Christmas dinner: Difference between revisions
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Many families go “all out” for the main Christmas meal, with more than one roast, [[side dish]], [[vegetable]] and dessert. A variety of [[condiment]]s are presented with the meal. In addition to turkey, common dishes are: | Many families go “all out” for the main Christmas meal, with more than one roast, [[side dish]], [[vegetable]] and dessert. A variety of [[condiment]]s are presented with the meal. In addition to turkey, common dishes are: | ||
* [[Ham]] | * [[Ham (food)|Ham]] | ||
* [[Roast beef]] | * [[Roast beef]] | ||
* Roast loin of [[pork]] | * Roast loin of [[pork]] | ||
* [[Goose]] was once a Christmas staple, but is a specialty item today | * [[Goose]] was once a Christmas staple, but is a specialty item today | ||
==Fish== | ==Fish== | ||
One of few times during the year when an ordinary family might serve a fish course in addition to the main roast. | One of few times during the year when an ordinary family might serve a fish course in addition to the main roast. | ||
Latest revision as of 02:48, 15 December 2007
Christmas dinner is a large meal served on the 25th of December, Christmas Day. It is usually called "dinner" no matter at what hour it takes place. Due to the vast amounts of food normally prepared, there is usually only one main meal on Christmas Day, with snacks or little meals at other times of the day.
This article will describe the British meal, its variants in the Commonwealth and the United States, and include Christmas food traditions from around the world.
When it is eaten
Usually, the main meal of Christmas takes place at any time following the usual hour for church services on Christmas day. Many Britons have “Christmas Lunch”; Americans are more likely to have “Christmas Dinner”.
In some countries or communities, it is traditional to have a large dinner on Christmas Eve, generally after returning from church services.
History of the Christmas dinner
The modern Christmas dinner
An old Christmas ditty states “Christmas is a-coming and the goose is getting fat”, but the centerpiece of the modern Christmas dinner is more often baked turkey, stuffed or accompanied by a pan-cooked stuffing, potatoes, a green vegetable, bread or rolls, and with a dessert; a pie or pudding of some sort.
Many families go “all out” for the main Christmas meal, with more than one roast, side dish, vegetable and dessert. A variety of condiments are presented with the meal. In addition to turkey, common dishes are:
- Ham
- Roast beef
- Roast loin of pork
- Goose was once a Christmas staple, but is a specialty item today
Fish
One of few times during the year when an ordinary family might serve a fish course in addition to the main roast.
In Australia, where the climate is hot at Christmastime, fish salads are popular.
Carbohydrates
- potatoes – roasted, baked or mashed
- sweet potato
- yams
- pasta – served as a side dish in families of Italian descent
Vegetables
Just about everything, and plenty of them
Beverages
Desserts
- mince pies – many different types of pie are served at Christmas, but pies made of mincemeat (in the sense of stewed fruit, not ground beef) are traditional.
- plum pudding
- sweet potato pie; pumpkin pie – traditional in the U.S.