what do americans eat on christmas day

Americans don’t have one single Christmas Day meal, but the most common menus look a lot like an upgraded Thanksgiving: usually a big roast (turkey, ham, or beef) plus rich potato sides, vegetables, bread, and lots of desserts.

Main dishes Americans eat

Most American Christmas tables center on one roast plus sides, though the exact choice varies by family and region.

Typical main courses include:

• Roast turkey with gravy and cranberry sauce, very similar to Thanksgiving but with slightly different sides.

• Glazed Christmas ham (honey, brown sugar, mustard, or maple glazes), either as the star or alongside turkey.

• Roast beef or prime rib, especially in households that want something more “special occasion” than turkey.

• Regional specials like crab or seafood on the coasts, tamales in the Southwest, gumbo in Louisiana, or kālua-style pork in Hawaii.

Classic Christmas side dishes

Sides are where the meal starts to feel distinctly “Christmas” for many Americans, even when the main dish is familiar.

Common sides:

• Potatoes: roasted potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or mashed potatoes are top favorites nationwide.

• Stuffing or dressing made with bread, herbs, onion, and sometimes sausage or fruit.

• Vegetable sides such as green bean casserole, roasted carrots, corn, Brussels sprouts, or mixed roasted vegetables.

• Sweet potatoes, often baked or topped with marshmallows or brown sugar.

• Bread: dinner rolls, biscuits, or Yorkshire pudding (especially with roast beef).

Sauces, extras, and drinks

Americans usually fill the table with small extras and festive drinks to make the meal feel more celebratory.

You’ll often see:

• Gravy for turkey, beef, or potatoes, and cranberry sauce (canned or homemade) with turkey.

• Pickles, relishes, or small salads (like coleslaw or simple green salads) as palate cleansers.

• Holiday drinks such as eggnog, sparkling cider, wine, or festive punches.

Desserts and sweets

Dessert is a huge part of what Americans eat on Christmas Day, and the spread can be as large as the main meal.

Popular Christmas desserts include:

• Pies: pumpkin, pecan, apple, cherry, mince, and other fruit pies.

• Cakes and sweets: red velvet cake, Christmas cookies, gingerbread, pound cake, and regional specialties like Danish kringle or Smith Island cake.

• Old-fashioned puddings and treats: Christmas (plum) pudding, bread pudding, trifles, and various candies, nuts, and chocolates.

Big picture: variety, tradition, and trends

American Christmas food is a mix of long-standing European-influenced traditions and newer, multicultural flavors, so what people eat can differ a lot from one household to another.

• Many families repeat a similar menu every year for tradition and nostalgia.

• Others lean into regional or cultural roots, serving Mexican tamales, Caribbean dishes, Asian-inspired spreads, or vegetarian/vegan mains instead of the classic turkey-and-ham approach.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.