9 Wild Holiday Food Traditions From Around the World
From fried chicken on Christmas to grapes at midnight — the traditions that don't look like ours.
Nine distinctive holiday food traditions from around the world, from Japan's Christmas fried chicken custom to Spain's twelve grapes at midnight.
Holiday food traditions vary enormously by country, and some of the most widespread ones started in surprisingly recent, specific ways.
Fried Chicken on Christmas in Japan
A specific fast food chain's 1970s marketing campaign was so successful that ordering fried chicken on Christmas Day became a genuine nationwide tradition, often requiring reservations weeks in advance.
Twelve Grapes at Midnight in Spain
Eating one grape per chime of the New Year's clock is meant to bring good luck for each of the coming twelve months, a tradition dating back over a century.
KFC-Style Feasts in Parts of the Caribbean
Several Caribbean countries incorporate fried and spiced dishes into their Christmas meals that reflect a distinct culinary identity from typical North American holiday spreads.
Panettone in Italy
A sweet, dome-shaped bread studded with candied fruit is a near-universal Christmas staple across Italy, with its own regional variations by city.
Julbord in Sweden
An elaborate Christmas buffet featuring pickled herring, cured salmon, and meatballs, structured around a specific traditional serving order guests are expected to follow.
Mooncakes During the Mid-Autumn Festival
A dense pastry filled with lotus seed paste or red bean, traditionally shared among family as a symbol of unity tied to the full moon.
Kutya in parts of Eastern Europe
A ceremonial wheat berry dish served at Christmas Eve dinner in several Slavic countries, symbolically tied to prosperity for the year ahead.
Tamales in Mexico
Making tamales around the holidays is often a multi-generational family event in itself, with the cooking process treated as an important part of the tradition.
Christmas Pudding in the UK
A dense, brandy-soaked steamed pudding traditionally made weeks in advance, with a coin sometimes hidden inside believed to bring luck to whoever finds it.