7 Holiday Foods From Around the World — With Recipes

Spice up this holiday season by preparing one of these mouthwatering global cuisine dishes, recipes included!

Dongzhi (Winter Solstice) Festival Food, Tangyuan. Cats Coming. CC0.

Let’s face it: the holiday season can be stressful. Whether you’re preoccupied with finding the perfect gift for your mother-in-law or figuring out who is hosting your annual family holiday party, sometimes the warmth of this season of festivity gets lost. What won’t be stressful this year, however, is finding a new, unique recipe to try out. These seven holiday foods from around the world will keep everyone’s taste buds happy — even your in-laws! Whether your family prefers the coziness of a sweet treat or a savory dish that packs a punch, there is something on this list for everyone.

1. France — Buche de Noel

A Buche de Noel Cake with an intricate spiral. Mitantig. CC by 4.0.

Starting off strong with a chocolate lover’s dream, buche de Noel is a sugary confection that hails from France. Also known as a Yule Log, this confection is a rolled chocolate cake filled with rich cream. Both its shape and color are meant to resemble a—you guessed it—log. The dessert’s unconventional shape, however, is completely intentional. The history of the desert can be traced back to feudal taxes in medieval France, whereby peasants would bring logs to the homes of both feudal lords and their own families. Other accounts of the dessert’s history claim that families burned logs in their own home as a pagan rite to ensure a bountiful harvest for the coming year. In any case, Mon Petit Four provides a traditional recipe here.

2. Italy — Feast of the Seven Fishes

A seafood market in Genoa, Italy. Dade Rot. CC0.

A polar opposite of the sugary-sweet Buche de Noel Cake, Italy’s Feast of the Seven Fishes combines salty and savory flavors to create an elaborate selection of seafood dishes. On Christmas Eve, Italians and Italian-Americans gather around their kitchens and partake in this intergenerational tradition. Although the types of seafood dishes vary from family to family, the bonding and warmth that cooking this meal facilitates is universal. Whether plating more simple shellfish or an elaborate seafood pasta, however, the dishes hold a sense of significance. Both Italy’s long coastlines and large Roman Catholic population (many of whom either do not eat meat on Friday or on the eve of some holidays) have contributed to the beginnings of this tradition. A variety of seafood recipes featured in this iconic feast can be found here. 

3. India — Gulab Jamun

Gulab Jamun. Cabeza2000. CC by 4.0.

Although this dessert is eaten on a variety of celebratory occasions—including birthdays and marriages—it is also eaten during Hindu holidays such as Diwali. Although this year's Diwali has already passed, gulab jamun is still the perfect treat to make during the winter months. These sphere shaped sweets are made of deep fried flour and khoya (dried, thickened milk), and can be eaten both cold or hot. Often they are served swimming in a sugar mixture and have a semi-sticky consistency. This dessert is popular in India as well as Pakistan, Nepal and the Maldives. Moreover, the gulab jamun is similar to the Arabic dessert Luqmat-al-Qadi. A simple, yet thorough, recipe to make gulab jamun can be found here.

4. West Africa (Senegal) — Jollof Rice

Jollof Rice Served with Plantains. Bukky658. CC by 4.0.

Jollof Rice Served with Plantains. Bukky658. CC by 4.0.

Another versatile dish, jollof rice is eaten during a variety of occasions in many different countries. Although its origin is disputed, the dish is believed to have come from the Wolof people of Senegal in West Africa—the word jollof comes from the Wolof language and can be translated as “one pot.” Indeed, in this meal many vegetables, including bell peppers and tomatoes, are combined with rice and cooking oil in a pot. Jollof's orange tint comes from these vegetables as well as fragrant spices such as turmeric and paprika. During the holiday season, jollof rice is commonly served among families who celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa. Moreover, the dish is common in many African countries, including (but not limited to) Nigeria and The Gambia. More detailed information about spices and vegetables to include can be found in this recipe here.

