How the world celebrates the season with unique customs, favorite foods and a little festive flair
A global feast of holiday traditions
The holiday season is a time for joy, togetherness and unapologetically overeating. Across the globe, people mark Christmas (or its neighboring holidays) with customs that range from heartwarming to quirky, each accompanied by delicious dishes that make the celebrations unforgettable. From barbecues under the sun to winter feasts by the fire, here’s how the world celebrates the most wonderful time of the year.
Australia: Pavlova
Christmas in Australia falls during summer, so beach barbecues and outdoor feasts are common. Families enjoy fresh seafood, including prawns and lobsters and desserts like pavlova, a meringue topped with whipped cream and tropical fruits. Many communities host carols by candlelight, blending the festive spirit with the warm, laid-back vibe of an Aussie summer.
Brazil: Rabanada
Christmas in Brazil is a vibrant affair with tropical flair. Families gather for Ceia de Natal (Christmas dinner) on Christmas Eve, featuring pernil, a roasted pork leg marinated in garlic, lime and spices. For dessert rabanada, a Brazilian version of French toast, is a sweet highlight. Communities also organize nativity plays called Pastorinhas, and carolers serenade neighborhoods.
Colombia: Natilla
Colombians celebrate Nochebuena with joyful gatherings, music and a feast featuring natilla, a custard-like dessert made with milk, sugar and cinnamon, alongside buñuelos, deep-fried cheese balls. The festivities often include alumbrados, elaborate light displays, and Novena de Aguinaldos, a nine-day series of prayers and carols leading up to Christmas Eve.
Czech Republic: Vánoční Kapr
In the Czech Republic Christmas Eve begins with decorating the tree and ends with a feast. The main dish, vánoční kapr (carp), is often kept alive in the bathtub until it’s prepared. The meal is followed by gift exchanges and traditions like pouring lead to predict the future. The festive spirit continues with midnight mass.
Denmark: Flæskesteg
In Denmark Christmas Eve dinner features flæskesteg, a roast pork dish with crispy crackling, and risalamande, a creamy rice pudding with a hidden almond that brings luck to its finder. After dinner families gather around the Christmas tree to sing carols and exchange gifts. The holiday atmosphere is cozy and warm, embodying the Danish concept of hygge.
Ethiopia: Doro wat
Ethiopian Christmas, called Genna, is celebrated on January 7 according to the Ethiopian Orthodox calendar. The day begins with a solemn church service, where worshippers wear white and gather for hours of chanting and prayer. Afterward, the fasting season is broken with a feast featuring doro wat, a spicy chicken stew served with injera, a sour flatbread. Families share the meal communally, symbolizing unity and gratitude.
Finland: Joulukinkku
In Finland the holiday season kicks off with a visit to the sauna, a centuries-old tradition for relaxation and cleansing. Families then enjoy joulukinkku, a glazed Christmas ham served with casseroles made from potatoes or carrots. Christmas morning begins with riisipuuro, a creamy rice porridge, with a hidden almond granting luck to its finder. Santa Claus, or Joulupukki, often makes an appearance in person to deliver gifts.
France: Bûche de Noël
In France Christmas Eve is marked by Réveillon, a late-night feast after midnight mass. The meal often includes foie gras, oysters and roasted meats, but the grand finale is the Bûche de Noël, a sponge cake rolled with cream and designed to resemble a Yule log. Town squares are adorned with Christmas markets, and children place their shoes by the fireplace for Père Noël to fill with gifts.
Germany: Stollen
In Germany Christmas markets fill the air with the aroma of roasted nuts, mulled wine and stollen, a dense fruitcake dusted with powdered sugar. Families celebrate Weihnachten on December 24 with a festive meal, followed by gift exchanges. Stollen, originally a symbol of the Christ Child, has become a sweet centerpiece of the holiday season.
Hungary: Halászlé
In Hungary Christmas Eve is a time for family and tradition. The holiday meal features halászlé, a spicy fish soup made with paprika, and beigli, a rolled pastry filled with walnuts or poppy seeds. Children look forward to the arrival of Jézuska (baby Jesus), who brings gifts. Midnight mass and tree decorating are cherished parts of the celebration.
India: Plum cake
For Indian Christians, especially in Kerala and Goa, Christmas is a blend of midnight mass, caroling and food. Plum cake, a fruitcake infused with local spices like cardamom and nutmeg, is the star of the season. Many families begin the celebration by sharing slices of this rum-soaked cake with neighbors and friends, embodying the spirit of generosity. Churches and homes are decorated with stars and lights, creating a festive atmosphere.
Japan: Fried chicken
Christmas in Japan is less about religion and more about celebration, and one of the quirkiest traditions is indulging in fried chicken. Thanks to a 1974 KFC marketing campaign, families now pre-order their Christmas buckets weeks in advance, often enjoying them with a festive strawberry shortcake. While the holiday isn’t officially recognized, Japanese cities are adorned with dazzling lights, and couples treat it as a romantic occasion, akin to Valentine’s Day.
Lebanon: Kibbeh
In Lebanon Christmas is a grand affair, especially among Christian communities. Homes are decorated with nativity scenes, and families gather for midnight mass. The feast includes dishes like kibbeh, spiced meat patties, and tabbouleh, a parsley salad. For dessert maamoul, date-filled cookies, are shared. The meal emphasizes hospitality and abundance, two cornerstones of Lebanese culture.
Mexico: Tamaladas
Christmas in Mexico is a weeks-long celebration beginning with Las Posadas, a reenactment of Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter. Families and communities come together for tamaladas, where tamales are made in large batches. These corn-based pockets filled with meats, cheese or sweets are shared during Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), which concludes with a midnight feast, piñatas for children and prayers.
Norway: Pinnekjøtt
In Norway Christmas Eve is celebrated with pinnekjøtt, dried and salted lamb ribs steamed over birch branches, often served with mashed rutabagas and potatoes. The meal reflects Norway’s long history of preserving meat for the harsh winters. Homes are filled with the aroma of traditional dishes, and families gather to open presents after dinner. Church services and candlelit processions are common, adding a peaceful tone to the festivities.
Portugal: Bacalhau
In Portugal Christmas Eve is all about bacalhau, or salted codfish, served with potatoes and cabbage. After the midnight mass, families share bolo rei, a ring-shaped cake filled with dried fruits and nuts. The holiday season extends to Epiphany, when children receive gifts, and carolers visit homes.
