View source for Christmas ham

{{short description|Ham eaten for Christmas}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
[[Image:Julskinka.JPG|thumb|A traditional [[Swedish food|Swedish]] Christmas{{Nbsp}}ham|447x447px]]
{{rewrite|date=January 2024}}
A '''Christmas ham''', or '''Yule ham''', is a [[ham]] often served for [[Christmas]] [[Christmas dinner|dinner]] or during [[Yule]] in [[Northern Europe]] and the [[Anglosphere]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> The style of preparation varies widely by place and time.

The tradition of eating ham is thought to have evolved from the [[Germanic paganism|Germanic pagan]] ritual of sacrificing a [[wild boar]] known as a [[sonargöltr]] to the [[Freyr|Norse god Freyr]] during [[harvest festivals]].<ref>{{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 }}</ref>

== Nordic traditions ==
{{main|Julbord|Joulupöytä}}
[[File:Christmas ham.jpg|thumb|A [[Finnish food|Finnish]] 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 [[Curing (food preservation)|cured]] ham which has been boiled or baked, then coated with a mixture of egg, breadcrumbs and mustard, browned in the oven).<ref>Tidholm, P & Lija, A. (2014)</ref>

== American traditions ==

{{asof|2019}}, Americans purchase about as much ham as [[turkey as food|turkey]] around the [[Christmas and holiday season|holiday season]].<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> 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 (food)|stock]], not sugar, and were not associated with Christmas.<ref name="repast">Stavros Macrakis, "How Old is American Christmas Ham?", ''[[Repast (magazine)|Repast]]'' (Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor) '''37''':1:6 (Winter 2021) [https://aadl.org/files/cooks/repast/repast_2021_winter.pdf full text]</ref>

The sugar-glazed ham has become identified with [[Southern cooking]].<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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=}}</ref>

There are also various regional recipes. [[Stuffed ham]] is popular in southern [[Maryland]], and particularly [[St. Mary's County, Maryland|St. Mary's County]], where it is traditional to [[stuffing|stuff]] a [[Salt-cured meat|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]].<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

== 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.<ref name=":0">{{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}}</ref> 

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Christmas ham leftovers are often frozen to make soup and other dishes when the summer is over.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

== Filipino traditions ==
In the [[Philippines]] and among diaspora groups such as [[Filipino Americans|Filipino-Americans]], a ham is prepared for Christmas celebrations. The ham is referred to as a ''hamón'', from the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word for "ham", ''jamón''. The hamón is sometimes soaked in [[kumquat]] and [[Lime (fruit)|lime]] juice.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> 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==
* [[List of Christmas dishes]]
* [[List of ham dishes]]
{{portal|Food|Holidays}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==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}}
{{Ham}}

[[Category:Christmas food]]
[[Category:Irish cuisine]]
[[Category:Swedish cuisine]]
[[Category:Finnish cuisine]]
[[Category:Ham dishes]]
[[Category:Christian cuisine]]
[[Category:Australian cuisine]]
[[Category:New Zealand cuisine]]
[[Category:Filipino cuisine]]
[[Category:American pork dishes]]
[[Category:Christmas in the United States]]
[[Category:Yule]]