What Christmas Tastes Like In The World – The Most Beautiful (And Strangest) Traditions

The country you go to, the customs you find. It doesn't matter if closer or far away, Christmas in the world is made up of many colours and flavours, sometimes even of bizarre and unusual customs. In some corners, it's hot and humid, and it smells like the beach, in others, it smells delightfully of cinnamon.

We asked our friends scattered around the planet to tell us how they spend their Christmas holidays, asking them three simple questions: what Christmas smells like in their country, a traditional rite associated with Christmas day, and, most importantly, what they bring to the table.

1. Lesley, Australia

Our Christmas smells less like tradition and more like colour: the flamboyant orange of the Western Australian Christmas tree (which is actually a mistletoe) that can be admired in the fields and in the bush, and the purple of the jacarandas visible along the streets. 

As far as traditions are concerned, there are certainly Christmas songs (the Carols) sung by candlelight by the community that meets in parks, gardens, and wherever there is the possibility of doing so.

For us, the food for Christmas lunch comes from the English tradition, but obviously with an Australian touch. It starts with seafood, then turkey, glazed ham, and all the side dishes. Last year's Christmas pudding is still kept in the pantry.

2. Tuila, Brazil

In Brazil, the scent that, in my opinion, is most associated with Christmas is that of “the beach” (mixed with the dishes that are prepared in the morning). It's more of a feeling: the moment when heat and humidity come together with the last days of the year, and everyone starts packing their bags to go to the beach houses to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

The typical Christmas night dish is turkey (yes, strange, perhaps inspired by Americans and Thanksgiving, I don't know), rice a grega (the one with raisins), potato salad (delicious), farofa, and fios de ova. Some families also do the Churrasco. Everything must be eaten cold, and it takes a long time to have dinner: families get together around 6 pm on December 24 and start eating only at midnight,
after which they play the Secret Santa Claus. In the meantime, everything happens: political fights, children who run everywhere, people who drink more than they should, card games... in my family, it has always been like this, and I love it. We dress in red or green, in a very casual, almost sporty way.

3. Marko, Croatia

For me, it's definitely the smell of cinnamon and apples that come from cookies and apple pie, and that of turkey or duck cooking in the oven. The scent of fresh fir is a big bonus.

On December 24, people fast, visit the tomb of Christ in the church, and help the children decorate the Christmas tree (the real one is the tradition, even if more and more people choose the fake one), food is prepared for Christmas Day, then we go to midnight mass and on the way back we find ourselves with homemade sausages and a glass of wine. On Christmas Day, presents are opened as soon as you wake up (forget to sleep late, the children will wake you up), then you visit your family or host Christmas lunch.

They usually eat baked turkey or duck, served with mlinci, a sort of tortilla-like dough broken into pieces and seasoned with the juices of the roasted bird. Some people prefer the suckling pig as their main course. Roasted potatoes and French salad (similar to Russian) are popular side dishes.

4. Tuija, Finland

It smells like cinnamon and chimney (if you're lucky enough to have one) and candles. Glogi (blackcurrant juice with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, etc.) and Finnish gingerbread cookies, which actually contain more cinnamon than ginger.

Christmas Eve is the main day for Finns. Most of us eat rice porridge for breakfast or lunch, and at noon we watch the proclamation of Christmas Peace on TV from Turku. It is an inevitable rite, a tradition that dates back to the 14th century. After that, many people take the Christmas sauna and then bring the candles to the cemetery. Some go to church. When you return from the cemetery, you warm up with glogi (maybe with a little alcohol), light the fire in the fireplace and candles, and start preparing Christmas dinner. After dinner, the presents are opened. When we were kids, Santa Claus came after dinner, and for many families, that's still the case.

The rest of the evening is lit only by candles, with Christmas songs and time spent together. Christmas Day is mainly dedicated to eating chocolate, reading books, playing board games, and... eating Christmas Eve leftovers again. In our family, we don't really eat typical Finnish Christmas dishes. The only real tradition is that of smoked salmon. My father taught me to brush it with some cognac before smoking it. Is that our secret ingredient? Most Finns eat ham at Christmas and several traditional casseroles: one with potatoes, one with carrots, and one with kohlrabi. I hate them. As well as the beetroot salad that many prepare.

