© Getty Images

Bulgaria -

The Bulgarian Christmas feast will traditionally include a bean soup, stuffed cabbage, and peppers, as well as dried fruits, compotes, and a bread called koledna pitka. An overall vegetarian-friendly meal.

© Shutterstock

Spain -

The Spanish Christmas dinner consists of several traditional dishes, like tapas, seafood soup, and a second course, either fish or lamb. There are many options for desserts, however, turrón is the most traditional one. This nougat treat is a mix of honey, sugar, egg whites, and almonds.

© Shutterstock

Ireland -

Irish Christmas cuisine is similar to the Brits', with roasted turkey as the main event. One Christmas treat that cannot be missed is the traditional Christmas pudding, made with suet, flour, and dried fruit.

© Shutterstock

Italy -

Italian Christmas dinner varies from region to region, but it tends to be a lighter meal with various different dishes including fish, cheese, pasta, and bread. However, one thing that will be hard to miss at an Italian Christmas is the panettone, a sweet bread made with raisins and dried fruits.

© Shutterstock

Russia -

On a Russian Christmas table, you can find a variety of delicacies like a salmon pie called kulebyaka, dumplings, soups and shuba, a layered herring salad with beetroot, onions, and mayonnaise.

© Shutterstock

Finland -

In Finland, the Christmas dinner includes many traditional dishes, like smoked salmon, herring, ham, beetroot salad, and the popular rutabaga casserole called lanttulaatikko. It's made by boiling and mashing the rutabaga and later mixing it with seasonings, eggs, and bread crumbs.

© Shutterstock

Hungary -

As in many Eastern European countries, fish is also an important dish for Hungarian Christmas. A fish soup is often served, followed by roasted fish with a potato salad. A traditional dessert is bejgli, a poppy seed and walnut roll cake.

© Shutterstock

Mexico -

Mexican Christmas dinner includes traditional dishes like tamales, typically with pork, and a chicken soup with garlic and chili called pozole. However, the height of the Christmas season, like for many Catholic countries, is on January 6, when they celebrate Día de Los Reyes to honor the three Wise Men. On this day, families eat a special cake with a hidden baby Jesus inside, and whoever finds it will provide the cake for the next year.

© Shutterstock

Philippines -

The main event on the Christmas table in the Philippines is a roasted pig, served with several traditional dishes, like pancit malabon, a yellow noodle dish flavored with annatto seeds and bumbong, a mixture of black and white rice that looks purple. The rice is soaked in salt water overnight, then inserted into a tube of bamboo, steamed, and served with butter, sugar, and shredded coconut.

© Shutterstock

Venezuela - One popular dish on the Venezuelan Christmas table are hallacas, also known as tamales depending on the Latin American country. Hallacas are a mixture of meat, like beef or chicken, with olives, raisins and capers in maize and wrapped in plantain leaves, which are boiled or steamed before being served hot on a plate.

© Shutterstock

Germany -

The main dish for German Christmas dinner is the Christmas goose, called weihnachtsgans. Traditionally, it's stuffed with chestnuts, apples, prunes, and onions, and served with potatoes, gravy, sauerkraut, and red cabbage. The oldest-known recipe for this dish comes from a cookbook published in 1350, 'Das Buch von guter Speise.'

© Shutterstock

Japan -

Japan might have the most non-traditional Christmas dinner in the world. Dating back to the 1970s, a manager of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Takeshi Okawara, overheard some foreigners complaining about the difficulty of finding turkey to celebrate Christmas in Japan. Okawara came up with the idea of a 'party' bucket that would replace turkey during Christmas with chicken. By 1974, the KFC Christmas campaign had become a national phenomenon, attracting Japanese customers with their slogan “Kentucky for Christmas.”

© Shutterstock

Sweden -

The Swedish Christmas feast includes a variety of dishes, served in a buffet known as julbord. Held on Christmas Eve, these dinners are filled with traditional Swedish dishes, including meatballs, cured salmon, pickled herring, cheese, boiled potatoes, and ham.

© Shutterstock

Denmark -

The traditional Danish Christmas dinner usually includes roasted pork, red cabbage, potatoes, and gravy. However, the main star is the dessert, ris á la mande, which is a classic rice pudding served cold with whipped cream, almonds, vanilla, and a cherry sauce. In the dessert bowl there's a hidden almond, and whoever finds it wins a small present.

