At a time when consumers are always seeking new sensory experiences and immersion in different cultures, the versatility of Macphie’s products gives you a passport to explore foreign flavours from all over the world. Inspired by our “Taste the World” campaign, we’re taking a journey through 12 foodie Christmas traditions from around the world. These traditions not only highlight the diversity of Christmas celebrations all over the world but also provide inspiration for flavours that could bring a taste of the world to your customers all year round.
🎄 Australia
In Australia, Christmas celebrations look a little different than in many other parts of the world.
With the Christmas period falling right in the middle of the Australian summer, it’s not uncommon to find families gathered around a barbecue, enjoying the sunshine, and spending the day at the beach on Christmas Day.
Rather than the traditional Christmas roast of turkey and all the trimmings, many Australians choose to enjoy a barbecue of meat and seafood dishes surrounded by friends and family. This sunny twist on Christmas dinner brings a unique warmth to the Christmas period, allowing loved ones to appreciate delicious home cooked food under blue skies.
One iconic treat that might make an appearance at the Christmas table is the beloved Lamington. While traditionally eaten on Australia Day, this classic Australian dessert – a square of sponge cake coated in chocolate and sprinkled with desiccated coconut – is a favourite year-round and often finds its way to the Christmas table.
Why don’t you try our take on the delicious Australian favourite made with Macphie Chocolate Crème Cake Mix and filled with our delicious Belgian Chocolate Filling and Chocolate Frosting: Chocolate Lamingtons
🎄 Iceland
In Iceland, the Christmas season brings a unique twist on Santa Claus: the mischievous Yule Lads.
Starting on the 12th of December and continuing each night until Christmas Eve, Icelandic children place a single shoe on their windowsill in hopes of receiving a visit from one of these 13 playful, troll-like brothers.
Much like Santa gifting children presents or coal (as happens in the UK), the Yule Lads reward well-behaved children with small gifts and sweets. However, for those who have been less than good, the Yule Lads have a less pleasant surprise, and badly behaved children will wake up to a shoe filled with rotten potatoes.
Each Yule Lad has his own distinct personality and is known for specific tricks he likes to play around town, from stealing food to slamming doors.
Although today the Yule Lads are seen as mischievous but harmless, their legends weren’t always so light-hearted. Once upon a time, the tales of these trolls were so frightening that parents were even banned from telling them to children.
Now reimagined as quirky pranksters, the Yule Lads bring a mix of anticipation and excitement to Icelandic Christmas celebrations, blending folklore and festivity for an experience that’s truly one-of-a-kind.
Fortunately, we don’t have any rotten potato recipes… but we have taken inspiration from the 13 Yule lads and their love for potatoes. A classic starter or side dish that also features in many supermarket Christmas party food ranges, try out our recipe for Loaded potato skins
🎅 Germany
In Germany, Christmas celebrations wouldn’t be complete without a slice of Stollen, a cherished Christmas bread enjoyed by families across the country.
This festive fruit bread, dating back to the 1400s, is filled with nuts, spices, and dried or candied fruits, and topped with a generous dusting of icing sugar (or what we call Sweet Snow® at Macphie).
Many families may gift Stollen to friends and family as a special Christmas treat.
However, Stollen wasn’t always the rich, flavourful bread we know today. In its earliest form, Stollen was a simple bread made from flour, yeast, and oil, with a flavour that was far from the delicious Christmas treat we now enjoy. In the late 1400s this changed when The Pope lifted the ban on baking with butter.
With this new freedom, bakers began experimenting with richer ingredients, transforming Stollen into the much-loved Christmas specialty we adore today!
Why don’t you try our take on this delicious German bread made with Macphie Superdough and finished with Sweet Snow®: Stollen
🎅 New Zealand
In New Zealand, Christmas dinner traditions closely resemble those in Australia, with some families enjoying a festive barbeque in the sunshine.
However, many families will opt for a more classic Christmas meal featuring roast turkey or ham. After the main course, New Zealanders often skip the traditional Christmas pudding in favour of a lighter, local favourite: pavlova. This airy meringue-based dessert, topped with fresh cream and vibrant summer fruits, reflects New Zealand’s unique seasonal twist on Christmas celebrations, offering a refreshing finish to the festive feast.
