Favorite Christmas Cuisines Around the World- What’s Your Pick?

Kenyans love Christmas. It is a time for families to get together and have a great time. People in the diaspora fly in just to spend time with their families during Christmas. Whatever you and your family plan to do on Christmas, chances are that food will be a big part of it. In our society, a celebration is not a celebration unless there is a lot of food and drink.

It is also the same among other cultures around the world. Christmas is widely observed around the globe not just for religious beliefs but it has been glorified as a time to spend with your family and to give back to your loved ones.

Here are some of the delicacies that people around the world enjoy during Christmas;

Kenya

In Kenya, Christmas lunch is a reason to turn the grill on. It is a time for families to visit each other and for neighbors to drop in, so the barbecue gets fired up and filled with nyama choma, usually goat, as Kenyans are known as the kings of goat meat. It must be eaten hot, directly off the charcoals, and in one sitting.

The Kikuyu and Maasai tribes have a belief that certain parts of goat are served to the boys and other cuts are for girls. In addition to goat, chapati is made and most households buy a full crate of sodas.

United Kingdom

Culinary Christmas celebrations in Britain started to take shape around the Victorian period when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. The two introduced Christmas traditions such as sending family Christmas cards around and eating certain foods to celebrate.

Mince pies, roast turkey, and goose were the centerpiece of Christmas dinners back then and now. Turkey was often found on the tables of the wealthy then, but now it is a regular staple in many households. The Christmas pudding, or dessert, is a rich, fruity one, set ablaze with brandy to ward off evil spirits. A silver coin is hidden inside and meant to bring good fortune to whoever finds it in his or her plate.

United States of America

In the US, Christmas dinners vary; some families eat ham on the big day, some may eat lasagna, some may eat roast turkey. Regardless of what’s on the table, it’s always a feast.

A traditional US Christmas dinner, however, features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables such as carrots, turnip, parsnips, etc. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham is also used. For dessert, pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are the staple.

After dinner, most families exchange gifts which are normally placed under the Christmas tree.

Chile

Christmas in Chile is also a big event. Families start praying a novena (a form of worship consisting of special prayers) nine days before December 25 and attend a midnight Mass on Christmas to celebrate Jesus’s birth.

Afterward, a huge dinner with typical Chilean foods is served. The menu usually comprises of oven-roasted turkey, cazuela de ave (a special chicken soup), rice, puddings, and the traditional pan de Pascua (a sweet, fruit-based cake) that is also left out for Santa when the children go to bed. A traditional eggnog drink called cola de mono or “monkey’s tail,” made from coffee, milk, liquor, cinnamon, and sugar is also served.

These are just a few examples of delicacies prepared and enjoyed during Christmas. It is clear that Christmas is a big deal all around the world and food is a huge part of the celebrations.

As Soko Directory, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2019!