5. Junko, Japan

We don't have a particular scent associated with the Christmas season; we usually have dinner with family, friends, or partners. Most of us are Buddhists, so we don't do anything religious, but we still have Christmas trees, and the kids expect Santa to bring presents. Let's eat chicken and pie.

6. Valentina, North Macedonia

Christmas in Macedonia is celebrated on January 7, following the old Julian calendar. It is a very family-oriented holiday and, strange as it may seem, there are no gifts; those are exchanged on New Year's Day.

The scents associated with Christmas are those of roasted or boiled chestnuts, of smoked pork with sauerkraut, paprika, and spices, of freshly baked bread, and of hot red wine with oranges and plums. Traditionally, Podvarok (Podvarok) is prepared, made with fermented white cabbage (sauerkraut) cut into pieces, semi-dry smoked pork, smoked paprika, dried mint, and a little red wine, cooked for at least four hours. It can also be prepared with turkey legs. And, crucially, it is cooked with lard. Another typical dish is a clear beef bone broth with semolina dumplings and egg threads. All dishes are cooked slowly for hours.

Traditionally, on the evening of January 6, people go to church to celebrate the birth of Christ in the manger and carry a bundle of straw and oak leaves, which are left under the table or partly placed on top, together with a burning candle.

7. Natalia, Mexico

In Mexico, Christmas smells of pure magic. It is a mixture of cinnamon, piloncillo, roasted chillies, and the sweet steam of tamales that cook inside large pots. Let's also mention some boiling fruit punch with guava and cinnamon sticks: this is the national scent of our holidays. 

We celebrate the holidays with so much food and drink that we need a nap just to be awake at midnight. Let's make piñatas (yes, even adults have fun getting candies), we sing, we pray, and at the stroke of Christmas, we start the banquet.

The protagonists are the tamales, which I love to prepare in large quantities: red, green, and sweet. My secret ingredient? A touch of caldito (broth) made from scratch, seasoned as if a Mexican grandmother had blown a blessing on it, and I add a teaspoon of chili oil to give depth. Not too spicy...just enough to make people say: “¿Qué le pusiste? (What did you put in it?) They're so good!”

8. Ania, Poland

For us, the most important day is Christmas Eve, when we exchange gifts, and at midnight, there is Mass in church.

We don't eat meat on Christmas Eve, and typical dishes are red borsch with ravioli, mushroom soup, ravioli with cabbage and mushrooms, fried carp, herring, dried fruit mixture, poppy seed cake, and gingerbread cookies. 

Another tradition of ours is to put an empty plate on the table for the Lost Wanderer.

9. Sarah, United Kingdom (England)

It smells like Christmas cake baking in the oven and pine needles. On Christmas Eve, it is a tradition to sing Christmas songs door-to-door, or go and admire the lights in the illuminated paths, such as those installed in Kew Gardens. Christmas Day is spent with family, exchanging gifts, eating (too much!) and watching Christmas programs on TV, while many people are waiting for mass.

Lunch consists of turkey, roasted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, and other vegetables. As a dessert, we eat the traditional Christmas pudding, even if it can be a bit heavy. And a rich glazed fruit cake is a must at teatime.

10. Laverne, United States (New York)

I grew up near Washington DC, and Christmas smelled like oriental pine to me. I missed it a lot during my many years in California: the Western variety smells different! Friends from the East Coast always sent me a wreath for Christmas, and every time I passed by it, I would sink my nose into the branches.

When my children were young, we celebrated Christmas in two days. On the eve, we went to Mass in our parish, which was located on a country road and had a floor-to-ceiling window behind the altar. Back home, we dined with a simple plate of scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, then we opened the presents and listened to Christmas music. On Christmas Day, we looked at what Santa Claus had
bought and went to visit relatives for lunch and other presents.

The United States is a huge cultural melting pot, which is why we have Christmas dishes from many countries: lasagna in New York, mac and cheese in the South, tamales and pozole in California, manapua and pork hash in Hawaii. I can't pretend to represent the whole country, only my small part: my family usually prepares a breakfast casserole based on sausage, eggs, cheese, and bread; while for dinner, we usually prepare honey-glazed ham, mashed potatoes, and Caesar salad.

Read the original story in ELLE Italy.