Example of Christmas lunch / dinner in the UK; Credit: Jazmin Campbell

During this festive season, Chronicle.lu asked its readers to share traditional Christmas dishes from their country of origin.

Around the world, Christmas is associated with tradition, spending time with our loved ones and giving and receiving presents, but also food. With foreign nationals making up almost half (47.2% in 2020) of Luxembourg’s population, it comes as little surprise just how different Christmas lunch or dinner can look in different households across the country.

Luxembourg

A traditional Luxembourgish Christmas meal used to include Träipen (black pudding) accompanied by mashed potatoes and apple sauce. This was eaten after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. Today, Luxembourgish families are more likely to eat a roast, cheese fondue, raclette or pierrade (a form of barbecue in which thin slices of meat are cooked on a heated stone).

However, both the food and when it is eaten (Christmas Eve or Christmas Day) varies from family to family. This diversity also extends to Luxembourg’s significant international community.

Ireland

According to Chronicle.lu readers, spiced beef (mairteoil spíosraithe) is a traditional Christmas dish in Ireland, particularly in County Cork. Others in Ireland opt for a roast turkey or boiled ham, accompanied by gravy, cranberry sauce, potatoes, root vegetables and / or Brussels sprouts. It is important to leave some room for dessert, namely Irish Christmas or plum pudding, which is a rich, moist fruitcake soaked in brandy, stout, whiskey or even rum. Another common dessert is mince pies, little pastries filled with spiced nut and dried fruit.

United Kingdom

A traditional Christmas dinner in the UK includes roast turkey with stuffing, gravy, roast potatoes, vegetables (particularly Brussels sprouts and parsnips), pigs in a blanket (sausage-based dish) and cranberry sauce. For dessert, families typically opt enjoy Christmas pudding, mince pies or trifle (a layered dessert with sponge cake, custard, fruit or jam, topped with whipped cream).

United States of America

Christmas dinner in the US shares many similarities with that in the UK. The centrepiece is normally a stuffed roasted fowl (pheasant, goose, duck or turkey) or roast beef, served with root vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy. A typical dessert could be gingerbread or another type of cookies.

Canada

In English-speaking Canada, Christmas dinner is similar to that of the UK and the US, featuring turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, gravy and cranberry sauce. Alternatives to turkey include other types of poultry, roast beef or ham. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin or Christmas pudding and fruitcake are examples of traditional dessert.

One Chronicle.lu reader explained that the traditional Christmas dish in the Saguenay region in Quebec is tourtière, a hearty meat pie made with minced pork, wild boar, chicken, duck, veal or venison and potatoes.

Another reader shared a recipe for Nova Scotia lobster rolls, a dish which is made with lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise, lemon juice and tarragon and served in a hot dog bun.

Mexico

Tamales are a traditional Christmas (and year-round) dish in Mexico. As one Chronicle.lu reader explained, these are corn dough “pockets” filled with pork, chicken, cheese or beans (or another filling), wrapped in either corn husks or banana leaves, and steamed. They are traditionally topped with salsa.

Other traditional Mexican foods served at Christmas include soups or stews such as pozole, birria and menudo. Some families also eat bacalao (salted cod) or stuffed turkey.

Romania

As one reader explained, Romanian Christmas dishes include sarmale (minced meat, rice and spices rolled in sauerkraut) and cozonac (sweet bread rolls filled with walnuts). Other traditional foods include aspic (piftie), a gelatine made from meat stock or broth, or pork dishes.

Poland

On Christmas Eve, Polish families traditionally eat a meatless bigos, a hearty stew made with sauerkraut, porcini mushrooms and prunes. The dish is typically stewed for at least two days. On 25 December, this dish can be enriched with pork meat and sausages.

Other dishes include stuffed or fried carp, herring, fruit compote, vegetable salad and soup.

Georgia

According to one reader from Tbilisi, Christmas sweets in Georgia include Gozinaki, a traditional confection made of caremelised nuts, usually walnuts, fried in honey.

Greece

Whilst there are various recipes across the country, a typical Greek Christmas dinner includes roast pork with potatoes and vegetables, celery soup, dolmadakia (stuffed wraps) and different pies made with meat, cheese, spinach and feta cheese (spanakopita).

One Chronicle.lu reader confirmed that the meal depends on the family, but there is normally one to three choices of pork, beef and chicken (no turkey).

Portugal

A staple on Portuguese tables at Christmas is bacalhau (dried and salted cod) served with potatoes, boiled cabbage and / or other vegetables and boiled eggs. In some regions, turkey or pork is served for Christmas lunch on 25 December. Dessert includes arroz doce (rice pudding).

Germany

Despite its geographical proximity to Luxembourg, Germany has rather different food traditions at Christmas. Traditionally served on 24 December, Christmas dinner includes stuffed roast goose or roast carp served with roast potatoes, gravy and various types of cabbage. Typical sweets include marzipan, spice bars (Lebkuchen) and various fruitcakes and fruit bread such as Stollen.

France

In France, typical Christmas dishes include foie gras and oysters, a roasted meat dish such as capon, turkey, guinea fowl or pheasant stuffed with chestnut. Afterwards, French families traditionally enjoy a Bûche de noël (yule log) – a dessert found in Luxembourg around Christmastime, as well.

Netherlands

A typical Dutch Christmas meal consists of roast beef, rabbit, duck, turkey, goose or pheasant served with roasted vegetables and potatoes. Kerstbrood, a sweet bread made with dried fruit, is a popular dessert in the Netherlands around this time of year.

The list goes on, but one thing is certain: Luxembourg is a melting pot with many different traditions, and Christmas dinner is no exception.