Food is a binding factor for all. It is also a way of celebrating our festivals and other special occasions in a more fun and unique way. Although there are a lot of festivals that are celebrated at a mass level by many people around the world, there are different region-specific ways of celebrating these festivals. The food practices adopted by people vary from one area to another. Age-old traditions and the availability of different ingredients are some of the contributing factors towards these dis-similarities. Let's have a look at some of the best Christmas food practices among people of different countries.
* China
Although there is not a huge Christian population in China that celebrates Christmas, it has become a very popular festival among the people of the country. One of the most common customs among Chinese people during Christmas is carving apples and writing, encouraging messages on the apple and giving it to the people that they love. These are also known as ‘peace apples’ and are a wonderful way of showing concern to all loved ones. These apples come in different flavours and are a unique present idea for Christmas as they are delicious and at the same time carry an emotional value.
* Russia
Russian people also like to celebrate Christmas with a lot of spirit and many special practices are followed by people during the Christmas season. One of the most famous dishes in Russia is Selyodka Pod Shuboy, which is an extravagant-looking dish. It is prepared by layering diced potatoes, carrots, beetroots, onions, and mayonnaise. On the top layer lie boiled eggs. It is an old-fashioned and elaborate dish that is prepared especially in Russian households during Christmas time. Russian people love to celebrate festivals with great food and this dish is a part of their Christmas custom and many other important holidays.
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* England
England has a large Christian population and other people who celebrate Christmas with a lot of excitement. Pudding is a dessert that originated in England back in the 14th century and it is a porridge-like meal that consists of fruits, nuts and oats. During the Christmas season, the pudding prepared by people in England is heavily mixed with alcohol and then boiled or steamed. It is considered good luck for all the members of the family to stir the pudding together and wish for something that they want in life. A lot of families also have a custom of adding silver coins or wishbones inside the pudding as a sign of good luck.
* Norway
Smalahove is a famous dish in Norway that is made with Sheepshead and served along with other vegetables like potatoes and onions along with rutabaga. It is traditionally served before Christmas and is an indulgent meal, especially among lower middle-class people of the country. What makes this dish so exciting is its preparation method. The head of the sheep is very carefully cooked as it consists of a lot of delegated parts. The eating process also has particular rules that have to be followed while eating this dish. It is one of those dishes that you will only find in Norway and is very authentic to Norwegian culture.
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* South Africa
Mopane Worms are consumed widely among South African people and are harvested in the late November season. Although these are not typically Christmas food, due to their seasonal availability these worms are only available during the Christmas time. These worms are fried with onions, tomatoes and chillies. People in South Africa started eating these worms out of necessity but later on, everybody found out that these are very rich in nutrients.
* Italy
In olden times, people in Italy, especially Roman Catholics would stop eating meat and other animal fats just before Christmas time. This is how the tradition of ‘the feast of the seven fishes’ was started. Though it is not an official thing in the Roman Catholic calendar, it represents the significance of the number seven in the bible. This is the feast that takes place on Christmas Eve and numerous types of seafood and fish are served. This is a festival that initially started in Southern Italy, but then it became popular throughout the country and eventually travelled to America as well.
These are some exciting food customers during Christmas that are followed around the world. Each of these is unique in its way and has major significance in the culture.