It’s Christmas time and all people who are celebrating prepare different traditional meals and drinks. While turkey and ham may be commonly served in the USA and UK, in the other parts of the world meals are as colourful and distinctive as the nations that prepare them.
Let’s take a look at the cuisine in the parts of the world where the American and Western European cultures haven’t outweighed the traditions.
Russia
The Russian Christmas Eve dinner (or Holy Supper) is meatless, as in most Orthodox Christian countries, but really festive. The most important meal is kutya, made of wheatberries or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality, and honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness and success. Some families throw a spoonful of kutya up to the ceiling. According to tradition, if the kutya stuck, there would be a plentiful harvest. The supper consists of total of 12 dishes such as sauerkraut, nuts, boiled potatoes, pagach (Lenten bread), honey, peas, fresh fruits, and red wine. On Christmas Day pork or chicken roast is served with various salads, and a cake.
Japan
Only 0.5% of the Japanese population is estimated to be Christian, but they love celebrations and festivals, including Christmas. They usually eat Christmas cake on Christmas Eve, which can be bought from almost everywhere around this time of the year and the Christmas chicken Dinner is also very popular. In recent years, Christmas Eve has become a romantic holiday for young people in Japan, and they celebrate it by giving gifts to each other. In general, Christmas in the country is celebrated as the beginning of New Year’s Eve celebrations, so many Japanese eat O-Shougatsu Ryori, the food traditionally prepared for New Year. This meal is a great variety assortment of cooking served in small quantities with symbolic meaning in Shinto religious tradition as a prayer for general well-being.
Lebanon
Lebanon is the only Mid-eastern country that celebrates Christmas as an official holiday. On Christmas Eve families attend the midnight mass and Papa Noel (Santa Claus in Lebanon) gives presents to the children. The Christmas lunch is a very important meal for Christians in the country, families usually gather in the parents or grandparents’ home and celebrate the Christmas traditions. The festive meal consists of Tabouleh, roast duck Lebanese salad, lamb roast, Kubbeh and baklava. The Kubbeh is an Arab dish made of bulgur, minced onions, ground lamb or goat meat and rice. The best-known variety is a torpedo-shaped fried croquette stuffed with meat.
Poland
In most Orthodox Christian countries on Christmas Eve 12 dishes are served as a reminder of the 12 Apostles according to the Christmas traditions. The meals don’t include meat, meat can be served on Christmas Day. Most popular are carp served with different salads, fish soup, barszcz (beetroot soup) with uszka (small dumplings), and on 25 December roasted hams, vegetable salads, bigos (savory stew of cabbage and meat), makowiec (poppy seed cake).
Mexico
In Honduras, Mexico and other Spanish language-speaking countries tamales are traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve. The traditional tamale is a dish made of masa (a starchy corn-based dough), which is filled with meat, cheese, tomatoes, chilies, and then steamed or boiled in a leaf paper. Usually prepared with pork, tamales are cooked throughout the year, but around Christmas time they are very popular.
Dubai
Dubai’s cuisine is very colourful and multicultural. You will find a mixture of Levantine, Indian, Persian, Pakistani, Chines, Japanese, Thai and many more meals. On Christmas popular dishes are the roasted lamb (leg of lamb), a variety of fish, falafel balls with pita bread and Kabsa. Kabsa, or machbus, is made of rice, meat – lamb or chicken, vegetables and a mixture of spices. At the Christmas dinner the chicken Kabsa is made with a whole chicken and looks really festive.
Here are suggestions where you can dine on Christmas Eve or to enjoy a Christmas Day Brunch in Dubai and AbuDhabi.
- The Ritz-Carlton Dubai Christmas and New Year Celebrations
- Mark the festive season with The Address Hotels + Resorts
- Festive Celebration Packages at Marriott London
- Christmas, New Year holiday package by Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa
- Christmas, New Year holiday package by Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort
- Christmas, New Year holiday package by Desert Islands Resort & Spa
- Mövenpick Hotel Ibn Battuta Gate lights up for the Festive Season
- Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche Christmas and New Year’s Eve Offers
- Christmas and New Year at Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel and Suites
- Save up to 40% off with a festive bargain from Accor
- Special festive promotions by Dubai Marriott Hotels
- Give and Elegant Christmas Gift: Marriott Gift Card
- Surprise your beloved ones this Christmas with Accor Gift Card
- How about Video Gift Cards starring You?
*More about Christmas and New Year’s celebrations you can find at www.christmas-newyear.com.