© Getty Images

Nigeria -

Nigerian Christmas consists of several traditional dishes with different meats, like beef, chicken, and goat, stews, vegetables, and different variations of rice.

© Shutterstock

Portugal -

A traditional Christmas dinner in Portugal consists of bacalhau, a salted cod fish typically served with potatoes, vegetables, and eggs. For dessert, a rice pudding called arroz doce is popular, as are rabanadas, which are similar to French toast.

© Shutterstock

Brazil -

Brazilian Christmas dinner is a feast containing many dishes similar to Portuguese and American Christmas cuisine, like roasted turkey, pork, bacalhau, rice, potato salad, and the traditional dish farofa, a cassava flour mixture.

© Shutterstock

Poland -

A traditional Christmas dish in Poland is fried carp as well as herring. Another favorite dish in the cold Polish winter is borscht, a beetroot soup with uszka, a small dumpling similar to raviolis.

© Shutterstock

Australia -

Christmas in Australia has some British traditions, like mince pie and Christmas pudding. They often like to have barbecues and eat seafood for the occasion. One really popular Christmas dessert is pavlova, a meringue-based treat topped with whipped cream and pomegranate seeds.

© Shutterstock

Greece -

Christmas is a very important holiday in Greece, and with many religious people fasting before, Christmas dinner is highly special. Some specialties include pork, stuffed cabbage, and a chicken and rice soup called avgolemono. What also can't be missed is the sweet bread, Christopsomo, and the Christmas cookies, melomakarona, made with cinnamon, cloves, oranges, and sprinkled with nuts and syrup.

© Shutterstock

France -

French Christmas dinner might look very fancy for some, with two of the popular dishes being oysters and foie gras. Champagne, pastries, and a main dish like roasted turkey stuffed with chestnuts are also part of the French feast. For dessert? A traditional chocolate log cake called bûche de noël, often decorated with meringue and other sweet treats.

© Shutterstock

Austria -

The main dish during Austrian Christmas is the carp fried in butter and served with vegetables and potatoes. For dessert, you will find a large variation on Christmas cookies with hints of vanilla or nuts.

© Shutterstock

United Kingdom - At the British Christmas table, one will typically find turkey with gravy and roasted potatoes, as well as pigs in a blanket and a Christmas pudding. Another very important Christmas treat is the mince pies, which can be dated back to the 13th century. These small pastries are filled with a mixture of dried fruits and spices.

© Shutterstock

Lithuania -

Herring and soup will be a guarantee during a Lithuanian Christmas dinner. Another treat found are kūčiukai, a traditional Christmas pastry made with poppy seeds.

© Shutterstock

The Netherlands -

A Dutch Christmas means you will find either turkey or goose, with roasted vegetable and kerstbrood, sweet bread filled with dried fruits and raisins. Oliebollen is also a holiday favorite, similar to a round donut.

© Shutterstock

Lebanon -

A Christmas dinner in Lebanon will have some similar dishes from Europe, like a turkey roast, cheese, and the French dessert bûche de noël. However, you will also be served traditional Lebanese dishes like dolma and kibbeh.

© Shutterstock

South Korea -

The menu of a Christmas dinner in South Korea will include barbecue beef called bulgogi, with noodles and kimchi. A popular dessert is ppopgi, a Honeycomb toffee, which will be decorated with Christmas-themed patterns.

© Shutterstock

Czech Republic -

The Christmas carp is the center point of Czech Christmas cuisine. As a starter, it's customary to serve fish soup. The main dish is the carp, traditionally served fried with potato salad on the side. This is a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, when carp scales symbolized wealth. For dessert, the Czechs have their traditional Christmas cookies and a braided sweet bread known as vánočka.

© Shutterstock

Ukraine -

On a typical Ukrainian Christmas table, you can find a variation of traditional dishes including herring, soups, and dumplings. Another Ukrainian Christmas favorite is kutia, wheat grains cooked with poppy seeds, walnuts, honey, and raisins, sure to keep you warm during the winter.

© Shutterstock

Norway -

Norwegian Christmas is guaranteed to satisfy meat lovers, as it includes ribbe (roasted pork) belly and pinnekjøtt (sheep ribs). You might also find cod, served with potatoes, as well as porridge and Christmas cookies.

Sources: (Redbook) (Deutsche Welle) (Planet of Hotels) (Fluent in 3 Months)

See also: Cities that transform into winter wonderlands

© Shutterstock