Everyone knows what a typical American Christmas dinner looks like: roasted duck, some type of vegetable casserole, comfort food, perhaps some lamb, soup, and dessert, typically fruitcake (though most people don’t even like it).

Have you ever wondered what other people eat on Christmas day? Most countries follow the same format of a main course of meat and some heavy comfort food , two or three side dishes, and a few desserts; however, some of these countries have vastly different food items for each category. Below is a list of what different countries eat on Christmas day.

France:  

Caviar: Caviar is roe, or eggs, from the sturgeon family of fish. It is typically eaten as an appetizer in France, especially on Christmas day. Caviar is usually eaten with smoked salmon on blinis, which are Russian pancakes.

 Foie gras: Foie gras is the liver of a duck or goose that has been fattened and made ready to eat. Yummy… if you like eating animal organs.   

Roast turkey: Of course, a Christmas feast must come with a main course of meat. For the French, that meat is roast turkey with chestnut stuffing.The turkey can help clear the taste of the foie gras for those who don’t like it.

Buche de noel: This is usually a French Christmas dessert. It is essentially a chocolate cake wrapped into the shape of a yule log. This cake is usually rich and moist, which makes for a perfect dessert to cap off a great feast.

Russia

Olivier salad: Olivier salad is a blend of diced boiled potatoes, eggs, carrots, pickles, peas, boiled, and mayonnaise; plenty of it.

Pirozhki:  Pirozhki is a doughy bun, typically stuffed with beef; however, pirozhki can be stuffed with sweet filling as well, for those with a sweet tooth.

 Kulebyaka: Kulebyaka is a salmon turnover made with butter, eggs, dill, rice, onions, and mushrooms encased in a flaky puff pastry.

Pryaniki: Pryaniki, a Christmas favorite, ginger cookies beautifully decorated and filled with strawberry jam. This is not as heavy a dessert as cake, but it is a sweet and simple dessert to end a Christmas dinner.

Mexico: 

Red Posole: This is a classic Mexican Christmas comfort food and is sure to hit the spot. It is a stew filled with shredded pork and hominy in a warm, red chile broth.

Tamales (any kind): These are a must-have at a Mexican Christmas dinner. They are also a popular favorite among children. Natalia Alvarado, a freshman at Oakdale High School stressed the importance of tamales at Christmas.“It’s traditional to make tamales for the Christmas season.” When asked the question of what Christmas dinner would look like if she made a three-course meal, she jokingly answered, “tamales, tamales, and … tamales.”

  Pumpkin empanada: This simple yet sweet dessert is a pastry dough stuffed with pumpkin filling, and is great for, once again, children. Adults prefer semi-sweet chocolate cookies.

These varieties of foods and desserts make us wonder: What if we switched up Christmas dinner every once in a while. Well, these cultures show us that maybe change is not so bad, and it is completely okay to step out of our comfort zone.