My family and I arranged a Christmas Eve event with our relatives. The theme of our holiday celebration was "Christmas Around the World." We aimed to include something unique while infusing a bit of culture and learning into the occasion.
The Concept
Every guest was invited to choose a country to represent by bringing a side dish from that nation. They were also encouraged to research how Christmas is celebrated in their chosen country and be ready to share a brief insight with the family. Lastly, guests had the option to wear traditional clothing from their selected country and/or dress in colors that represent it.
The guests were given "Christmas Around the World" themed invitations, complete with a passport and itinerary, providing all the necessary details for planning their global journey.
The Countries Represented
The countries represented were Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico, India, Thailand, Ghana, Italy, Puerto Rico, Russia, Germany, France, England, and Greece.
The Menu
The menu was quite diverse, beginning with the meats: we had a whole roasted pork shoulder from Cuba, along with Cuban sliders and spicy Italian meatballs. We also served slow-cooked oxtails from Jamaica. Sides included Jollof rice from Ghana, shrimp Pad Thai from Thailand, Jamaican cabbage, Mexican corn bake, and a Caesar salad from Italy. Additionally, we offered pepperoni, potato, and spinach loaves of bread from Italy, a Greek charcuterie board, and naan from India.
The desserts featured 'German' chocolate cake (despite its American origins, it suited the theme), Russian teacakes, Ferrero Rocher chocolates from France, a peach cobbler from England, and cannoli chips & dip representing Italy.
The Christmas Tree from Around the World
We put up a small Christmas tree and invited everyone to create or bring an ornament symbolizing the country they selected to represent.
The Entertainment & Games
We took part in the trivia game "Countries of the World," a flashcard-style game with country flags on the front of the cards and shareable clues on the back. It was very enjoyable, though somewhat challenging! The guests were highly engaged and seemed to have a wonderful time.
The family also played the White Elephant gift exchange, which is always a lot of fun, and enjoyed some karaoke. We had a blast!
The Decor'
I adorned the main area for our "Christmas Around the World" celebration with a world map backdrop outlined in gold sequins. Additionally, for the buffet table, I crafted gold Christmas tree ornament cutouts for the food name tags, wrote the dish names on them, placed them in the card stands, and added red poinsettia blooms at the base of each to bring some color to the table.
The Traditional Attire - Jamaica
Our beautiful mother perfectly embraced the task of representing Jamaica. She donned traditional clothing from head to toe and did so with great pride!
Everyone had a wonderful time. The food was tasty. Discovering the Christmas traditions of different countries was fascinating, and naturally, spending time with family was the highlight!
In closing, I bought the Worldwide Continent Famous Landmark Scenery Backdrop and The World Flags Flash Cards from Amazon. The affiliate links are provided below.
Worldwide Continent Famous Landmark Scenery Home Decor Photography Background Earth Pyramid Statue of Liberty Eiffel Towel Studio Backdrop:
The World Flags Flash Cards:
A special thank you to my sister Shelly A., and cousin Brenda H., for capturing all of the beautiful photos!
You're welcome to share your thoughts on this Christmas theme by leaving a comment. Would you and your family consider including this in your holiday celebrations? Additionally, I'd be interested to hear about any Christmas themes or traditions your family had.
I hope you enjoyed a fantastic Christmas with your family and friends!
Until next time... Traci H.
This was a supremely wonderful celebration and very well thought out. I had a great time and the food and decor was out of this world!