Ham and turkey...but cold. As we said, it is way too hot to be slaving in front of an oven on Christmas Day. In most Australia homes, Christmas ham is prepared a few days in advance and served cold, and the same applies to turkey. Everyone eats their fill, with your Uncle Brian usually fitting in thirds or fourths.
Ham. In the Liaw household, it's just not Christmas without a ham. It's the ultimate Australian Christmas centrepiece.
Many Australians prefer eating cold ham and turkey instead of a warm formal dinner due to the hot climate. Some celebrate in their backyard with BBQ prawns and beer. The traditional Australian desserts, such as pavlova and the Christmas trifle, are also a huge part of Australian Christmas food.
The Australian Christmas feast has evolved over the years – many still enjoy a traditional turkey roast dinner, but warm weather favourites like seafood, ice-cream and tropical fruits now appear on most festive menus.
Since the seasons are reversed below the equator, Australians prefer to celebrate Christmas outdoors by having a barbecue with family and friends. And the food they put on the grill is more indicative of where they live: prawns, lobsters, steak…
Whilst turkey is often thought of as the most popular meat for Christmas Day lunch, there are plenty of other options. A well-marbled side of beef is the height of luxury whilst ham and gammon are delicious both hot and cold, making them a versatile option for those hosting more than one festive feast.
Christmas Turkey
This popular meat is a favourite option thanks to its mouth watering texture and tender flavour. One of life's simple pleasures, a christmas turkey has been the centre of many memorable meals.
Spiced beef is a form of salt beef, cured with spices and braised or boiled. It is a traditional festive dish in many countries. In England and Wales it has been known for more than 300 years. It remains a traditional Christmas or New Year dish in Ireland.
While turkey is a much loved Christmas classic, roast chicken, lamb and beef are all part of Australian Christmas traditions. And for an absolute show-stopper, you can't go past a glazed ham, studded with cloves and doused in honey for the ultimate Christmas treat.
Some Australians hang wreaths on their front doors and some people will also go out Christmas carol singing on Christmas Eve. People also decorate their houses and gardens with Christmas Trees and Christmas lights. Neighbors sometimes have little competitions to see who has got the best light display.
Australians often celebrate Christmas Day by enjoying a Christmas lunch or dinner with their closest family and friends. The meal usually consists of a selection of hot and cold dishes, including fresh seafood.
Roast Turkey
Not all Australians enjoy a seafood dinner for Christmas; many stick to the traditions of a fat roast turkey at the centre of their feast. The stuffing, basting, and roasting of a turkey can be somewhat time-consuming, so most people get to work a day in advance.
And when it comes to Christmas lunch on a sweltering summer's day, there are few things better than a traditional Australian BBQ of grilled meats, heaps of salads, and plenty of cold beer. No self-respecting Aussie would consider a BBQ complete without sausages, burgers, steaks, and big, succulent prawns.
The basic American Christmas dinner is British in origin: roasted root vegetables as a side dish, mashed potatoes, gravy, and the centerpiece being a stuffed roasted fowl.
More countries eat pork
Suckling pig is the center of the traditional Christmas table in Spain and Cuba, while the Philippines feasts on roasted pork, according to the map.
Jamón Ibérico ham - $6000
Jamón Ibérico ham can cost up to $6,000 for one leg, and is considered the most expensive meat in the world.
Feasts were held to celebrate the pagan midwinter solstice, and archaeological digs have discovered that the most popular meats served up were pork and beef. Pork would be cooked over spits, while beef would be chopped up and used in hearty winter stews.
If turkey isn't your choice of protein — even with its 73%-win percentage among most Americans — you can confidently switch to prime rib (69%), roast beef (66%), steak (65%), chicken (64%), roast pork (64%), or ham (62%).
The tradition of eating ham on Christmas Day is centuries old, believed to have evolved from the Germanic pagan ritual of sacrificing a wild boar during festivals.
Christmas lunches commonly include hot meat, with lamb and ham being the most popular, root vegetables such as potato and kūmara (sweet potato), and a variety of salads. As appropriate for the often warm summer temperatures of the day, it has become popular to serve cold meats and seafood.
In Australia, the uncontested king of Christmas dessert is the Pavlova, or, as it is fondly known: the 'pav'. Not only is the meringue light and fluffy, the topping is fresh and completely customisable (this one features summer berries but passionfruit, kiwi fruit and mango are also great choices).