Christmas In Canada

Food And Celebration

Roast turkey with veggies and ‘all the toppings,’ such as mashed potatoes and vegetables, is often the significant Christmas supper. Christmas/plum puddings and mincemeat tarts are two traditional Christmas treats. Many Canadians enjoy Christmas crackers as well.

After attending Christmas Eve Mass, many families of French ethnicity host a large feast/party known as a ‘Réveillon,’ which lasts well into the dawn of Christmas morning. When people attend Midnight Mass, they expect ‘Père Noel’ (Santa) to visit them and leave gifts underneath the tree for their youngsters.

For folks in Quebec, the traditional Christmas feast is a stew called ‘ragoût aux pattes de cochons,’ cooked from pigs’ feet! But, many people now consume a ‘Tourtière,’ a venison meat pie (or pork or beef).

The Bûche de Noel – a chocolate log – is a favorite cake, mainly in Quebec and among individuals of French descent. On January 6th, Epiphany (Épiphanie in French), citizens in the province of Quebec celebrate ‘La Fêtes des Rois,’ which marks the end of the Christmas season.

There is a relatively sizeable Ukrainian community (the third-largest globally, following Ukraine and Russia). For Christmas, Canadian Ukrainian households will prepare the customary 12 meal items.