Christmas is a family holiday that typically includes traditional Christmas foods.
It's the time of year when people around the world come together and observe traditions that they have carried on year after year.
Some of these traditions might be the same as their neighbors and some are vastly different.
There are a few universal Christmas traditions, but some activities vary from country to country and even from region to region.
In America, for example, there are a few specific foods that many people would consider for Christmas dinner.
But the truth is, that many of these traditional holiday foods are specific to different regions rather than to the country as a whole.
What a family in Kentucky plans for their festivities might be very different from a family in California.
Let's look at some of these traditional holiday foods.
Turkey or ham? For some families, these are the only two choices when it comes to a traditional holiday feast.
It just wouldn't be Christmas without it.
But, for other families, their main course is as varied as prime rib, duck or even lasagna.
There is no right or wrong food, whatever is the preference of your family is OK.
However, if you are thinking about changing the main course at this year's big dinner, you might want to check in with the people who will be attending! For some people, Christmas just isn't Christmas if they don't have their honey-baked ham.
Other very common traditional favorites in many America households are: sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs, stuffing made with dried bread, corn bread or oysters, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and for desert, pies such as apple, pumpkin, mince meat or pecan.
Of course, depending on where you live, your menu might look very different.
Maybe your family has Key Lime pie, peanut butter pie, steamed carrots, okra, dinner rolls, crudité, green salad, a variety of pickles and olives or something else.
During the holiday season, many homes are filled with the scent of holiday baked goods.
Some people make a huge batch of sugar cookie dough that they roll out and cut with holiday shaped cookie cutters, like Christmas trees, Santas, stars or presents.
Decorating the cookies with colored icing and sprinkles is a fun family tradition.
Other favorite cookies include short breads, meringues, gingerbread and jam thumbprints.
How about homemade holiday candies? Fudge is very popular, as is toffee topped with almonds and chocolate or peanut brittle.
Favorite store bought candies include candy canes, ribbon candy and chocolate Santas.
Do you remember finding your Christmas stocking stuffed with these holiday treats? And don't forget the fruit cake! This traditional dense cake is filled with a variety of dried candied fruits such as raisins, cherries, pineapple and apricots and different types of nuts.
Often, it's less cake and more like a thick bread.
Typically, fruitcake is made with alcohol or spirits which help preserve it.
Many commercial fruitcakes come packaged in a tin and there are many jokes in America (started by the legendary Johnny Carson) about giving, or regiving, it over and over again as a gift.
But fruit cakes can be a delicious way to spread the Christmas spirit.
If you live in a colder climate, hot cocoa or spiced apple cider are a nice way to warm up.
After a hard evening of singing Christmas carols around the neighborhood, a nice cup of one of these warm beverages is much appreciated.
Some Christmas foods have a connection to the original Christmas story.
Take candy canes for example.
Nowadays, this is a candy that we often associate with a visit to Santa, but it represents the staffs that the three wise man carried when they came to visit the infant Jesus in Bethlehem.
No matter what meals are traditional Christmas foods in your family, there is something comforting and reminiscent of holidays past that is wrapped up in these special foods.
Isn't it nice to carry on these traditions and pass them onto your own family?