Christmas 2025: Sheep head to Seven Fishes, 7 unusual traditional dishes around the world

The Christmas 2025 season has arrived, and so has the excitement to relish festive dishes. From roast turkey, pudding to mince pies, several common dishes are synonyms to the festival globally, but in every culture, certain food items hold a special place along with fascinating stories. Here are seven unique Christmas traditions around the world that you must know.

In China, people celebrate the day by gifting apples on Christmas Eve. It is mostly popular among the younger generations, and the tradition is known as "peace apples." The fruit is also decorated and carved with messages before wrapping in colourful paper. It is said that the tradition symbolises peace, health, and goodwill.

This Christmas tradition in Japan is a modern ritual that began in the 1970s due to a successful marketing campaign. Since then, millions of families celebrate the festival with a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. In recent years, KFC Christmas meals have been pre-ordered weeks in advance of the festival.

This tradition dates back to the 14th century, and it began as a porridge known as frumenty. In England, with time, the dish evolved as a dessert prepared with dried fruits, sugar, and spices. Traditionally, it is prepared weeks in advance, and families take turns to stir the mixture while making wishes.

This dish is made from a sheep’s head, and it originates from western Norway. It is traditionally relished before Christmas, with the head salted, dried, smoked, and then boiled or steamed. Interestingly, the dish was once considered food for the poorer community, but over the years, Smalahove has become a rare delicacy.

Another unique food for Christmas is Mattak that is quite popular in Greenland. It is basically raw whale skin with blubber, which is served with Kiviak, a dish made by fermenting small Arctic birds inside a sealskin for months. It is said to be a survival meal in Greenland.

Mopane worms are caterpillars of the emperor moth. They are said to be rich in protein and are usually consumed in certain parts of Southern Africa. These worms are harvested around the festive season and eaten after frying with onions, tomatoes, and chilli. The worms can be easily found in the local markets.

This is a Christmas Eve tradition of Italy and Italian-American communities. The feast involves serving seven different seafood dishes that have cultural significance. The ritual originated in southern Italy, and later travelled to the US with Italian immigrants. Served at the family dinner, it is one of the most popular traditions of Christmas.