It’s likely that potatoes and gravy, bread rolls and roasted vegetables, and other hearty dishes come to mind when you think of a holiday feast. And if you live in the Western world, your imagination probably conjures up s of roasted ham. It’s hard to imagine a holiday dinner without Christmas ham as the main course for many hungry guests. Time says that Americans buy more than 318 pounds of ham during the holidays. But why is ham so popular for Christmas dinner?
The tradition of eating ham during winter goes back centuries before Christmas — and even Christianity itself. (But no one was putting a bag of that stuff from The Honey Baked Ham Company on the table back then.) ) Wild boars were the original source of wintertime ham, which was a part of Germanic pagan holiday customs. These rituals were created to celebrate the Winter Solstice and pay tribute to one of their many gods.
A Traditional Christmas Ham A Tasty Holiday Tradition
Christmas is a time for family, friends, and festive traditions. One tradition that has stood the test of time is serving a juicy glazed Christmas ham as the centerpiece of the holiday meal. But what exactly is a traditional Christmas ham and how did it become so intrinsically linked with celebrations on December 25th? Let’s take a closer look at the origins and evolution of this delicious Yuletide tradition.
The History Behind the Holiday Ham
While Christmas hams are now a beloved tradition around the world, the tradtion has its roots in Norse mythology The pagan ritual of sacrificing and eating wild boar during winter solstice celebrations is thought to have been adapted as eating ham on Christmas when Northern Europeans converted to Christianity
The tradition gained popularity in Sweden, where a baked Christmas ham coated in a glaze of egg, breadcrumbs and mustard has long been the crowned jewel of the smörgåsbord on Christmas day, known as “julbord.” Germany, Britain, and eventually America also came to embrace ham as a festive Christmas dish.
In America, eating ham on Christmas day started gaining popularity in the early 1900s. By the 1960s, it had become a mainstream tradition thanks to marketing efforts and the rise of new quick-curing techniques that made ham affordable, convenient and consistent in flavor. Today, ham enjoys nearly equal billing with turkey as the Christmas main course of choice for Americans.
From Medieval Wild Boar to Modern Honey Glazed Ham
While 21st century Christmas hams have come a long way from the medieval wild boar roasts of Yuletide pagan feasts, the traditional Christmas ham still often features a few symbolic nods to its origins.
First, whole bone-in hams served for Christmas dinner frequently have the leg bone intact. This shape mimics the leg of a wild boar and provides a primitive-looking presentation when served at the table. The bone also simplifies the carving process, making it easy for the head of the household to slice the ham for guests.
Second, even when a whole leg is not served, spiral cut hams are often selected to provide that iconic look of a bone spiraling through the meat. This visible bone continues the tradition of serving a leg of pork – rather than pork shoulder or pork loin – on Christmas day.
Finally, while honey glazes are now more common, many traditional Christmas ham recipes still use cloves or pineapples to adorn the ham. Both cloves and pineapples were once symbols of wealth, abundance and exotic luxury. By studding the ham with these special ingredients, families could demonstrate the importance of Christmas dinner.
From Simple to Elaborate: Regional Traditions
While the general tradition of eating ham on Christmas is widely embraced, preparations vary greatly by region. Here are a few of the distinct styles and preparation methods for Christmas hams around the world:
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United States: Honey glazed or brown sugar glazed is most common nationwide, though Creole or Southern-inspired recipes feature more spices. Cloves, pineapples, cherries or citrus garnishes are frequent.
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Sweden & Finland: Baked with a mustard crust is traditional. Often served at room temperature or cold.
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Germany: Often marinated in beer or wine before baking. Sometimes smoked or served cold like a deli ham.
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Philippines: Hamon is marinated in pineapple, lime, and orange to offset the saltiness before baking.
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Australia: Glazed and baked ham is served hot or cold accompanied by seafood, chicken dishes and salads rather than heavy sides. Leftovers often become ham sandwiches, soup and fried rice.
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Britain: Cloves and pineapples are frequently used as decoration. Regional mustard glazes are also popular, as are raisin glazes.
From Elaborate Bone-In Ham to Simple Deli Slices
While some families love the visual impact of a big bone-in ham served as the main course, others prefer the convenience of deli-sliced ham. Ready-to-eat packaged ham slices have become popular among hosts looking to reduce holiday kitchen time and stress.
Honey baked deli ham slices can simply be warmed and served. Or the slices can be incorporated into appetizers, dips, sandwiches, ham rolls, and casserole or soup recipes. Leftover sliced ham is also easy to freeze to provide the makings of easy weeknight dinners in the busy weeks after the holidays.
No matter what type of ham is served, the tradition of enjoying ham on Christmas day is a delicious one. The abundant leftovers ensure that the holiday ham provides not just a festive centerpiece for Christmas dinner, but also many meals throughout the whole holiday season. With its rich history and regional diversity, a baked glazed ham truly is a quintessential tradition of the Christmas table.
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From Norse origins to the present
The word Yule comes from Old English, and weve come to use it to apply to Christmastime in general. However, it refers to a midwinter festival celebrated by Norse pagans. Freyr, the god of fertility and abundant harvests, was the central figure of the holiday. To pay tribute, merrymakers performed a ritual sacrifice of a wild boar and feasted on it. As Christianity spread to Northern Europe, the sacrifice to a Norse god ended, but the porky main course stayed and remained a part of winter solstice events well into medieval times. In fact, the song “The Boars Head Carol” was written some unspecified time before 1500 (via Folklore).
It’s likely that Ham switched from pagan beliefs to Christian ones around 350 AD, when Pope Julius I made December 25 the official day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This was less of a statement about the real date of Christ’s birth and more of an attempt to fit the holiday into long-standing winter traditions like eating pork. The date of the meal made the jump from the solstice to Christmas. There has been a little less wild boar sacrifice over time, though, as more people choose a honey-glazed ham.
CHRISTMAS RECIPE: Honey Glazed Ham With Pear & Saffron Chutney
FAQ
Is Christmas ham the same as normal ham?
What cut is a traditional ham?
What are the different types of holiday hams?
How is Christmas ham served?
What is a Christmas ham?
(January 2024) A Christmas ham or Yule ham is a ham often served for Christmas dinner or during Yule in Northern Europe and the Anglosphere. The style of preparation varies widely by place and time.
What is a good holiday ham?
A baked holiday ham is the savory, hearty centerpiece to any festive Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas dinner table! The pineapple and maraschino cherry studded ham with brown sugar and mustard glaze is a crowd-pleasing dish! Plus, sliced ham is an easy way to feed a large family gathering! 2. Honey Glazed Ham
What is a good Christmas ham recipe?
Or with orange juice, brown sugar, pineapple, maple syrup, or a honey-glazed ham. An old-fashioned Christmas ham recipe is glazed and decorated with cloves, pineapple rounds, and maraschino cherries. The combination of the ham’s saltiness and the glaze’s sweetness makes for a sweet and salty taste beyond compare.
What is a glazed Christmas ham?
This glazed Christmas ham is coated in pineapple juice and a sweet brown sugar glaze. Then cooked until golden brown and caramelized – yum! The glaze caramelizes as the ham cooks, making the ham deliciously sweet and glossy with a sticky mahogany crust. Each slice is so tender and juicy that it melts in your mouth!