Editing Christmas (section)

=== Traditional cuisine ===
{{See also|Christmas food}}
[[File:Christmas Dinner Setting.jpg|thumb|right|[[Christmas dinner]] setting]]
[[File:Panettone - Nicolettone 2017 - IMG 7085 (31752542285).jpg|thumb|[[Panettone]]]]

A special [[Christmas dinner|Christmas family meal]] is traditionally an important part of the holiday's celebration, and the food served varies greatly from country to country. Some regions have special meals for Christmas Eve, such as [[Sicily]], where 12 kinds of fish are served. In the United Kingdom and countries influenced by its traditions, a standard Christmas meal includes turkey, goose or other large bird, gravy, potatoes, vegetables, sometimes bread, and cider. Special desserts are also prepared, such as [[Christmas pudding]], [[mince pie]]s, [[fruit cake]] and [[Yule log (cake)|Yule log cake]].<ref>Broomfield, Andrea (2007), [https://books.google.com/books?id=fJ_JDp9OgJEC&pg=PA149&dq=christmas+pudding+england ''Food and Cooking in Victorian England: A History''], Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007, pp. 149–150.</ref><ref>Muir, Frank (1977), ''Christmas customs & traditions'', Taplinger Pub. Co., 1977, p. 58.</ref>

In Poland and Scandinavia, fish is often used for the traditional main course, but richer meat such as lamb is increasingly served. In Sweden, it is common with a special variety of [[smörgåsbord]], where ham, meatballs, and herring play a prominent role. In Germany, France, and Austria, goose and pork are favored. Beef, ham, and chicken in various recipes are popular worldwide. The [[Maltese people|Maltese]] traditionally serve ''[[Imbuljuta tal-Qastan]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=http://schoolnet.gov.mt/HelloEurope/activities/recepies/imbuljuta.html |title=Imbuljuta |publisher=Schoolnet.gov.mt |access-date=February 3, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122070634/http://schoolnet.gov.mt/HelloEurope/activities/recepies/imbuljuta.html |archive-date=January 22, 2012 }}</ref> a chocolate and chestnuts beverage, after [[Midnight Mass]] and throughout the Christmas season. Slovenes prepare the traditional Christmas bread [[potica]], ''[[bûche de Noël]]'' in France, ''[[panettone]]'' in Italy, and elaborate tarts and cakes. ''Panettone'', an [[Italian cuisine|Italian]] type of [[List of sweet breads|sweet bread]] and [[fruitcake]], originally from [[Milan]], Italy, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and [[New Year]] in [[Western Europe|Western]], [[Southern Europe|Southern]], and [[Southeast Europe|Southeastern Europe]], as well as in [[South America]], [[Eritrea]],<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.madote.com/2016/01/christmas-in-eritrea.html | title=Christmas in Eritrea}}</ref> Australia and North America.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ansa.it/canale_terraegusto/notizie/prodotti_tipici/2017/12/04/negli-usa-tutti-pazzi-per-il-panettone-e-boom-vendite_b653dfb9-ec37-43c9-99bd-345a4abf1af0.html |title= Negli Usa tutti pazzi per il panettone, è boom vendite |language=it |website=Ansa|date= 4 December 2017 }}</ref>

The eating of sweets and chocolates has become popular worldwide, and sweeter Christmas delicacies include the German ''[[stollen]]'', [[marzipan]] cake or candy, and Jamaican rum fruit cake. As one of the few fruits traditionally available to northern countries in winter, oranges have been long associated with special Christmas foods. [[Eggnog]] is a [[added sugar|sweetened]] [[dairy]]-based [[sweetened beverage|beverage]] traditionally made with milk, cream, sugar, and whipped eggs (which gives it a frothy texture). [[Distilled beverage|Spirits]] such as brandy, rum, or bourbon are often added. The finished serving is often garnished with a sprinkling of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.