Roasted Turkey is the most popularized Christmas main course, as enjoyed in the UK, Canada, the US, Mexico, New Zealand and even Australia (though being that December is the height of summer down under, the turkey is often served cold there). In such places, Turkey is commonly served up alongside some stuffing, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes with gravy, if not other steamed vegetables.
In lieu or as a complement to turkey, chicken and other types of poultry are also commonly cooked up. Goose is a favourite item in countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark and Ireland, while duck is a popular choice in Lebanon, Iceland and the Netherlands, among other places. And if the fancy birds are out of stock (or budget), certainly you can find a few chickens baking or roasting over an open fire in kitchens across the vast planet.
And if it’s not a big bird at the centre of the table, then it may well be a fish. Fish is a preferred Christmas course in numerous countries – Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Brazil and Finland, for example. Likewise, many countries, particularly those with a coastline, enjoy a wide variety of seafood on the holiday – shrimp, crawfish or lobster.
Aside from poultry, another one of the most popular Christmas dinner items is ham. In some households in North America and the UK, for example, the Christmas ham replaces the turkey altogether, while other households serve up both. Like the turkey, the ham can be prepared in multiple ways, but usually is baked, steamed or slow-cooked.
It’s not all just meat for Xmas though. Some Catholic-heritage countries, such as Poland, tend to avoid red meat on Christmas dinner, keeping in line with ancient tradition.
But let’s not get too caught up on what there is to eat or not eat. For the real spirit of Christmas dinner is not about the what, but about the who – family and loved ones, that is. That is what Christmas dinner is really about the world over: getting together for a warm and intimate occasion. Merry Christmas and fantastic feasting!