Christmas food is about love, nostalgia, and belonging. Every family has that one dish that instantly brings back memories of childhood, celebrations, or someone special.
Food becomes extra special during Christmas because it brings warmth and comfort to the cold winter season. It’s the time when people gather, cook together, and share meals that feel like home. A warm cake, a cup of hot chocolate, or something freshly baked has a way of making winter evenings softer and Christmas moments more memorable. More than the dishes themselves, it’s the ritual of coming together, passing on traditions, and celebrating through food that makes this season feel magical.
Traditional Christmas Plum Cake traces its roots to medieval England’s fruit-filled puddings. Evolving over centuries, it became a rich cake made with soaked fruits, warm spices, and festive flavours. Introduced to India during the colonial era, it remains a beloved Christmas tradition.
What is lovely about Christmas ingredients is how many stories they carry. The spices we take for granted today, cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise was once considered treasures and saved only for grand celebrations, which is why they’ve become the soul of Christmas flavours. Even the humble mince pie has had quite a journey; it began with meat and spices meant to last through cold winters. Every dish on a Christmas table has travelled through time to reach us.
A slow-roasted turkey, a butter-basted herb chicken, or even a simple mulled-spice glazed ham… these dishes aren’t meant to be rushed. Even the sides, like honey-roasted root vegetables or a silky winter squash puree, carry that sense of warmth. When a dish takes its time, it somehow carries more heart. And if something I put on the table brings a little comfort into someone’s winter evening, then the menu has done exactly what it was meant to do.
Trivia
- Plum cakes were never made with plums. Long ago, the word “plum” simply meant dried fruits like raisins or sultanas.
- Soaking fruits in rum before Christmas was once believed to bring luck, prosperity, and abundance for the coming year.
- Candy canes were first created to keep children quiet during long Christmas church services.
- Gingerbread houses became popular in Germany, inspired by the story of Hansel and Gretel.
- Christmas pudding actually started as a savoury meat dish before evolving into the sweet version we enjoy today.
- Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove were once rare and expensive, which is why using them at Christmas made the feast feel truly special.
Read the full story that first appeared in Deccan Chronicle dated Dec 22, 2025 here:
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