Mouthwatering photos show what different holiday feasts look like around the world

Rachel AskinasiDec 25, 2020, 02:03 IST

Turkey, anyone?Shutterstock

Whatever holiday you celebrate, special occasions are often a time when people gather around the table to enjoy a feast.
People celebrate Christmas all over the world, but eating turkey and drinking eggnog is a historically British tradition, according to culinary historians.
Some Koreans traditionally celebrate their harvest season with a feast of crops, and many Iranians do the same for their Persian New Year.
Observant Muslims and Jews abstain from food on their respective holidays, but they both look forward to their traditional meals when they break the fast.

Germans tend to celebrate Christmas with a roasted goose, dumplings, and red cabbage.

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They might also snack on stollen cake - a bread made with dried fruits inside and powdered sugar on top.

Joern Haufe/Stringer/Getty

Celebrators in the festive spirit may drink a mulled wine called Glühwein out of decorated, sometimes boot-shaped mugs.

picture alliance/Contributor/Getty Images

Bulgarian Christmas tables tend to feature stuffed vegetables, soups, and cakes.

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Visit Fiji during Christmastime and you may eat banana leaf-wrapped fish, stuffed chicken, and pork.

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The pork is typically made in a "lovo" - an in-earth oven made with heavy stones.

Phil Walter/Staff/Getty Images

Figgy pudding isn't just something you sing about - it's an actual dish in the UK.

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Typically it's covered with brandy and set on fire right at the table!

St. Louis Post-Dispatch/Contributor/Getty Images

In some Italian households, the "Feast of the Seven Fishes" is celebrated on Christmas Eve with - you guessed it! - seven kinds of fish or other seafood.

Elise Amendola/Associated Press

French-speaking parts of the world also tend to eat seafood during le Réveillon - the French Christmas Eve feast. The highlight of the meal is typically shellfish like lobster and oysters.

Margouillat photo/ Shutterstock

French-speaking parts of the world also tend to eat seafood during le Réveillon - the French Christmas Eve feast. The highlight of the meal is typically shellfish like lobster and oysters.

And, of course, don't forget the foie gras.

M. Spencer Green/Associated Press

Traditionally, French meals of any kind are known to go on for many, many hours - long enough to give anyone a little bit of indigestion. To combat that, there's an in-between course called le trou normand - liquor-soaked sorbet.

sbossert/Getty Images

Traditionally, French meals of any kind are known to go on for many, many hours - long enough to give anyone a little bit of indigestion. To combat that, there's an in-between course called le trou normand - liquor-soaked sorbet.

Swedes traditionally celebrate Christmas with Risgrynsgröt - rice pudding. Whoever gets the bowl with a surprise almond in it will have good luck for the year.

rojoimages/Getty Images

After midnight mass, Costa Ricans typically eat a meal featuring chicken and pork tamales wrapped in plantain leaves.

Carlos Rojas V/Shutterstock

They may also drink a type of eggnog called rompope along with spiced rum punch.

picture alliance/Contributor/Getty Images

Ethiopians might feast on doro wat - a stew of chicken, beef, or other meat - during holiday meals.

Fanfo/Shutterstock

It's typically spooned onto injera - a spongy flat bread, which is used like a utensil.

Jorge Fernández/Contributor/Getty Images

A widely practiced tradition in South African culture is that of the braai - cooking meat over an open flame.

Gallo Images/Contributor/Getty Images

Whether celebrating a holiday or just a Sunday afternoon, you can almost often find South Africans throwing chicken, lamb, boerewors - a type of sausage - sweetbreads, and other meats onto the grill.

AFP/Stringer/Getty Images

Whether celebrating a holiday or just a Sunday afternoon, you can almost often find South Africans throwing chicken, lamb, boerewors - a type of sausage - sweetbreads, and other meats onto the grill.

As it is in South Africa, Christmas is a summer holiday in Australia. Naturally, that means firing up a barbecue and grilling up some turkey, lamb, or seafood.

lazyllama/Shutterstock

Grilled prawns are also part of a longstanding Australian tradition called "shrimp on the barbie."

David Gray/Reuters

Ghanaians tend to celebrate Christmas with a feast of corn porridge, okra stew, rice, and fufu.

