December is a month filled with holiday food traditions. From the Whos in Whoville’s roast beast to the figgy pudding the carolers seem to want so desperately, food is significant to many who celebrate. Some food traditions around the holidays are less well known, and it is fascinating to take a look at some of the more surprising celebrations.
Hot chocolate is not exactly unique in the winter months, but the spiced hot chocolate of Perú certainly is. For starters, this Christmastime drink isn’t even served in Perú’s winter months. Positioned in the southern hemisphere, December is a temperate month for the country; Peruvians enjoy the drink solely during the holiday season. “Peruvians won’t drink hot chocolate any other time of the year,” said Daniel Salazar, writing for Global Volunteers. Salazar elaborated that it would be “weird” if the drink was served during any other time throughout the year. Not only is this drink served during a warm month in Perú, the spices that are often included help to make it unique. Sonya Hendrickson, ‘25, said that she would “try it” but that she didn’t know if it would be any better than plain hot chocolate. “I think it would still be good though,” she added. It certainly can depend on the spice. Recipes online list various spices and flavorings–from cinnamon, to nutmeg, and even orange peels.
Perhaps even more interesting than Perú’s hot chocolate is Japan’s KFC tradition. Although only 1% of the Japanese population is Christian, “an estimated 3.6 million Japanese families” eat KFC on Christmas, per the BBC’s Eric Barton. The KFC tradition in Japan is a way to enjoy good food and spend less time cooking. KFC even has had a specific party barrel on its menu for the holiday since 1974. But why is KFC so prevalent on December 25th if so few Japanese people are Christian? “Christmas has become a commercial rather than religious event,” explained School of Wok. Especially younger Japanese people view the holiday through this lens, and this has led to KFC in Japan becoming even more popular around Christmastime.
Not only do many more holiday food traditions exist around the world, many more holidays occur in the month of December, each with their own fascinating food traditions. If you’re tired of sugar cookies, recipes always exist merely a search a way.
