Christmas Food and Countries Matching Game with Answers.

Includes explanations of classic holiday foods and where they come from.

Short Description:

Food is one of the best parts of the Christmas season, and every country has its own delicious traditions! In this activity, match each festive food to the country or culture where it’s most commonly enjoyed at Christmastime by drawing a line from one to the other. Read our printable explanation about each different food, share stories, and maybe even discover something new to taste this year.

Directions for Caregivers:

Go through each food together, looking at pictures if possible, and chat about favorite Christmas dishes or family meal memories. What is the most common seasonal fare where you live?

Print the worksheet or display the foods and countries on a whiteboard. Read them aloud and have participants work together to find the correct matches. A fun social seasonal activity.

Use fewer pairs (2-4) of the Christmas food matching game at a time and provide visual aids, such as photos of some foods. They are easy to find online. Focus on discussion—recognizing familiar foods and sharing sensory memories, such as smells or tastes.

Click here to Print

About this Activity

Test your knowledge with the printable Christmas food matching game.

When you are finished, learn more about each dish, as explained in our worksheet, which is part of the printable quiz PDF.

Here are some fun facts about some different Seasonal Traditions.

🎅 1. Japan – KFC Christmas Dinner

In Japan, families often celebrate Christmas by ordering a special festive meal from KFC. The tradition began in the 1970s after a popular holiday advertisement and has been going strong ever since.

🐴 2. Wales – The Mari Lwyd

A friendly (and slightly spooky!) tradition where a horse’s skull decorated with ribbons is carried door to door. People sing rhyming “battle songs” with the household—if the Mari wins, it’s invited inside for treats.

👞 3. The Netherlands – Sinterklaas Shoes

Children place their shoes by the fireplace or door with a carrot or hay for Sinterklaas’s horse. By morning, the treats have been swapped for small presents, sweets, or chocolate letters.

🎄 4. Philippines – Giant Lantern Festival

In the city of San Fernando, enormous, brightly lit lanterns—some several metres wide—are displayed in a joyful festival that marks the start of the long Filipino Christmas season.

🐐 5. Sweden – The Gävle Goat

Every year, a huge straw goat is built in the town of Gävle to mark the start of Advent. Locals visit it throughout December, and it has become famous worldwide for its festive charm.

🎁 6. Iceland – The 13 Yule Lads

Instead of one Santa, Iceland has 13 mischievous Yule Lads who visit children in the nights before Christmas. Kids leave a shoe in the window, and each Lad leaves a small gift—or a potato!

Here is a selection of all our Christmas Activities, from crafts to printable quizzes and word games.