Lawrence K. Ho/Contributor/Getty Images

Fufu is a popular mash made from a dough of starchy flour - like cassava, yam, or plantain - and hot water picured below. It's typically a finger food eaten with stews or soups.

VW Pics/Contributor/Getty Images

Fufu is a popular mash made from a dough of starchy flour - like cassava, yam, or plantain - and hot water picured below. It's typically a finger food eaten with stews or soups.

In Egypt, Christians often eat vegan for the three days leading up to Christmas. Kushari - a macaroni, rice, and lentil dish topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce - can become a staple during these days. The street food is also eaten on other holidays.

AS Food studio/Shutterstock

In Egypt, Christians often eat vegan for the three days leading up to Christmas. Kushari - a macaroni, rice, and lentil dish topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce - can become a staple during these days. The street food is also eaten on other holidays.

People in India may eat traditional biryani - spiced rice - during Christmas. But holiday dishes can vary depending on the region.

Portland Press Herald/Contributor/Getty Images

Dessert might consist of kheer - sweet and milky rice pudding, which is also made for different festivals across India.

IndiaPictures/Contributor/Getty Images

Christmas in the Philippines usually means eating a whole suckling pig at midnight. The pig usually has a bright yellow ball of cheese in its mouth.

Grand Warszawski/Getty Images

Icelandic Christmas feasts tend to follow a strict schedule. At 6 p.m. sharp, it's common to sit down to a meal of cooked meats, including reindeer.

PeJo29/Getty Images

Argentinians traditionally celebrate Christmas in the backyard barbecue style with the dish Vitel Toné - veal in tuna sauce. Celebrators might also feast on turkey, pork, and bread.

Shutterstock

Argentinians traditionally celebrate Christmas in the backyard barbecue style with the dish Vitel Toné - veal in tuna sauce. Celebrators might also feast on turkey, pork, and bread.

Joulupöytä is the Christmas spread in Finland that features ham, bread, fish, casseroles, vegetables ...

Photo courtesy of Balsam Hill

... and mulled wine!

picture alliance/Contributor/Getty Images

Hanukkah is typically celebrated with a feast of latkes and sufganiyot - potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts. Both are fried in oil commemorating the story of the holiday.

Jeff Greenberg/Contributor/Getty Images

Hanukkah is typically celebrated with a feast of latkes and sufganiyot - potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts. Both are fried in oil commemorating the story of the holiday.

In the two weeks leading up to lent, Greeks from Cyprus will often prepare by eating a lot of meat and cheese. During the week of Kreatini (the week of meat), observers eat a lot of afelia, souvlaki, and tavva - pork stew, lamb skewers, and a baked lamb and vegetable dish.

NurPhoto/Contributor/Getty Images

In the two weeks leading up to lent, Greeks from Cyprus will often prepare by eating a lot of meat and cheese. During the week of Kreatini (the week of meat), observers eat a lot of afelia, souvlaki, and tavva - pork stew, lamb skewers, and a baked lamb and vegetable dish.

The week of Tyrini (the week of cheese) often involves eating a lot of bourekia - sweet and savory cheese pastries - herb-crusted cheese cookies, Halloumi-stuffed bread, and cheese ravioli.

VittoriaChe/Getty Images

The week of Tyrini (the week of cheese) often involves eating a lot of bourekia - sweet and savory cheese pastries - herb-crusted cheese cookies, Halloumi-stuffed bread, and cheese ravioli.

Koreans tend to celebrate the Korean Lunar New Year with Tteokguk - rice cake soup.

Carlos Osorio/Toronto Star/Getty Images

Perhaps the most important holiday in Korea is Chuseok - the harvest festival. The feast usually features Galbi-jjim, jeon, and japchae - beef short ribs, savory pancakes, and a glass noodle dish.

The Washington Post/Contributor/Getty Images

Perhaps the most important holiday in Korea is Chuseok - the harvest festival. The feast usually features Galbi-jjim, jeon, and japchae - beef short ribs, savory pancakes, and a glass noodle dish.

One of the crops celebrated in this harvest festival is rice. To honor the crop, Koreans make songpyeon - rice cakes usually stuffed with chestnuts, red beans, or sesame seeds - a staple food for the celebration.

