It’s difficult to know where to start with ‘traditional’ food and customs around Europe nowadays. With the advent of borders all but disappearing, travel made easy and television bringing the world to our screens, many people have blended each other’s traditional fare and customs; taking what they consider the best from each country and adding them to their own.
It seems that most European countries have adopted the ubiquitous American turkey for their Christmas dinner – not that the Americans have turkey at Christmas time – they prefer baked ham! (They go wild on Turkey for their Thanksgiving in November and are usually ‘turkeyed out’ by Christmas time.)
Many young people, for example, have no idea that for centuries goose was the prized meat for the best Christmas dinner throughout Europe; most have never even tasted goose!
Celebrations start early with Sinterklaas – 5th or 6th December
Holland, half of Belgium, Northern France and most of Germany start their ‘Christmas’ celebrations with the arrival of Saint Nicolas. Clogs, shoes and slippers are left by the fire for Saint Nick to fill with goodies, unless the child has been naughty and then they receive twigs instead. A special dinner is held on that night to celebrate the blessed Saint and his good works.
Various forms of St. Nicolas celebrations take place across much of North and Eastern Europe and, in reading the history of this St. Nick, originally from Greece, you can easily see plenty of connections with the modern day St. Nick and Father Christmas featured in the USA and Western Europe.
Christmas Eve
Most European countries will start their formal celebrations on Christmas Eve, serving dinner, going to church and exchanging presents.
Like so many Southern Europeans, fish is the order of the day when it comes to Christmas Eve dinner and the Portuguese may start their Christmas Eve dinner with a dried, salted cod dish (Bacalhau), often accompanied with boiled potatoes and cabbage; or they may have it for the main course only but it will always be a big feature of their main meal. Italy and Spain both enjoy their Christmas Eve dinners with fish and shellfish followed by traditional desserts that are eagerly consumed.
And for all of these predominantly catholic countries, going to mass to give thanks before or after the feast is a traditional family outing.Denmark too begins their feasting on Christmas Eve, starting with Julebrod and continuing with roast pork and crackling. Singing carols round the Christmas tree will follow and they will leave a dish of rice pudding for the Nisse - those mischievous elves who like to play pranks on the children.
Poland too has their special dinner on Christmas Eve, serving 12 dishes in honour of the 12 Apostles with any number of special desserts to follow.
In the UK, Christmas Eve is often devoted to singing carols, last minute wrapping and going to a midnight church service, with more carol singing.
In France, while less people attend Midnight mass these days, most still start their Christmas celebrations with Le Réveillon, a feast of a meal which starts after midnight on Christmas eve night to celebrate the symbolic ‘awakening’ to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Day
This is the Big One for Britain and Ireland, starting with stockings filled with treats to be opened immediately upon awakening. This is followed by a traditional breakfast and then comes the opening of all the presents left by Father Christmas.
Dinner will be roast turkey and stuffing with roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots accompanied by boiled Brussels sprouts and pigs in blankets (small sausages wrapped in bacon). A brandy-lit Christmas pudding (with hidden silver inside) will follow, usually served with Brandy sauce or custard.
This is the day where Europeans from all cultures gather with their families, visiting friends and neighbours alike. Many will attend church services and many more will take long family walks to help digest all the good food and drink they have consumed! Children of course will be playing with their new toys and excitedly showing them to all their friends to be admired.
Boxing Day
A uniquely British holiday to end the Christmas celebrations:traditionally this was when the gentry made boxes of leftover food for the servants and poor of the county, hence the name.
Special desserts and sweets
Bolo Rei (King’s cake) is a favourite in Portugal with a broad bean baked in it – whoever gets the bean has to bake the Bolo Rei the following year. Almonds, figs and marzipan play special roles too. In Italy Panettone or Pandoro cake, and Struffoli a sweet confection of dough soaked in honey are enjoyed. Whilst in Spain trays of decorative marzipan, Turron (nougat candy) are eagerly anticipated.
In Holland, Pepernoten (soft ginger cookies) and Speculaas (crispy spiced biscuits) are for the Sinterklaas festivities, and if you’re really lucky, you will get a giant chunk of chocolate in the shape of your initial. Germany has its Stollen and Zimsterne (cinnamon stars) and the rich and spicy Pfeffermusse.
France celebrates with La Bûche de Noěl - a rich and creamy chocolate cake which is also the origin of the ‘Yule Log’. Christmas pudding, mince pies, Yule Logs and Christmas cake coated in marzipan and icing, are favourites in the UK.
Danes have their Christmas rice pudding; Norwegians their Julekaker, (seven different types of Christmas cakes or cookies) and the Finns tuck into Joululeipa (traditional Christmas bread) and homemade Piparkakut (Christmas gingerbread cookies in the shape of crescents and stars.)
Decorations
Northern Europe goes for an illuminated Christmas tree in their towns and squares, whereas Southern Europe prefers the Nativity Scene on their town squares and roundabouts. Almost all places put up colourful lights in their main streets to decorate and enhance the festive atmosphere.
The tradition of decorating the outside of houses and gardens started in America but is becoming more and more popular in Europe. Nowadays you will especially see more and more public buildings decorated with fancy lights and, particularly in Germany, where the tradition of lighting up your house has become known as ‘amerikanische Weihnachten’ or ‘American Christmas’.
People will travel internationally to admire the Christmas lights that have been made famous in some major cities, including Oxford Street in London, the Champs-Élysées in Paris, nicknamed the ‘city of lights’, and Berlin, known as ‘the home of Christmas lights’.