Try out our recipe of this classic New Zealand desert – if you are pushed for fridge space, as often the case at Christmas, remember to use Mactop Extra® which keeps for five days at ambient temperature: Black forest pavlova
🎄 Italy
Throughout Italy during the Christmas season, families will enjoy a festive bread called panettone. There are many different stories about how panettone came to be with the most popular legend being “I Pan del Toni.”
According to this story, a young kitchen assistant named Toni saved Christmas dinner after the head chef accidentally left the dessert in the oven too long causing it to burn. Thinking quickly, Toni offered a fruit bread he had made earlier that day from leftover ingredients found in the kitchen – a soft, buttery treat made with eggs, raisins, sugar, candied fruit, and a hint of orange or lemon zest. The guests were so enchanted and amazed by the unexpected treat that they immediately asked Toni what his delicious fruit bread was called. Toni simply replied, “I Pan del Toni” and thus, panettone was born.
Far more than just a fruit bread, panettone has been a symbol of celebration and indulgence since its origins in the 15th century. Today, panettone is enjoyed not only in Italy but around the world, beloved for its light, airy texture and rich, fruity flavour.
Why don’t you try out our recipe of this delicious Christmas bread made with Macphie Superdough: Panettone
🎄 Sweden
In Sweden, Christmas wouldn’t be complete without Pepparkakor, the beloved spiced ginger cookies traditionally enjoyed around St. Lucia’s Day on the 13th of December.
While these cookies are typically shaped like hearts or stars, many Swedish families decorate their Christmas trees with Pepparkakor shaped like goats taking inspiration from the country’s unique Yule Goat celebration.
The biggest celebration of this festive tradition takes place in the town of Gävle, where, since 1966, locals have constructed a giant straw Yule Goat in the town square. Standing as a symbol of holiday spirit, the Gävle Goat has become famous worldwide, not just for its impressive size but also for the annual efforts the town go to, to protect the goat from pranksters who often attempt to burn it down. Despite these challenges, the tradition continues each year, drawing both locals and visitors who come to admire the festive display and enjoy the charm of Sweden’s Christmas celebrations.
Take inspiration from Iceland hanging Christmas biscuits on their trees and try out our recipe for Christmas biscuits
Or if you want a more traditional ginger flavour, try out our recipe for Ginger crunch creams
🎅 Japan
In Japan Christmas isn’t a national holiday. However, many locals embrace the festive season with unique traditions that have become beloved over time.
One of the most popular traditions is enjoying a Christmas dinner from none other than KFC (https://www.kfc.co.uk/), a tradition born from a highly successful marketing campaign in 1974 called Kurisumasu ni wa kentakki! (“Kentucky for Christmas!”). This clever campaign turned KFC into an essential part of Japanese Christmas celebrations. Between December 23rd and 25th, KFC outlets see their highest sales of the year. Many people even pre-order their fried chicken weeks in advance, as lines stretch for hours with customers eager for their special “Christmas dinner.”
However, it isn’t all about the chicken… Another cherished tradition is the Japanese Christmas cake – a light, airy sponge cake topped with fresh whipped cream and decorated with strawberries. Families sometimes add festive touches, like miniature Santa faces, making it a charming centrepiece the Christmas table. These traditions highlight the way Japan has embraced Christmas in a unique Japanese style by combining Western influences with local flair to create Christmas magic in their own way!
Take inspiration from the Japanese Christmas cake and try out our recipe for Semi Fredo Sandos made with Macphie Plain Crème Cake Mix filled with Macphie Mactop® Extra: Semi fredo sandos
🎄 Barbados
In Barbados, Christmas dinner wouldn’t be complete without a beautifully baked ham, adorned with sweet pineapple rings and coated in a rich glaze.
This festive dish is so cherished that December is often referred to as “National Ham Season” in Barbados, as families across the island prepare for the holiday meal centrepiece.
The Christmas ham has become a symbol of togetherness and celebration, bringing a distinctively Barbadian flavour to the holiday season. This beloved tradition adds a touch of island sweetness to the festivities, making Christmas in Barbados a truly flavourful occasion.
Take inspiration from this delicious Christmas roast and try out our recipe for Pulled ham and pineapple pizza
🎅 Spain
In Spain, the 24th of December – known as Nochebuena – may be seen as more important than Christmas Day itself.
