Christmas is here, and with it comes a veritable feast of deliciously seasonal foods and drinks, all intended to add festive cheer to the table and bring people together to eat and talk together. Christmas foods form a large part of the festivities, in every country that celebrates the occasion, yet there are many differences between different countries and their choice of dishes and traditions around serving them.
So, when you sit down with your care home residents to share Christmas dinner or maybe enjoy a meal sometime in the week between Christmas and New Year, perhaps some of the following traditions could be added into the mix.
England – Christmas pudding
This richly spiced Christmas treat dates back to 14th-century England, when it was also known as plum pudding. Tradition has it that the pudding should be made on the 25th Sunday after Trinity – giving rise to the practice of making puddings on ‘Stir Up Sunday’, towards the end of November. It should contain 13 ingredients to represent Christ and his Apostles and contains a large amount of dried fruit, nuts, spices – plus, if desired, a silver sixpence to bring good fortune to the lucky person who receives it in their portion of pudding.
Panettone – Italy
Panettone is a common sight on Italian Christmas menus, often served with sweet wine, either on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in the morning. It is a sweet bread, made with spices, dried fruit and candied citrus and is often given as a gift. Panettone can also be toasted and eaten with butter for a truly indulgent seasonal treat. It can also be used in tiramisu, another classic Italian sweet treat. The bread is turned upside down immediately after baking while it cools down. This is to stop the dough falling in on itself and keeps it fluffy and light.
Smörgåsbord – Sweden
This is a central part of Swedish Christmas celebrations and is normally eaten on Christmas Eve. Smörgåsbord containslots of small dishes, including such savoury delights as cold ham, pickled herrings, smoked sausages, wild game cuts and liver pate. Smörgåsbord can be served with home-made bread, potatoes and side dishes, such as salads and dips. It is a great option for large gatherings of people, as well as those who may not have a huge appetite to tackle a large roast dinner all in one go.
Fried chicken – Japan
Proving the power of savvy marketing, the increase in Japanese people tucking into Kentucky Fried Chicken or similar on Christmas Day has been notable in recent years. The link stemmed partly form it being difficult to obtain turkey in Japan, so this was deemed an appropriate and easy alternative. According to some statistics, KFC sells more chicken in Japan on Christmas Eve than at any other time of the year. Cuts down on the washing up duties after the meal, at least!
Milk and cookies – USA
Technically speaking, this one is aimed at Santa Claus, but it has long been a tradition for American children to leave out milk and cookies for the man in red, rather than the British alternative of mince pies and a tot of alcohol. The jury is out on which offering tired parents prefer when they have finished checking out whether or not Santa Claus has been. A typical American Christmas dinner centres around roast turkey with side dishes of stuffing, potatoes, vegetables and cranberry sauce. Dessert might be pumpkin pie, apple pie or fruitcake.
Beach barbecue – Australia
Given that Christmas Day happens during the height of summer ‘down under’, the popularity of having the main meal of the day on the beach is hardly surprising. Tucking into a family barbecue with various meats, salads and accompaniments is a popular way of celebrating the big day with family and friends. For dessert, what could be more Australian than a pavlova, a meringue-based dish named after the early 20th-century Russian ballerina and originating from the antipodes. Another tradition that is gaining traction in Australia, especially among ex-pats from the Northern Hemisphere, is ‘Christmas in July’ – a chance to gather for a British-style roast turkey dinner with all the trimmings when the weather is more akin to a European winter.