Christmas all over the world

It’s the first Sunday of December and it’s time to plan our Christmas menu!

Here are inspos from all over the world:

Australia

Australians celebrate White Christmas not just with snow and song but by way of a sweet dessert of the same name, similar to torrone (a soft nougat) made with desiccated coconut, dried fruit and rice bubbles breakfast cereal.

China

Here, apples are sold wrapped in colorful paper decorated with gold ribbons or pictures of Santa Claus. This is because the word for Christmas in China is Ping An Ye, which sounds very similar to the Christmas word for apple: ping guo.

Czech Republic

The Czech celebrate with vánočka, a Czech bread that is braided and made with raisins and almonds, usually served for breakfast. They also fast as a tradition and legend says that if you fast during the day on Christmas Eve until dinner, you’ll see a golden piglet fly through the sky that evening, which is supposed to bring good luck!

Denmark

The Danish have a holiday dessert called ris á la mande, a kind of Danish rice pudding that is cold and served with whipped cream, vanilla, almonds and a hot cherry sauce. There is a peeled almond hidden in the dessert bowl, and whoever finds it gets a present.

Finland

Christmas dinner in Finland includes the traditional lanttulaatikko, a rutabaga casserole. This is made by boiling and mashing rutabaga and mixing in bread crumbs, treacle, egg and many seasonings.

France

The bûche de noël is the French version of a Yule Log. This is a rich cake often decorated with tiny meringue “mushrooms” and other treats made to look like items found in a forest. On the theme of Christmas, chestnut is a popular flavor, though other flavors are available.

Italy

Italy celebrates with panettone, a festive bread made with candied peel, sultanas, raisins and dried fruits. This traditional bread supposedly has its roots in the “Pan de Toni,” or “Toni’s bread,” which got its name because Toni, a scullion, invented the bread after burning bread, then kneading leftover yeast with flour, eggs, sugar, raisins and candied fruit.

Mexico

In Mexico, aside from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, they also celebrate Día de Los Reyes Magos on the Feast of the Three Kings. The dish for this day is a special cake called Three Kings cake or Twelfth Night cake. There is a figure of the Baby Jesus hidden inside, and whoever finds it becomes the “godparent” of Jesus for that year.

Peru

Like Italy, Peru has paneton, a sweet bread with raisins and candied fruits. This is paired with spiced hot chocolate, the quintessential Christmas drink but with cloves and cinnamon.

Sweden

Sweden celebrates Christmas dinner smörgåsbord-style, The julbord is filled with traditional Swedish dishes such as pickled herring, cured salmon and meatballs, plus additional items like bread, liver pâté, red beet salad, cheese and cabbage. The generous spread on Christmas Day is supposed to be reminiscent of the celebration that came after a period of fasting from the beginning of Advent until midnight on Christmas Eve.

Of course there’s also our favorite Filipino Christmas staples: Bulacan hot chocolate, suman and leche flan, and for Christmas morning, puto bumbong and bibingka.Whatever way you celebrate, make sure you remember the reason for the season. It’s a season of waiting for the greatest gift Who is yet to come! May you have a meaningful second Sunday of Advent!