the plates of Iceland – poor old Rudolph, eh?

Christmas buffets are a popular affair in Iceland this time of year, serving up lots of seasonal grub and traditional dishes such as pickled herring, cured salmon, reindeer pâté and smoked puffin. (Source)

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Italy

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. (Source)

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Japan

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. (Source)

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Korean

Christmas in Korea has grown in popularity and is celebrated with a unique blend of Western customs and Korean warmth. The focus is on spending time with loved ones and sharing a special meal. Dishes like tteokguk (rice cake soup), symbolizing longevity and renewal, or bulgogi (marinated beef), tender and rich with sesame and soy, often take center stage. Families also enjoy Korean BBQ, turning their holiday dinner into an interactive event where everyone gathers around the grill, laughing and savoring every bite.

Sweet treats such as hotteok (crispy pancakes with a gooey sugar filling) and yakgwa (honey cookies) make for a festive finish, often paired with a warming cup of yuja-cha (yuzu tea) or sujeonggwa (cinnamon punch). (Source)

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Lebanon

Alongside the turkey or chicken (traditionally stuffed with spiced rice), the Lebanese Christmas food fest features a range of national foods: kibbeh pie made from bulgur wheat and minced meat; mezze dishes of lamb, hummus and vegetables; and tabbouleh, a Middle Eastern salad made with tomatoes, parsley, onions and mint. Sugar-coated almonds are also a very popular sweet snack to share among Christmas guests. (Source)

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Madagascar

Christmas is truly a time for family in Madagascar. Come 25 December, families don their best clothes and join together en masse for a delicious dinner of pork or chicken with rice – mouthwatering variations include Akoho sy Voanio, a chicken and coconut stew, and Akoho misy Sakamalao, chicken cooked with garlic and ginger.

Lychees are considered a special Christmas treat in Madagascar, so expect to see plenty of these little pink fruits decking out shop displays and street stalls at this time of year. (Source)

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Mexico

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). (Source)

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Norway

On the west coast of Norway on 24 December, the streets fill with the meaty smokiness of wood-fired lamb ribs. Pinnekjøtt is first dried, cured or smoked, and then cooked slowly over birch wood until the meat is juicy and tender. The most traditional accompaniments are swede and carrot mash, and a sweet lingonberry jam. A shot of akevitt, a Scandanavian spirit spiced with fennel, caraway and star anise, is usually encouraged, too. (Source)

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Philippines

In the Philippines, the main Christmas feast is the Noche Buena, held late on Christmas Eve. This meal has Hispanic roots and consists of lechon (roasted pig), queso de bola (Edam cheese), various pasta dishes and for dessert, fruit served with condensed milk or coconut cream. Tsokolate (hot chocolate) is another ubiquitous staple and, unusually, a slightly sweet version of spaghetti with tomato sauce has made it onto the Filipino Yuletide table in recent years. (Source)

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Poland

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 (Barszcz Czerwony) 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.

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. (Source)

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Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico celebrates Christmas with a variety of meat-filled dishes, from pernil (slow-roasted pork) to arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas). What follows is often a plate of pasteles — plantain parcels stuffed with ground pork shoulder. Wrapped in plantain leaves before cooking, they look similar to Mexico’s tamales, but Puerto Rican pasteles are boiled rather than steamed. The best are seasoned with home-made adobo, a mix of garlic, oregano, black pepper and turmeric. (Source)

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Romania

Sarmale (cabbage rolls) are a staple at Romanian Christmas tables. These are the foundation of any meal and a must-have during any special occasion.  Sarmale are usually served with a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt, if you’re counting calories) and a side of polenta.

Caltabos, a boiled sausage that smells like it came from the sewers, is made from a blend of pork organs, garlic and spices, with some recipes also adding rice to the mix. Everything is stuffed into pork or sheep intestines and served boiled or smoked.

Homemade Toba is a mix of pork jelly and aspic and various types of pork meat (sometimes including organs and pork legs). There are alternatives with turkey or chicken meat, and they’re equally delicious. All these ingredients are stuffed inside a pork’s stomach and boiled for hours, then allowed to dry for one day. There are also smoked varieties available.

