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Tired of turkey? Bored with the same holiday cookies? Try these seven festive Christmas foods from around the world. Sampling seasonal specialties while you travel can help you discover new favorites to add to your own holiday traditions. -
In France, the Bûche de Noël is the classic Christmas dessert. This buttercream-filled roll is often decorated to resemble a Yule log, with icing and seasonal embellishments that make it a festive centerpiece.
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In Venezuela, hallacas are a labor-intensive holiday staple. Similar to tamales, they combine meats, fruits and vegetables into a seasoned corn dough, then are wrapped in banana leaves and boiled. Families make large batches to share with friends and neighbors.
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If American fruit cake isn’t to your taste, German stollen offers a lighter alternative. Filled with candied and dried fruits and nuts, stollen is dusted with a generous layer of powdered sugar for a festive finish.
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In the Philippines, a whole roast pig called lechon often replaces turkey at Christmas feasts. Filipino holiday spreads tend to be rich in meat, commonly featuring ham, chorizo and hearty stews alongside the lechon.
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In Greece, melomakarona are the go-to Christmas cookie: spiced, soaked in syrup and topped with chopped nuts. Their sweet, aromatic flavor makes them a holiday favorite across the country.
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Kutya, a traditional dish from Ukraine, predates the region’s Christian holidays and is now a Christmas table staple. This sweet grain porridge with honey, raisins and other toppings symbolizes gratitude for the past year and hope for the year ahead.
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Danish rice pudding is served cold with warm cherry sauce for dessert. A single almond is hidden in the pudding, and the person who finds it receives a special gift — a charming seasonal tradition.
