Christmas Traditions

As she prepares a Greek/English Christmas feast for her family, Anna Peters reflects on Christmas traditions in various parts of the world.

'Tis the season to be jolly, tra-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. Well, let's be honest, when everyone sings at Christmas time around the piano it really does not matter if you are a soprano or not - the essence is that we are all together. Mind you, there are a few ribs that would be nuzzled when the key in C major is being sung in D minor - how hilarious is that?

Christmas traditions are absolutely beautiful to celebrate. I love Christmas time as our families get together and eat, drink and sing, tell lots of stories, jokes included, reminiscing. There are all ages around the table, or should I say tables, from the very young to the not-too-short-of-a-century.

Each family, no matter what part of the world it is from, has a Christmas tradition that is followed with great gusto.

My husband Anthony and I have been organising Christmas lunch at our house this year. What a feast. I must say it will be filled with traditional Greek and English festive foods, such as lamb on the spit (and dad usually is the chief cook for this occasion), spatchcocks, whole ham, stuffed grape vine leaves (mum's the dalmathes queen), spinach pie, tyropites, salads, pilafi, roasted crisp potatoes, bread.

For sweets we always have the Greek Christmas biscuit - kourabiethes. These are traditionally made in abundance at Christmas time, the icing on the biscuits representing the snow on the mountains in Greece. Each biscuit contains a whole clove for good luck. The traditional pudding is served with hot custard. There is always a Christmas Cake in the middle of table, of course. So we eat, talk, sing, dance, sleep, eat, talk, and keep going until late at night. Our Christmas lunch usually stops somewhere between 8pm and the next day.

Imagine the varying celebrations around Australia and the world; the foods that are prepared and cooked. Christmas celebrations usually start four weeks before Christmas Day - Advent. In Australia the traditions vary, based on family origins. There is the traditional English Christmas feast that has roast stuffed turkey, baked ham, hot vegetables, condiments, pudding with brandy sauce or yummy custard.

In German and middle European traditions, game meats are a-plenty - venison, geese, ducks - not to surpass the tradition of seafood such as cured or cooked eel and kippers! Germans are famous for the traditional gingerbread house and the lebbkukken . . . ah, yes, the best gingerbreads are soft and full of flavour.

The Ukrainian Christmas tradition is to present a guest, on entering the home, with sweet bread served with salt on an embroidered doily. The guest is then expected to slice the bread, dip it in the salt and eat it. This is a symbol of welcome and good health.

Swedish tradition is to serve necks of pork, breasts of mutton, geese and preserved eels. There is a traditional breakfast bread called julhog which is translates as "Yule pile". Each family has its own interpretation of the bread, and the one I know comprises a bottom loaf of very coarse rye bread, followed by a fine wheat bread that is dusted with icing sugar and almonds, then a bun made with saffron and dried fruit, all topped with a bright red apple.

Then in the Mediterranean, turron (nougat) is a specialty of the Alicante region of Spain, and in Italy, Christmas in Bologna traditionally commences with a meal of tortellini filled with pancetta or pork or turkey or just cheese. The Milanese are famous for the exquisite creation of panettone - traditionally made at Christmas time though you can buy it at any time of the year.

Christmas is not Christmas without traditions. I wish you all a very merry Christmas and good health and happiness for the new year. In Greek we say Gala Christoyiana!