SUNGSU HAN/Getty Images

One of the crops celebrated in this harvest festival is rice. To honor the crop, Koreans make songpyeon - rice cakes usually stuffed with chestnuts, red beans, or sesame seeds - a staple food for the celebration.

Iranians traditionally celebrate Nowruz - the Persian New Year - with produce that welcomes in the spring.

Amin Mohammad Jamali/Contributor/Getty Images

There's also ash-e reshteh, sabzi polo ba mahi, and dolmeh barg - noodle soup, fish with herbed rice, and grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice.

EzumeImages/Getty Images

During Ramadan - the holiest month of the year for Muslims - observers fast every day from sunrise to sunset. While the holiday is known mostly for the fast, it's also known for the special foods Muslims eat when they break the fast (known as iftar) every night.

Reuters Anindito Mukherjee

During Ramadan - the holiest month of the year for Muslims - observers fast every day from sunrise to sunset. While the holiday is known mostly for the fast, it's also known for the special foods Muslims eat when they break the fast (known as iftar) every night.

In Iraq, it's common to find people eating dolma - vegetables and leaves typically stuffed with meat, rice, tomatoes, and spices.

Ahmed Saad/Reuters

Muslims in Turkey may look forward to indulging in Ramazan pide - Ramadan bread. The soft bread is shaped by hand and bakeries often start selling it fresh just before evening prayer time.

Omar Sobhani/Reuters

Muslims in Turkey may look forward to indulging in Ramazan pide - Ramadan bread. The soft bread is shaped by hand and bakeries often start selling it fresh just before evening prayer time.

Burns Night is a celebration of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns. People gather to remember him on is birthday, January 25, with his favorite meal.

Russell Cheyne/Reuters

The main dish of the annual Burns Supper is Haggis - sheep's stomach stuffed with chopped sheep heart, lungs, liver, oatmeal, onion, and spices all, cooked together.

iStock/Getty Images

American Thanksgiving is traditionally all about the turkey.

LauriPatterson/Getty Images

There are plenty of sides to load up your plate with, too. Think green beans cooked five different ways, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, some sort of gourde, and let's not forget the stuffing.

Rachel Askinasi/Insider

There are plenty of sides to load up your plate with, too. Think green beans cooked five different ways, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, some sort of gourde, and let's not forget the stuffing.

There's also often some version of sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top.

Rachel Askinasi/Insider

And there are sometimes multiple different kinds of pie to choose from.

Charles Brutlag/Shutterstock

A cake designer re-created the 'Home Alone' house in gingerbread to mark the movie's 30th anniversary

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

Mouthwatering photos show what different holiday feasts look like around the world

Germans tend to celebrate Christmas with a roasted goose, dumplings, and red cabbage.

They might also snack on stollen cake - a bread made with dried fruits inside and powdered sugar on top.

Celebrators in the festive spirit may drink a mulled wine called Glühwein out of decorated, sometimes boot-shaped mugs.

Bulgarian Christmas tables tend to feature stuffed vegetables, soups, and cakes.

Visit Fiji during Christmastime and you may eat banana leaf-wrapped fish, stuffed chicken, and pork.

The pork is typically made in a "lovo" - an in-earth oven made with heavy stones.

Figgy pudding isn't just something you sing about - it's an actual dish in the UK.

Typically it's covered with brandy and set on fire right at the table!

In some Italian households, the "Feast of the Seven Fishes" is celebrated on Christmas Eve with - you guessed it! - seven kinds of fish or other seafood.

French-speaking parts of the world also tend to eat seafood during le Réveillon - the French Christmas Eve feast. The highlight of the meal is typically shellfish like lobster and oysters.

And, of course, don't forget the foie gras.

Traditionally, French meals of any kind are known to go on for many, many hours - long enough to give anyone a little bit of indigestion. To combat that, there's an in-between course called le trou normand - liquor-soaked sorbet.

Swedes traditionally celebrate Christmas with Risgrynsgröt - rice pudding. Whoever gets the bowl with a surprise almond in it will have good luck for the year.

After midnight mass, Costa Ricans typically eat a meal featuring chicken and pork tamales wrapped in plantain leaves.

They may also drink a type of eggnog called rompope along with spiced rum punch.

Ethiopians might feast on doro wat - a stew of chicken, beef, or other meat - during holiday meals.

It's typically spooned onto injera - a spongy flat bread, which is used like a utensil.

