I enjoy cooking special meals for family and friends and the holiday season is a great time to indulge in this passion, especially as my work is a little less busy during the second half of December. I was flattered when a friend told me that I express my love this way, and I like to think that is true since I get enormous pleasure from seeing people enjoy a meal I prepared. As this will be my 16th Christmas since emigrating from the UK, I now embrace many American food traditions, but I always sneak at least one British dish into our Christmas dinner. As I am planning our holiday menus, I began thinking about my various European travels over the years, and how Christmas food and drink traditions vary across Europe.

Back in the land of my birth, Christmas dinner is traditionally turkey with all the “trimmings” such as Brussel sprouts, parsnips and roast potatoes. Since the UK obviously does not celebrate Thanksgiving, British people have not overdosed on turkey yet this year, so most families select this meat as their Christmas entrée. Christmas desserts often feature dried fruit – especially raisins – and are often made well in advance to allow their flavors to mature. Christmas cake (a rich fruitcake) with marzipan and icing, Christmas pudding (sweet fruitcake served hot with brandy butter), and sweet “mince” pies encased in pastry are all favorites of mine and popular choices in Britain.

Mince pies are made from mincemeat which has a fascinating history that dates back to the 11th century. It was originally a way to preserve meat before the invention of refrigeration. The mixture typically included finely chopped meat, such as beef or venison, combined with fruits, spices, and alcohol to help preserve it. Over time, the recipe evolved to include a wider variety of fruits, including raisins, apples, and citrus peels, along with additional ingredients like suet, sugar, and spices to enhance the flavor. Although modern mincemeat no longer includes meat, the term is still used to refer to the sweet, spiced mixture used in pies and tarts during the holiday season.

I also enjoy a traditional European holiday drink of aromatic spiced warm mulled wine. This dates back to ancient Greece and Rome when they warmed their wine not only for flavor but because they believed this had health benefits. The vastness of the Roman Empire meant that this tradition spread across most of what is now Europe. During the Middle Ages the growing spice trade meant that cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice began to be added to mulled wine recipes and this warming drink became an important part of Christmas celebrations. Different regions of Europe tailored it using their local wines and spices, and early colonists brought their mulled wine to America. Today most Christmas markets serve this warming beverage at traditional Christmas markets, especially in Germany and Austria where it’s known as ‘Glühwein’. I have fond memories of strolling through delightful “Christkindlesmarkts” (translated as Christ Child Markets) in the snow with my now-husband, warming my hands on my Gluhwein.

Throughout much of Europe, it is common to not have the main holiday dinner on December 25th, but on the 24th, which is also when Christmas presents are usually unwrapped. In Germany, potato salad with sausage is a popular choice for this meal, and gingerbread cookies or Stollen (a German version of fruitcake) finishes the meal with a sweet Christmas treat. I have noticed that the Italian version of fruitcake, panettone, has become very popular in the USA. In Italian culture the panettone is generally accompanied by a cup of ‘bombardino’ which is a decadent drink made of half eggnog and half brandy and topped with whipped cream.

In predominantly Catholic countries in Europe, such as France and Spain, meat is avoided before the midnight mass on Christmas Eve, so fish in the form of salmon, hake, herring or carp are common choices.

In the Czech Republic, fish soup made with carp followed by fried carp and potato salad is the traditional Christmas Eve meal, followed by Christmas cookies known as ‘Vanocni Cukrovi.’ These are delicious cookies sandwiched together with jam dusted with confectioners’ sugar.

In northeastern Spain, the region known as Catalonia, there is an odd but amusing holiday tradition of making small characters from logs with smiley faces, tiny wooden legs, and little red capes called “Caga Tió”. This translates to Uncle Poop, or the “pooping log”. In early December, families place one of these grinning chunks of wood by the fireplace and (pretend) to feed it nightly so it can defecate little gifts on Christmas Eve. On December 24th the Caga Tio is given some privacy and children are sent to wait in another room while the parents stash candies, usually ‘turron’ which is a delicious nougat, under the log’s cape. When the kids return to the log they encourage the Caga Tio to expel its treats by hitting it and singing a special song. Weird but true!

There is a lot more information at, www. britannica.com, and www.history.com.

I will leave you with a great holiday quote from a well-known chef, not from Europe but –of all places – India.

Chef Ramu Butler said “It’s not just food; it’s a Christmas love story on your plate!” What a wonderful way to think about Christmas dinner. God bless America and Merry Christmas!

Lesley grew up in London, England and made Georgia her home in 2009. She can be contacted at lesley@francis.com or via her full-service marketing agency at www.lesleyfrancispr.com.