Similar to Toba de Casa, Pifitie (aka Pork Aspic) is a mixture of pork jelly and meats, but usually served in bowls, and it’s more of a New Year’s type of food.

Salata Boeuf is a dense, greasy and delicious treat made with chopped beef or chicken, mixed with diced boiled potatoes, carrots, peas and pickles (usually pickled cucumbers and red peppers). (Source)

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South Africa

Malva pudding, a sponge cake containing apricot jam, is one of South Africa’s most decadent desserts. It’s reserved for special occasions throughout the year, but Christmas sees variations incorporating brandy or Amarula, a South African cream liqueur made from marula fruit. While the cake is still hot, it’s drizzled generously with a sweetened butter-cream sauce, giving the golden sponge dessert a gooey, caramelised consistency similar to sticky toffee pudding. (Source)

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Spain

In Spain’s Catalonia region, Christmas lunch begins with sopa de galets, a meaty soup bobbing with pasta shells. The dish is a labour of love: the broth, made from a mixture of beef and ham bones, chicken breast, pig’s trotters and vegetables, has to simmer on a low heat for several hours. Then, freshly minced beef and pork are rolled into bite-sized balls and dropped into the broth alongside the all-important galets, Catalonia’s beloved giant pasta shells. (Source)

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Sri Lanka

The Christmas table often features stuffed chicken, duck, pork or mutton, along with savory rice dishes like fried rice, ghee rice and lumprice—spicy rice wrapped in banana leaves with mixed meat curry. Milk wine, made from Arrack, sugar, condensed milk and spices, is served with the cake.  (Source)

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Sweden

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.

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. (Source)

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Tanzania

In Tanzania, some meals are venerated, and preparing and eating them is a sign of a REALLY good Christmas. Traditional Swahili food includes Chapati and spicy rice, and a meat known as pilao is the main food for Christmas holiday. Along with beer, soda is a favorite holiday beverage in Tanzania, and many individuals there have happy recollections of their parents buying crates of soda for the holidays.  (Source)

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Uruguay

At the heart of Uruguayan Christmas Foods, you’ll find succulent lechón (roast pork) or tender cordero (lamb), slow-cooked to perfection. The meat is often marinated with a mixture of garlic, oregano, and olive oil, creating a crispy exterior while maintaining a juicy interior. For many families, the asado (traditional barbecue) becomes the cooking method of choice, infusing the meat with a distinctive smoky flavor that’s quintessentially Uruguayan. Ensalada rusa is a refreshing potato salad, which combines diced carrots, peas, and sometimes apples, all bound together with mayonnaise. Pan dulce, similar to Italian panettone, features dried fruits and nuts in a sweet, airy bread. Turrones, inherited from Spanish tradition, come in various forms – from soft, nougat-like confections to harder, almond-based varieties. The signature drink of Uruguayan Christmas celebrations is medio y medio, a sophisticated blend of sparkling wine and white wine that perfectly complements the summer heat. (Source)

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Venezuela

Venezuela’s pan de jamón — a sweet-savoury bread born in a bakery in 1905 Caracas — is traditionally served on Christmas Eve, although it’s often available in bakeries throughout December. Like a savoury swiss roll, the long loaf, which can also be made with filo pastry, is filled with roasted ham, raisins and green olives, and often accompanies dishes such as hallacas (boiled corn dough stuffed with meat) and dulce de lechoza (a sweet papaya dessert). For an extra treat (it is Christmas, after all), add cheese. (Source)

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Zambia

“It is really hot in December so instead of sitting inside you’ll be outside in the garden and star of the show will be a BBQ or a Braai as we call it in South Africa. Sometimes, we’ll have Turkey on the Bry and loads of salads, but always some kind of meat. We’ll have it together with cranberry sauce, similar to the UK and US, but the major difference is that everyone goes swimming for the day rather than sitting by the fireplace!” (Source)

While most meals are served with the traditional Nshima (or Pap), a maize flour porridge, rice is reserved for special occasions, as is killing the village’s chicken for the Zambian Chicken Stew!

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