Eat, drink and be merry! It wouldn’t be Christmas without indulging in all that delicious food and drink. Other than getting together with family and friends, festive foods are the things I most look forward to every year. In this week’s seasonal favourites post, I’m sharing a list of my favourite foods to enjoy this time of year.

And just for fun, I’ll also tell you about some traditional Christmas favourites that I refuse to eat.

My favourite festive foods

Here are some foods that are synonymous with Christmas in my books. 

• Sausage rolls are an excellent appetizer or Christmas Eve snack. I cheat and buy frozen sausage rolls. But last year, we had a problem. In addition to the pandemic, Christmas 2020 will forever be known as the “Christmas with no sausage rolls.” There were none to be found in any of our supermarkets. And, you couldn’t even find sausage meat to make your own. It was a sad state of affairs that won’t be repeated in 2021—I bought my sausage rolls already!
• Shortbread. Nothing melts in your mouth like a buttery piece of shortbread. I’ve simplified my Christmas baking to just two or three items, but shortbread is always on the list.
• Breton brittle is something else that’s always on my baking list for Christmas. Needing just 4 ingredients and 15 minutes to make, it’s a no-brainer. Check out my post from last year for the recipe.
• I look forward to a festive turkey dinner on Christmas day. We serve our turkey with gravy, slow cooker stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and corn. Last year, my daughter roasted Brussel sprouts—a vegetable I’ve hated my entire life—and they were delicious.
• Cheese. I enjoy all sorts of cheese, but especially a nice baked brie topped with maple syrup and pecans.
• Hedgehog chocolates. Years ago, on a trip to British Columbia, my husband and I got a box of delicious Botticelli Hedgehogs chocolates. We were so happy to find them in stores at Christmas time. Every year, we’d buy a box of hedgehogs for under the Christmas tree. A couple of years ago, they disappeared from stores. Not to worry though, Purdy’s Chocolatier makes them now and they have a shop in the mall near my daughter’s college.

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Traditional favourites you won’t find in our house

So now that I’ve shared my favourite festive foods, let’s talk about some traditional favourites that you won’t find in our house at Christmas time, or any other time.

• I’ve never liked mince pies which is odd because I like most of the ingredients in them. My mum makes them every year but I am not a fan. 
• Egg nog is something else I have no desire to drink—no matter how much rum you put in it!
• Finally, betraying my British roots, I detest Christmas cake. To me, cake should be light and fluffy, not heavy and chewy.

So, if you drop by my house during the Christmas season, I’ll happily serve you sausage rolls and shortbread. But if you’re looking for mince pies and egg nog, you’d better go visit some other friends.

What are your favourite things to eat and drink at Christmas time? Drop me a comment below to let me know.