Suggestions for an Unforgettable and Grand Christmas Meal

All across our vast globe people will be celebrating Christmas this December 25th. No matter where you live, the Christmas meal is sure to be an integral part of the day. This feast is something that both young and old look forward to and savors the thought of. This is probably because this is the one feast of the year where certain treats and delicacies are bound to be on the table, almost expected, and they usually have to do with certain cultural and seasonal customs.

While there are many similarities through out the world with the traditional Christmas dinner, there are also differences abound, some subtle, some vast. For example, In Italy and other parts of the Mediterranean, fish is the choice of main dish and it is eaten on Christmas Eve. This is most likely because a vast majority of the population is practicing Catholics. In Germany they too have their main feast on Christmas Eve. It is a lavish and enormously opulent meal with the main dish usually being goose. Red cabbage is also served as a side dish and is massively enjoyed. For another instance of the differences in the Christmas menu, look to the South American and bordering countries. They all seem to add panache with spicy and stimulating cuisine. Mexico does this as well.

Similarities with the Christmas dinner menus are abound with only faint differences in the approach. Great Britain’s menu parallels what is served in the United States. The one big divergence is that they simply must have Brussels sprouts on the bill of fare. They also employ the use of Christmas crackers. For those who have never celebrated a traditional British Christmas, a cracker is a tube filled with a joke, a paper hat and a small trinket. Two people each grab an end and pull. This results in a popping or “cracking” sound. The winner is the person left with the longest end of the cracker; they then get to claim the prizes which were inside.

No matter where in the world you will be celebrating and feasting on Christmas, remember the underlying message is about love. When preparing your meal, don’t put unrealistic expectations on yourself and keep it simple. You can add new dishes, keep traditional ones or change your menu all together. Maybe your favorite foods derive from the Far East. Don’t be afraid to make those choices become your new venue on this festive occasion.

The most important thing to remember is to take pleasure in the cooking of the meal. It should be a pleasant and enjoyable experience. It is a labor of love. Include family and friends in the preparations. This is a great “family-time” moment. While preparing the dinner together you may be amazed at the conversations that can come from this time spent together. You also can take this opportunity to develop closer bonds with certain family and friends. No matter what you choose to do, have a good sit down meal together, enjoy the moment and cherish the time spent with the people you love.