This special evening marks the beginning of the Christmas period for Spanish families, as they await the arrival of the 6th of January, the day of the three kings.
On Nochebuena, friends and family come together to enjoy an elaborate feast featuring a variety of meats and seafood, followed by a spread of traditional sweets.
Among these is Turrón, a nougat made from honey and almonds. Another iconic treat is Roscón de Reyes, a crown-shaped sweet bread flavoured with orange or lemon zest and decorated with candied fruits.
Inspired by the Roscón de Reyes but with a savoury twist is our recipe for Spanish chorizo bread with an aioli-style sauce
And while not traditionally a Nochebuena dessert, churros dipped in a rich hot chocolate sauce are also enjoyed by many Spanish families on this festive night on street food stalls as they wander home.
Tap into the trend and try out our Churros recipe using o.t.t® PLUS White Chocolate dessert topping, o.t.t® PLUS Milk Chocolate dessert topping and o.t.t® Belgian Chocolate dessert topping.
🎅 United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, no Christmas dinner is truly complete without the grand finale: a rich, brandy sauce-soaked Christmas pudding.
This iconic dessert, filled with dried fruit and spices and often served with a warm brandy sauce, is a Christmas staple that brings festive cheer to any Christmas table.
The Christmas pudding has a long history, dating back to the 14th century when it was known as “frumenty.” Originally, it was porridge made from beef and mutton mixed with dried fruit, prunes, wine, and spices. This hearty dish was traditionally eaten as a fasting meal before the Christmas season.
Over the centuries, frumenty gradually transformed into what we now recognize as “plum pudding,” even though modern recipes rarely contain plums.
Today’s Christmas pudding is a sweet, dense cake, embodying the rich flavours of Christmas tradition and the warmth of British Christmas celebrations.
Why don’t you try our recipe for the Classic Christmas pudding with brandy sauce
🎄Norway
In Norway, Christmas celebrations wouldn’t be complete without Julebord, a popular celebration where friends, colleagues, and families gather for a feast of food and drink before Christmas.
Originally, Julebord was a tradition for companies to show appreciation to their employees, but it has since become a widely celebrated event throughout Norway.
Julebord dates to the Middle Ages, where wealthier families would set out food for those less fortunate, ensuring that everyone could enjoy a Christmas meal. Today, this festive meal usually takes place in local restaurants, where buffet-style tables are set with both hot and cold dishes, where guests are encouraged to eat to their heart’s content.
A typical Julebord includes traditional Norwegian dishes such as Ribbe – crispy pork belly, Pinnekjøtt – a classic dish made from lamb ribs, and, of course, brussel sprouts as a favoured side dish. Julebord often transitions from dinner to a party, with guests celebrating until the bars close around 2 a.m.
Julebord has become a highlight of the Norwegian holiday season, bringing people together to share food, laughter, and the joy of Christmas.
Our chefs took inspiration from the Norwegians to come up with this elevated brussels sprouts recipe. Check it out here: Gratinated sprouts
🎅 ALL OVER THE WORLD
For our final country, let’s look a few traditions that have taken a trip around the world and have become beloved Christmas traditions for families everywhere.
Our first world loved tradition is, leaving out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, a tradition that began in the 1900s in America. This gesture symbolizes appreciation and a thank you to Santa and the reindeer for the gifts children hope to receive on Christmas morning.
Another popular tradition, the Advent calendar, originating in 19th-century Germany. Advent calendars were simple paper displays with numbered doors that revealed small images, helping families count down the days until Christmas. Over time, they evolved into the treat-filled calendars we know today, with each day offering a small treat.
Decorating Christmas trees is one of the most iconic symbols of the Christmas season. This tradition began around the 16th-century in Germany and has since spread around the globe, bringing families together to decorate fir trees with lights, Christmas bobbles, and a Christmas angel or star to top the tree. On the lead up to Christmas day, many trees are surrounded by gifts for friends and family, or left empty in anticipation of Santa’s arrival in hopes he will leave gifts under the tree.
Have a great Christmas when it comes🎅🎄🦃
Find more delicious Christmas recipes here:
https://www.macphie.com/recipe-categories/christmas-recipes
Here is a reminder of our Christmas and New Year opening hours:
Festive operating schedule 2024/25 – Macphie