5. Mexico — Tamales

Tamales wrapped in corn husks. Richard Elzey. CC by 2.0.

Cooking tamales isn’t simply about creating food; it also involves forging a sense of togetherness. Many Mexican and Mexican-American families come together every December to make this corn-based dish. Tamales can be traced back to Indigenous people in Mesoamerica, who offered bundles of corn as sacrifices to the gods. Today, families make tamales throughout the month of December leading up to Christmas. Tamales can be stuffed with a variety of meats, such as chicken or beef, as well as vegetarian-friendly beans and cheese. Traditionally, tamales are wrapped and cooked in corn husks or banana leaves, but these wrappings are not eaten. An authentic pork tamale recipe can be found here.

6. Australia — Grilled Prawns

Prawns with a lime garnish. Rasheed Rasheed. CC by 4.0.

In some places around the world, the holiday months trade in snowflakes for seasides and warm temperatures. Down under in Australia, seafood fills festive dinner menus because many winter holidays for those living in the Northern Hemisphere fall during the Southern Hemisphere's summer months. To stay cool, Australians will grill prawns outside rather than using their ovens to cook a traditional, elaborate holiday meal. In fact, during the month of December Australians consume 40% of their yearly prawn intake. Most families like to keep it simple and dress their prawns in garlic, lemon juice or olive oil to keep their feast refreshing and light during sweltering heat. A delicious, garlicky prawn recipe can be found here.

7. China — Tangyuan (Glutinous Rice Balls)

Tangyuan served  in syrup. Wu Xiao. CC0.

The Dongzhi, or Chinese Winter Solstice Festival, would not be complete with Tangyuan. These glutinous rice balls are often filled with sesame paste, and have a nutty and semi-sweet flavor. This food has been eaten for at least over 1,000 years, although its origin is disputed; one possible account is that Tangyuan was either created or popularized during the Song dynasty. And, to keep warm during the solstice, the rice balls are always served warm. Their texture is similar to and yet less dense than mochi. A simple, quick recipe can be found here.

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Carina Cole

Carina is a Media Studies student with a Correlate in Creative Writing at Vassar College. She is an avid journalist and occasional flash fiction writer. Her passion for writing overlaps with environmentalism, feminism, social justice, and a desire to travel beyond the United States. When she’s not writing, you can find her meticulously curating playlists or picking up a paintbrush. 

Indigenous Fashion is Redefining the Runway

The ‘I’ in BIPOC has remained largely absent in the fashion industry, until now. 

Models pose at Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. Vogue. CC BY-SA 2.0.

Once restricted to the top floor ateliers and hidden workshops of century-old brands, the world of high fashion is increasingly public. As a trillion dollar industry, one would expect fashion to have more than enough space for designers from all backgrounds to create and show their art, but as is the case, the market remains dominated by a handful of ancient European and American household names. More recently, designers of color have begun to break onto the haute couture scene as the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), among other notable fashion institutions across the world have made a strong effort to increase the visibility of BIPOC designers. The one minority notably absent, however, are Indigenous designers whose designs and culture have been repeatedly appropriated for years by brands such as Victoria Secret, Caroline Herrera, and Loewe, among others.

The First Nations Fashion and Design runway show in 2021 only included First Nations models. Stefan Gosatti. CC BY-SA 2.0

While the American fashion scene is notably lacking an Indigenous presence, Canada and Australia both hold annual Fashion Week events solely dedicated to showcasing Indigenous designers and models. In fact, the latter received a lot of positive attention in 2021 for local brand First Nations Fashion and Design’s runway show, which consisted entirely of First Nations models wearing First Nations-made garments. The show included a number of live musical performances and was interspersed with various homages to the claim of First Nations peoples to Australian land, none of which are common occurrences in Australia’s Fashion Week. The audience, however, absolutely loved it: creative designer Grace Lillian Lee along with her CEO and co-designer Teagan Cowlishaw walked out at the end of the show to a standing ovation. According to Cowlishaw, the show was about “the movement of giving our land back to its rightful owners,” a theme common among other runway shows and fashion collections created by First Nations designers.

