Christmas ham
{{short description|Ham eaten for Christmas}}
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A Christmas ham, or Yule ham, is a ham often served for Christmas dinner or during Yule in Northern Europe and the Anglosphere.{{cite web|author1=Tidholm, P. |author2=Lija, A. |date=2014|title=Culture-Tradition: Christmas: A Family Affair|url= https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/christmas/ |website=Sweden.se}} The style of preparation varies widely by place and time.
The tradition of eating ham is thought to have evolved from the Germanic pagan ritual of sacrificing a wild boar known as a sonargöltr to the Norse god Freyr during harvest festivals.{{Cite book|last=Simek|first=Rudolf|title=Die Wikinger|date=1998|publisher=Verlag C.H.BECK oHG|isbn=978-3-406-61624-2|doi=10.17104/9783406616242|s2cid=243557691 }}
Nordic traditions
{{main|Julbord|Joulupöytä}}
File:Christmas ham.jpg Christmas ham]]
The centerpiece of the cold cuts section of a traditional Swedish Christmas smörgåsbord (at Christmas called "julbord") is a large Christmas ham (a cured ham which has been boiled or baked, then coated with a mixture of egg, breadcrumbs and mustard, browned in the oven).Tidholm, P & Lija, A. (2014)
American traditions
{{asof|2019}}, Americans purchase about as much ham as turkey around the holiday season.{{Cite magazine|title=Should You Eat Turkey or Ham This Christmas? An Analysis|url=https://time.com/3646915/christmas-turkey-ham-dinner/|access-date=2020-12-16|magazine=Time}}{{Cite web|last=Myers|first=Ginger|date=2019-10-04|title=Why Do We Eat Ham at Christmas?|url=https://evermorefarm.com/why-do-we-eat-ham-at-christmas/|access-date=2020-12-16|website=Evermore Farm|language=en-US}} Ham began being mentioned as a Christmas dish in around 1900, and started growing in popularity in about 1960. The holiday ham began being promoted by Armour & Company in 1916 as part of its marketing efforts for its novel industrially quick-cured and less salty hams. The baked Christmas ham with a clove-studded, diamond-hatched sugar glaze which became popular in the 20th century was introduced in the 1930s. Glazed hams had long been popular long before that, but until the 1880s, they were usually glazed with stock, not sugar, and were not associated with Christmas.Stavros Macrakis, "How Old is American Christmas Ham?", Repast (Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor) 37:1:6 (Winter 2021) [https://aadl.org/files/cooks/repast/repast_2021_winter.pdf full text]
The sugar-glazed ham has become identified with Southern cooking.{{Cite web|title=Southern Holiday Dishes Everyone Should Know How to Make|url=https://www.southernliving.com/christmas/recipes/southern-christmas-dishes|access-date=2020-12-14|website=Southern Living|language=EN}}{{Cite web|last=Menyes|first=Carolyn|date=2020-10-06|title=Classic Southern Christmas Recipes|url=https://www.thedailymeal.com/holidays/southern-holiday-christmas-recipes-gallery/slide-4|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210705121436/https://www.thedailymeal.com/holidays/southern-holiday-christmas-recipes-gallery/slide-4 |archive-date=5 July 2021 |access-date=2020-12-14|website=}}
There are also various regional recipes. Stuffed ham is popular in southern Maryland, and particularly St. Mary's County, where it is traditional to stuff a corned ham with greens such as kale and cabbage. This tradition has been around in the area for at least 200 years.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}} Similar stuffed hams are also sometimes prepared in Kentucky.{{Cite news|last=Severson|first=Kim|date=2018-03-19|title=In This Corner of Maryland, Holidays Mean a Stuffed Ham|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/19/dining/maryland-stuffed-ham.html|access-date=2020-12-14|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite news|last=Spinner|first=Jackie|date=1996-12-11|title=TRADITIONS|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/food/1996/12/11/traditions/f5de5c54-793d-47be-9c93-87b29c2f7928/|access-date=2020-12-16|issn=0190-8286}}
Australian traditions
Ham is a traditional Australian dish that features on most tables on Christmas Day. It is cooked and served in various ways throughout Australia, with many families adding special ingredients, making it an important aspect of a Christmas meal.{{cite web|url=http://giftofthemonthclubs.com.au/blog/tag/australian-average-spend-on-groceries-at-christmas/|website=Gift of the Month Clubs|location=Australia|title=Australian Average Spend On Groceries at Christmas|access-date=2016-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160331115457/http://giftofthemonthclubs.com.au/blog/tag/australian-average-spend-on-groceries-at-christmas/|archive-date=2016-03-31|url-status=dead}}
As Christmas in Australia comes at the beginning of summer, many people no longer serve a traditional hot roast dinner, serving cold turkey and ham, seafood and salads instead.{{cite web|date=2009|title=Christmas Season Celebration in Australia|url=http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/christmas-season-celebrations|website=Australia.gov.au|access-date=2016-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160402150537/http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/christmas-season-celebrations|archive-date=2016-04-02|url-status=dead}} Christmas ham leftovers are often frozen to make soup and other dishes when the summer is over.{{Cite web|url=http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/fp/summer-eating/ham-hints|website=www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au|access-date=2019-03-24|title=Ham hints}}
Filipino traditions
In the Philippines and among diaspora groups such as Filipino-Americans, a ham is prepared for Christmas celebrations. The ham is referred to as a hamón, from the Spanish word for "ham", jamón. The hamón is sometimes soaked in kumquat and lime juice.{{Cite web|date=2019-12-12|title=Hamón - Filipino Food|url=https://www.aboutfilipinofood.com/hamon/|access-date=2020-12-14|website=About Filipino Food|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2017-12-20|title=How Fil-Ams carry on Filipino Christmas traditions —|url=https://www.asianjournal.com/magazines/life-eastyle-magazine/how-fil-ams-carry-on-filipino-christmas-traditions/|access-date=2020-12-14|website=Asian Journal News|language=en-US}} It is similar to, but not to be confused for, hamonado, which is another Filipino dish that can include pork and is also served around the Christmas season.{{Cn|date=December 2024}}
See also
{{portal|Food|Holidays}}
References
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Bibliography
- {{cite web|author1=Tidholm, P. |author2=Lija, A. |date=2014|title=Culture-Tradition: Christmas: A Family Affair|url= https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/christmas/ |website=Sweden.se}}
{{Christmas}}