Zakuski is an array of appetizers before the real Christmas feast. There's no hard rules on what you must serve for Zakuski, but it often involves things like salted cucumbers,

sour cream, pickles, blinis, and portions of meat and fish. There's a strong emphasis on color with these small bites, so meals with beets, carrots, and cucumbers are common.

A leg of roast lamb is the centerpiece to the Christmas Feast in Iceland. It's the star of the "Yule Meal" served on Christmas Day. 

For a recipe for leg of

lamb to add to your "Yule Meal," go to Good to Know

Going to the beach, having a barbecue with family, seeing pictures of Santa on a surfboard. Doesn't that scream Christmas? Well, in Australia they aren't dreaming of a White Christmas,

unless you're talking a white sand beach. The Yule rolls around in Summertime, so Australians will typically have a Christmas lunch that features cold cuts, some familiar holiday sides like

green bean casserole and lots of grilled seafood. Usually lunch is served outside or on the beach followed by a dip in the ocean. Maybe our White Christmas is overrated.

Eating fish on Christmas Eve stems from the practice of abstinence. Many Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays and this tradition was commonplace for Christmas Eve. Since meat and fats

from meat (which include dairy) are off the table, fish became the centerpiece. Called the Feast of the Seven Fishes in America, when it originated in Italy, it was just

called The Vigil.

A spiced hot chocolate is a must for a Peruvian Christmas. Made with milk, bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, it's a spicy treat. Sometimes, they'll throw a little brandy

in there, but only after all the big festivities are finished.

Christmas in Poland features an array of dishes like mushroom dumplings, herring rolls, and fish in aspic (aspic is a clear unflavored gelatin). An easy side dish, this Christmas Cabbage

is made from sauerkraut, mushrooms, and dried cranberries. That all may sound a little odd to Americans, but who knows, maybe this could add a nice kick to your Christmas

meal.

 KFC. That's right, Kentucky Fried Chicken. People will place their order for Christmas fried chicken months in advance to make sure they won't go without fast food on the holiday.

Why would this be? Well, Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, due to the small Christian population. Turkey is very hard to find there, so in the early

70's groups of foreigners would buy the next best thing, fried chicken. KFC started a campaign “Kurisumasu ni wa kentakkii!” (Kentucky for Christmas). The ad campaign was hugely popular and now most

of Japan gets KFC on a holiday that's become totally separate from it's religious roots. Currently, the Christmas meal offered is $40 and includes Champagne and a cake.

This South African Christmas dessert is something we should all try. Using the British definition of pudding, this is a very moist cake with lots of sauce. The cake itself is

made from butter, sugar, flour, and apricot jam. Yeah, the jam is baked right in. The sauce is just cream, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Delicious!

Held after midnight mass on Christmas Eve, Noche Buena is a solid Filipino tradition. It can feature delicious paella, ceviche, and even whole roast pig. The staples of the meal

are ham, queso de bola (Edam cheese), and chocolate. Though many people can't afford a lavish feast in the Philippines, it doesn't mean they don't have a wonderful meal. Plus,

ham, cheese, and chocolate are three of the four food groups, right?

Julbord means "the Christmas Table" and what a table it is. Filled with many dishes over traditional Christmas linens, this is a super sized buffet. You could really have anything on your

Julbord, but there are a few standards within Christmas tradition. For example, a Christmas ham is the centerpiece with sides of meatballs, pickled herring, rice pudding, and Janssons Frestelse - a potato

gratin with anchovies. Other than that, any sides will do. It's a great meal for being partly traditional and partly adventurous.