South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech was named Model of the Year in 2018. Hot in Juba. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

In parallel with this sudden increase in Indigenous fashion exploding onto the scene in the past few years, demand for models of First Nations heritage has also skyrocketed. This previously untapped pool of talent is finally receiving the attention it deserves, with Indigenous models appearing with increasing frequency in print ads, television commercials, and of course, on runways. Australian modeling agencies can’t seem to sign Indigenous models fast enough, which has created a space for agencies that only represent models of First Nations heritage. According to some, this shift began with the appearance of several South Sudanese-Australian models who have gone on to become internationally renowned, but were firstly instrumental in redefining Australian standards of beauty: tanned, blonde, and bikini-wearing hegemony has been pushed aside in favor of a much more diverse range of skin colors and body types. Thus began the growing presence of First Nations faces in fashion campaigns both in Australia, and now, across the world.

Designers on stage at the National Indigenous Fashion Awards Ceremony in 2022. NIFA. CC BY-NC 2.0

In order to further support the work of First Nations designers in Australia, the National Indigenous fashion Awards (NIFA) were launched in 2020 to celebrate the cultural diversity and traditions of First Nations artists and designers in fashion and textiles. The annual event presents awards in six different categories including a Community Collaboration Award and a Wearable Art Award, each of which aims to promote the ethical and sustainable production practiced by many First Nations designers, as well as highlight traditional textile manufacturing techniques. The winning designers receive monetary awards as well as educational opportunities both locally and abroad to further develop their skills. This year, the event will take place on August 9 in the Darwin region of Northern Australia, an area traditionally owned by the Larrakia people, an Aboriginal nation with a population of roughly 2,000. While nominations closed in April, anyone who visits the NIFA website when it opens again for next year will be able nominate their favorite brands and designers, from those catering exclusively to the haute couture market, to brands showcasing their wares on social media, so long as they are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage. In addition, NIFA is launching a new showcase tour initiative this year that will allow shortlisted nominees and winners of the 2023 awards to display their designs to the public at four convention centers across the country.

NIFA award-winner Philomena Yeatman pictured in her studio with one of her traditionally woven tapestries. NIFA. CC BY-NC 2.0

Among the past winners is 59 year old Esther Yarllarlla, an artist of the Kunibidji who has been practicing and perfecting her traditional weaving techniques for decades. The piece which won her the Traditional Adornment Award was commissioned by the Bábbarra Women’s Center — a mókko or traditional womenswear garment with an open back, but her work also includes delicately knotted bags woven from banyan tree fiber. Another expert weaver, Philomena Yeatman received the Textile Design Award in 2022 for fusing traditional palm fiber weaving techniques with modern materials to create beautiful tapestries that tell the stories of her people, the Yarrabah. By contrast, last year’s recipient of the Business Achievement Award was a First Nations-run organization called Clothing the Gaps which engages in various social action campaigns to diversify Australia’s fashion sector. Through their community of youth leaders and community advocates, the organization has built a large following both in person and on social media, and helped them to successfully reclaim the First Nations flag in a legal campaign that ended successfully in 2022.

The list goes on: each shortlisted and winning designer or artist has dedicated their lives to advancing their craft and sharing their culture with the wider Australian community. While there is undoubtedly still work to be done, the burgeoning First Nations presence in Australia’s fashion scene is setting a positive precedent for the road forward, championing appreciation instead of appropriation, and carving out a space for Indigenous designers around the world that should really have been there from the beginning. As the words splashed across the backdrop of that fateful runway show in 2021 announced, “This is not a moment. This is a movement.”

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Tanaya Vohra

Tanaya is an undergraduate student pursuing a major in Public Health at the University of Chicago. She's lived in Asia, Europe and North America and wants to share her love of travel and exploring new cultures through her writing.