There are many festive meals that are enjoyed at Christmas time. Depending on where you are in the world, it will be different. While in the UK, people sit down for a turkey dinner, those in New Zealand enjoy a pit-roasted hangi feast. Travel experts have compiled information going over some of the festive meals across the world.
KFC – Japan
That’s right, Japan is crazy for KFC at Christmas time. This is thanks to something known as Kurisumasa ni wa kentakkii, which was the KFC marketing campaign in Japan in 1974. In English, it means “Kentucky for Christmas”. This marketing campaign was very successful, and has now led to KFC being the popular dinner choice for Christmas day and Christmas eve. The demand can be so high that locals order their food more than a month in advance.
Hangi – New Zealand
A Māori Christmas is unique in that it usually involves hangi — a roast dinner cooked in a pit underground, made up of meats and seafood. For large gatherings of family and friends around the holidays, hangi is ideal, as it allows big quantities of food to be prepared at once.
Bacalhau – Brazil & Portugal
The Portuguese salted cod, bacalhau is popular in both Brazil and Portugal. Strangely, bacalhau is not native to Portuguese waters and comes from the coast of Iceland and Norway. Portuguese influences are present in many Christmas menus all over the country, from Portuguese salted cod, bacalhau, to the fried bread dish known as rabanadas. Some in São Paulo may have Italian panettone for dessert, while further south, German-style strudel filled with marzipan and fruits tends to be Brazilians’ go-to sweet dish.
Laufabrauð – Iceland
Strangely, bacalhau is not as popular in Iceland, despite the fact it is caught around here. Iceland and Christmas go hand in hand. At 6pm on Aðfangadagur — Christmas Eve — church bells ring across the country, inviting the faithful to church, while more secular families begin their celebratory meal. The feast might include smoked lamb, ptarmigan, turkey, or pork, and is often served with a flatbread known as laufabrauð, followed by gingerbread. This flatbread is very popular in Iceland at this time of the year.
Christmas Cake – Sri Lanka
Christmas cake was originally bought to Sri Lanka by British colonialists, with the recipe being gradually adapted with locally grown ingredients. Aromatic spices were added, including cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and cardamom — which can also be found in traditional Sri Lankan curries and dhals.
These spices are in addition to dried fruits and nuts like roasted cashews, raisins, sultanas, dates, preserved cherries, and dried orange peel. Finally, jams such as chow chow preserve (made from a South American squash brought over by Dutch invaders) and ginger preserve are mixed in to ensure that the cake is smooth and moist.
The recipe is still popular and served in cafes and restaurants across Sri Lanka in December, with families and friends often getting together to share a slice.
Braai – South Africa
Christmas, of course, falls at the height of a South Africa summer, and Christmas celebrations take advantage of the hot, sunny weather. Most families gather for a braai, which Afrikaner insist is more than a mere cook out — it’s a community event.