Pastries 
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Christmas dinner was a special meal in traditional society and had to be copious. Often dinner ended with pastries
made from ingredients found at home: eggs from the hen house, fruit from the orchard. Many of these pastries were not only sweet but also symbolized Christmas: they were given as presents, they decorated the table or the tree and they could have magic protective powers against evil spells. |
| In France, each region had its specialty: Limousin its cornues, cugnots in the East, springerle in Alsace, pompe or
fougasse in Provence, where the thirteen desserts were traditionally served... In Canada, doughnuts and croquinoles (in rectangular shape), sprinkled with powdered or icing sugar, were a delicious dessert and resembled the fritters of Lorraine at carnival time. Doughnuts were served cold, often with jam made from tiny wild fruit, with jelly or with cream. In addition, there was a whole range of Christmas cookies and candies including the famous creamy fudge. |
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Three other desserts were also to be found on the festive Christmas table: the Yule log, plum pudding and Christmas cake. |
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