A widely practiced tradition in South African culture is that of the braai - cooking meat over an open flame.

Whether celebrating a holiday or just a Sunday afternoon, you can almost often find South Africans throwing chicken, lamb, boerewors - a type of sausage - sweetbreads, and other meats onto the grill.

As it is in South Africa, Christmas is a summer holiday in Australia. Naturally, that means firing up a barbecue and grilling up some turkey, lamb, or seafood.

Grilled prawns are also part of a longstanding Australian tradition called "shrimp on the barbie."

Ghanaians tend to celebrate Christmas with a feast of corn porridge, okra stew, rice, and fufu.

Fufu is a popular mash made from a dough of starchy flour - like cassava, yam, or plantain - and hot water picured below. It's typically a finger food eaten with stews or soups.

In Egypt, Christians often eat vegan for the three days leading up to Christmas. Kushari - a macaroni, rice, and lentil dish topped with a tomato-vinegar sauce - can become a staple during these days. The street food is also eaten on other holidays.

People in India may eat traditional biryani - spiced rice - during Christmas. But holiday dishes can vary depending on the region.

Dessert might consist of kheer - sweet and milky rice pudding, which is also made for different festivals across India.

Christmas in the Philippines usually means eating a whole suckling pig at midnight. The pig usually has a bright yellow ball of cheese in its mouth.

Icelandic Christmas feasts tend to follow a strict schedule. At 6 p.m. sharp, it's common to sit down to a meal of cooked meats, including reindeer.

Argentinians traditionally celebrate Christmas in the backyard barbecue style with the dish Vitel Toné - veal in tuna sauce. Celebrators might also feast on turkey, pork, and bread.

Joulupöytä is the Christmas spread in Finland that features ham, bread, fish, casseroles, vegetables ...

... and mulled wine!

Hanukkah is typically celebrated with a feast of latkes and sufganiyot - potato pancakes and jelly doughnuts. Both are fried in oil commemorating the story of the holiday.

In the two weeks leading up to lent, Greeks from Cyprus will often prepare by eating a lot of meat and cheese. During the week of Kreatini (the week of meat), observers eat a lot of afelia, souvlaki, and tavva - pork stew, lamb skewers, and a baked lamb and vegetable dish.

The week of Tyrini (the week of cheese) often involves eating a lot of bourekia - sweet and savory cheese pastries - herb-crusted cheese cookies, Halloumi-stuffed bread, and cheese ravioli.

Koreans tend to celebrate the Korean Lunar New Year with Tteokguk - rice cake soup.

Perhaps the most important holiday in Korea is Chuseok - the harvest festival. The feast usually features Galbi-jjim, jeon, and japchae - beef short ribs, savory pancakes, and a glass noodle dish.

One of the crops celebrated in this harvest festival is rice. To honor the crop, Koreans make songpyeon - rice cakes usually stuffed with chestnuts, red beans, or sesame seeds - a staple food for the celebration.

Iranians traditionally celebrate Nowruz - the Persian New Year - with produce that welcomes in the spring.

There's also ash-e reshteh, sabzi polo ba mahi, and dolmeh barg - noodle soup, fish with herbed rice, and grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice.

During Ramadan - the holiest month of the year for Muslims - observers fast every day from sunrise to sunset. While the holiday is known mostly for the fast, it's also known for the special foods Muslims eat when they break the fast (known as iftar) every night.

In Iraq, it's common to find people eating dolma - vegetables and leaves typically stuffed with meat, rice, tomatoes, and spices.

Muslims in Turkey may look forward to indulging in Ramazan pide - Ramadan bread. The soft bread is shaped by hand and bakeries often start selling it fresh just before evening prayer time.

Burns Night is a celebration of the Scottish poet, Robert Burns. People gather to remember him on is birthday, January 25, with his favorite meal.

The main dish of the annual Burns Supper is Haggis - sheep's stomach stuffed with chopped sheep heart, lungs, liver, oatmeal, onion, and spices all, cooked together.

American Thanksgiving is traditionally all about the turkey.

There are plenty of sides to load up your plate with, too. Think green beans cooked five different ways, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, some sort of gourde, and let's not forget the stuffing.

There's also often some version of sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top.

And there are sometimes multiple different kinds of pie to choose from.