Christmas time is filled with many wonderful sights and sounds, but today we’re going to focus on what is by far the most important aspect (as far as we’re concerned, anyway): the glorious tastes! From sugary sweets in our stocking to steaming Christmas dinners accompanied by a delicious bubbly drink, the festive season tickles our taste buds like no other time of year. Quite literally, because this is also a time when foods that don’t get a look in the rest of the year-round are consumed, and often in great quantity!
So, to get you in the mood to once again enjoy the most wonderful time of the year, below are 13 foods and drinks that we only ever eat at Christmas!
13. Jelly Fruit Slices
Do you remember your parents or grandparents receiving jelly fruit slices as a Christmas present?
We didn’t dare try eating them until we were at least 20 years old, at which time we were delighted to discover that they didn’t taste like fruit at all!
12. Selection Boxes
Are we the only ones that insist on being given a selection box every single Christmas?
For four whole decades we’ve continued this yearly tradition, and we don’t intend giving it up any time soon!
11. Bread Sauce
At any other time of year, eating a sauce made from milk and breadcrumbs would seem rather old fashioned.
But at Christmas, all sense goes out of the window, and we wouldn’t dream of devouring our turkey dinner without it!
10. Walnuts
We bet your grandparents had a nutcracker out at Christmas. Are we right?
We never wanted to try eating the contents of the nut, but we took great delight in cracking the crisp outer shell over and over again.
9. Baileys
The creamy, rich taste of Baileys is a perfect beverage on a cold winter’s evening.
But be honest, how many of you have ever drank it at any other time of the year?
8. Cadbury’s Roses
Featuring such delightful chocolates as ‘Golden Barrel’, ‘Strawberry Dream’ and ‘Country Fudge’ (our personal favourite), Cadbury’s Roses have been enjoyed by generations of families at Christmas.
But the massive size of the boxes meant that we enjoyed them just that little bit more during the 1980s!
7. Turkey sandwiches
Your impressive looking bird may look great in the middle of your dining room table, but its size means that you’ll be eating Turkey sandwiches for days to come.
And whilst this is fine once or twice, by the fourth or fifth Turkey sarnie, we’re longing to return to our usual lunchtime diet.
6. Turkish delight
Because it featured in the snowy section of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we will always associate Turkish Delight with the festive season.
And the fact that our mum was always gifted the tasty treat at Christmas only adds to the association!
5. Mince pies
As a child, we remember thinking that mince surrounded by pastry sounded like the most disgusting thing ever.
But once we had our first taste of a festive mince pie, we’ve never looked back!
4. Quality Street
As much as we love Cadbury’s Roses and more modern offerings like Heroes, it’s Quality Street that reminds us the most of Christmas during the 1980s.
Although having said that, if someone gave us a box that only contained Toffee Pennys, we’d be extremely happy!
3. Buck’s Fizz
A cocktail made of two parts champagne to one part orange juice, Buck’s Fizz is a beverage that is enjoyed by many a grown-up on Christmas morning.
It’s the only time of the year when relatives don’t frown at us for consuming alcohol before midday, so we’ve got to make the most of the opportunity!
2. Brussel’s sprouts
Love them or hate them, Brussel Sprouts are an essential part of our traditional Christmas dinner.
They might not be to everyone’s taste, but for us, Christmas simply isn’t Christmas without them.
1. Toblerone
Personally, if we’re not unwrapping a Toblerone bar on Christmas morning, then we’re left feeling extremely disappointed.
They may be another chocolate bar that has succumbed to the terror that is ‘shrink-flation,’ but Toblerone is still an essential festive treat.