Which country has KFC for Christmas Day? Festive food traditions around the world

Family sitting around a Christmas table eating dinner with sparklers

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Christmas food traditions vary hugely around the world, shaped by climate, culture and customs. While some countries centre celebrations around a formal Christmas Day lunch, others mark the festive season with symbolic dishes, shared desserts or feasts spread across several days.

In the UK, as we already know, it's not Christmas unless we've got a big turkey, stuffing, crispy roast potatoes, a bowl full of sprouts, and all the trimmings for Christmas lunch. But in Iceland, roast lamb is the traditional dish, while in Sweden it's a delicious ham. When it comes to pudding, there are so many wonderful choices, from Canada's cookies to New Zealand's pavlova, Denmark's rice pudding to Jamaica's rum-infused fruit cakes.

1. Roast leg of lamb in Iceland - The main meal, known as the Yule meal, is traditionally a leg of roast lamb served on Christmas Day. Another speciality is leaf bread, made from thin sheets of dough that are intricately cut, fried and served alongside the meal. Making leaf bread is often a family activity, with patterns passed down through generations.
2. Sugar cookies in Canada - Many Canadian families host cookie-baking parties during the festive season, where everyone bakes together and shares recipes. Guests often leave with a mixed batch of cookies, making it as much about togetherness as the food itself.
3. Barbecued prawns in Australia - With the sun shining down under, there's only one thing to have on Christmas Day, and that's a BBQ. An Australian Christmas is usually spent around the barbecue with plenty of family and friends for company. Not all Aussies opt for the BBQ, though; some prefer a classic European roast - we can't blame them!
4. Rice pudding in Denmark - Most families whip up a 'Ris á la mande', a special rice pudding (traditionally made with milk, rice, almonds, vanilla and whipped cream) served for dessert on Christmas Day. A whole almond is hidden in the pudding, and whoever finds it wins a small gift, known as a mandelgave.
5. Cranberry sauce in the USA - Cranberry sauce is an essential part of any American Christmas and Thanksgiving meal. Whether it's shop-bought or homemade, loose or jellied, cranberry sauce is a must on the dinner table, especially if you're serving turkey.
6. Apples in China - Giving apples on Christmas Eve has become increasingly popular in China. The tradition comes from the phrase Ping’an Ye, meaning 'Peaceful Night', which sounds similar to the word for apple, ping guo. Apples are often wrapped decoratively and exchanged as gifts.
7. Stollen in Germany - Stollen is a fruit-filled bread containing dried fruit and marzipan, dusted with icing sugar. Known as Weihnachtsstollen or Christstollen at Christmas, it dates back to the 15th century and is traditionally given as a festive gift.
8. Twelfth Night cake in Mexico - In Mexico, Christmas celebrations extend to 6 January, known as Epiphany or 'El Dia de los Reyes', meaning the day of the Three Kings. Families eat Rosca de Reyes, a ring-shaped cake with a small figure of the baby Jesus hidden inside. Whoever finds it becomes the godparent for the year.
9. Caraway seed cake in Ireland - Historically, some Irish households baked individual caraway seed cakes for each family member at Christmas. Although less common nowadays, it's still a regional tradition, enjoyed by many.
10. Pavlova in New Zealand - Dessert takes centre stage at Christmas in New Zealand, with pavlova topped with cream and fresh fruit a popular showstopper. Served cold, it suits the warm summer weather perfectly.
11. Nougat in Spain - Turrón, a nougat made from honey, sugar, egg whites and almonds, is a Christmas favourite in Spain. Another traditional food served at Christmas is Spanish dry-cured ham, also known as Jamón which sits the head of the dinner table.
12. Porridge in Russia - Some people choose not to eat anything and fast on Christmas Eve until the first star has appeared in the sky. People then eat porridge or 'Sochivo', which is a porridge made from wheat or rice and served with honey, fruit, nuts, and seeds. It symbolises unity and prosperity.
13. Borscht in Poland - Beetroot soup or 'Borscht' is served as a traditional starter around Christmas time in Poland. It can be served hot or cold and is usually served on Christmas Eve, which is the day most Polish people have their main feast.
14. Panettone in Italy - Panettone is the heart of Italy around Christmas time. Packed with candied peel, sultanas, raisins, and many more, this sweet bread is usually about 12-15 cm high and should roughly weigh about 1kg. It's a tear-and-share bread for the whole family to feast on throughout the Christmas celebrations.

15. Rum fruit cake in Jamaica - Fruit cake is a big tradition in Jamaica, where they leave the dried fruit to soak in a red wine and rum mix months before Christmas Day, so the cake is extra moist and packed with alcoholic flavours.
16. Julekake in Norway - Julekake is a festive bread made with raisins, candied peel and cardamom. It sits alongside other Christmas favourites such as rice pudding and mutton ribs.
17. Christmas ham in Sweden - The Swedish Julbord is a Christmas Eve buffet featuring cold meats, fish and cheeses. One of the stars of the show is the Christmas ham, also known as 'Julskinka', which is made by boiling the cut and roasting it in the oven until crisp. This is usually left to cool and then served cold with the rest of the buffet food.
18. Baklava in Greece - Roast lamb or pork is often followed by baklava at Christmas in Greece. The filo pastry dessert combines nuts with honey or syrup and is a festive essential.
19. Yule log in France - The Bûche de Noël is a chocolate sponge roll decorated to resemble a log. It evolved from the tradition of burning a real Yule log for good luck and is now a Christmas dessert staple.
20. KFC in Japan - Surprisingly, eating KFC has become a huge tradition in Japan, with families queuing outside branches to collect pre-ordered buckets booked weeks in advance. The tradition began in the 1970s following a successful marketing campaign, and has stuck ever since.
21. Kutia in Ukraine - Kutia is a ceremonial grain dish made with sweetened grains, nuts and dried fruit. Traditionally eaten first on Christmas Eve, it symbolises prosperity and remembrance.

Anna Bailey is Digital Content Director at woman&home, a role she took up in 2024. She has more than 20 years’ experience as a lifestyle writer and digital editor. An NCTJ-trained and NCE-qualified journalist, Anna began her career in local journalism at the Basingstoke Gazette. She went on to hold senior digital roles across major media brands, including Lifestyle Editor at ITV.com, where she managed websites for some of the broadcaster’s best-loved shows. Before joining woman&home, Anna spent six years as Editor of GoodtoKnow, a leading family lifestyle website. Prior to that, she was Features Editor at MSN UK, and Digital Lifestyle Editor at UKTV. She has also contributed to a range of publications including The Mirror, LoveFood, LoveExploring and TBSeen.

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