International Christmas Traditions and Foods

It is different in every country, for us here in the Philippines, we could decorate as early as september! but usually at home i decorate around november..:D for food on christmas eve? well usually for families who could afford they would buy "lechon" that pig roasted! hahha then i make some salad usually chicken salad, cake..thats what most families prepare but what is special during christmas is the Simbang gabi or "misa de gallo" which is mass held at dawn... as early as 4am! After mass everyone would usually buy puto-bumbong or puto or suman... which are like rice cakes...:D it make christmas special though.. for decorations pinoys usually have a PAROL, which is a decoration, a STAR for some they make is soooo big, huge at times and then they would decorate it with lights and all and hung it outside the house! One tradition is also opening gifts on christmas:) One thing in common is that during xmas everyone is extra special to everyone! :D

I do not celebrate Christmas, but rather the Winter Solstice, which falls around December 21. We put up a tree, much like your Christmas tree but usually having silver, white and red berries on it, along with some holly and mistletoe. We have foods that are quite familiar to to most Europeans a Americans, turkey, ham, chickens, quail (if we can get it) goose or duck and Yams, Potatoes, turnips, squash, chestnuts, and other winter foods. We usually exchange small handmade gifts between friends and family on the eve of the Solstice and burn a yule log the following day holding our wishing and prays for the year. Many of us also celebrate Christmas with extended family members and friends who are Christians and do not understand our customs.

i too am Pinoy, in our family it is a tradition to have the suman bulagta, which we make ourselves. It is made of glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves and tied so tightly in pairs with a string then put in a big pot to be boiled for 12 hours. This is so, to make them "makunat" and then unwrapped and eaten with grated coconut and sugar. Or better still, "latik" this is coconut milk boiled until golden brown and crisps. Another thing is the "tsokolate sa batirol" a chocolate drink made of cocoa mixed with peanut butter and cacao. This is prepared a few days before Christmas to make it more delicious. all the ingredients are mixed together and then place in a deep bowl just like a clay pot. Then to prepare the delicious "tsokolate" you boil water, then dissolve a nice amount of the mixture, add evaporated milk and then, just before pouring it into cups you stir it the "batirol" to make it a little fluffy on top. As for the food on the table we would be having chicken, meat or beef, maybe some seafoods (if the budget allows) ham, "keso de bola" (cheese), fruits and chocolates. But most important is the "suman bulagta" which we never have Christmas without because we give it as gifts to friends and relatives.Not to mention that, we put up our Christmas tree, lights and other decors on the last week of October.

In Oz? Beach, B.B.Q. and Booze! HoHoHo.