So you see, everybody has a form of Father Christmas, Papa Noël, Pai do Natal or Santa Claus who will bring gifts in one form or another; many countries celebrate Christmas with similar foods and customs; most countries agree that it is a time to help the poor; and of course children (of all ages!) all over Europe eagerly await this very special season.
We wish you a fabulous Christmas, however you may celebrate it in your home!
Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.
Christmas around Europe
by Sun’s Dragon
It’s difficult to know where to start with ‘traditional’ food and customs around Europe nowadays. With the advent of borders all but disappearing, travel made easy and television bringing the world to our screens, many people have blended each other’s traditional fare and customs; taking what they consider the best from each country and adding them to their own.
It seems that most European countries have adopted the ubiquitous American turkey for their Christmas dinner – not that the Americans have turkey at Christmas time – they prefer baked ham! (They go wild on Turkey for their Thanksgiving in November and are usually ‘turkeyed out’ by Christmas time.)
Many young people, for example, have no idea that for centuries goose was the prized meat for the best Christmas dinner throughout Europe; most have never even tasted goose!
Celebrations start early with Sinterklaas – 5th or 6th December
Various forms of St. Nicolas celebrations take place across much of North and Eastern Europe and, in reading the history of this St. Nick, originally from Greece, you can easily see plenty of connections with the modern day St. Nick and Father Christmas featured in the USA and Western Europe.
Christmas Eve
Most European countries will start their formal celebrations on Christmas Eve, serving dinner, going to church and exchanging presents.
Like so many Southern Europeans, fish is the order of the day when it comes to Christmas Eve dinner and the Portuguese may start their Christmas Eve dinner with a dried, salted cod dish (Bacalhau), often accompanied with boiled potatoes and cabbage; or they may have it for the main course only but it will always be a big feature of their main meal. Italy and Spain both enjoy their Christmas Eve dinners with fish and shellfish followed by traditional desserts that are eagerly consumed.
And for all of these predominantly catholic countries, going to mass to give thanks before or after the feast is a traditional family outing.Denmark too begins their feasting on Christmas Eve, starting with Julebrod and continuing with roast pork and crackling. Singing carols round the Christmas tree will follow and they will leave a dish of rice pudding for the Nisse - those mischievous elves who like to play pranks on the children.
Poland too has their special dinner on Christmas Eve, serving 12 dishes in honour of the 12 Apostles with any number of special desserts to follow.
In the UK, Christmas Eve is often devoted to singing carols, last minute wrapping and going to a midnight church service, with more carol singing.
In France, while less people attend Midnight mass these days, most still start their Christmas celebrations with Le Réveillon, a feast of a meal which starts after midnight on Christmas eve night to celebrate the symbolic ‘awakening’ to the birth of Jesus Christ.
Christmas Day
This is the Big One for Britain and Ireland, starting with stockings filled with treats to be opened immediately upon awakening. This is followed by a traditional breakfast and then comes the opening of all the presents left by Father Christmas.
Dinner will be roast turkey and stuffing with roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots accompanied by boiled Brussels sprouts and pigs in blankets (small sausages wrapped in bacon). A brandy-lit Christmas pudding (with hidden silver inside) will follow, usually served with Brandy sauce or custard.
This is the day where Europeans from all cultures gather with their families, visiting friends and neighbours alike. Many will attend church services and many more will take long family walks to help digest all the good food and drink they have consumed! Children of course will be playing with their new toys and excitedly showing them to all their friends to be admired.
Boxing Day
A uniquely British holiday to end the Christmas celebrations:traditionally this was when the gentry made boxes of leftover food for the servants and poor of the county, hence the name.
Special desserts and sweets
Bolo Rei (King’s cake) is a favourite in Portugal with a broad bean baked in it – whoever gets the bean has to bake the Bolo Rei the following year. Almonds, figs and marzipan play special roles too. In Italy Panettone or Pandoro cake, and Struffoli a sweet confection of dough soaked in honey are enjoyed. Whilst in Spain trays of decorative marzipan, Turron (nougat candy) are eagerly anticipated.
France celebrates with La Bûche de Noěl - a rich and creamy chocolate cake which is also the origin of the ‘Yule Log’. Christmas pudding, mince pies, Yule Logs and Christmas cake coated in marzipan and icing, are favourites in the UK.
Danes have their Christmas rice pudding; Norwegians their Julekaker, (seven different types of Christmas cakes or cookies) and the Finns tuck into Joululeipa (traditional Christmas bread) and homemade Piparkakut (Christmas gingerbread cookies in the shape of crescents and stars.)
Decorations
Northern Europe goes for an illuminated Christmas tree in their towns and squares, whereas Southern Europe prefers the Nativity Scene on their town squares and roundabouts. Almost all places put up colourful lights in their main streets to decorate and enhance the festive atmosphere.
The tradition of decorating the outside of houses and gardens started in America but is becoming more and more popular in Europe. Nowadays you will especially see more and more public buildings decorated with fancy lights and, particularly in Germany, where the tradition of lighting up your house has become known as ‘amerikanische Weihnachten’ or ‘American Christmas’.
So you see, everybody has a form of Father Christmas, Papa Noël, Pai do Natal or Santa Claus who will bring gifts in one form or another; many countries celebrate Christmas with similar foods and customs; most countries agree that it is a time to help the poor; and of course children (of all ages!) all over Europe eagerly await this very special season.
We wish you a fabulous Christmas, however you may celebrate it in your home!
Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.