How often do Belgians celebrate Christmas? And what’s on the menu? The Flemish Centre for Agricultural and Fisheries Marketing (VLAM) asked 1,000 Belgians in the run-up to the holidays.
The survey shows that Christmas remains a very important holiday for Belgians: nine out of ten respondents plan to celebrate it. Those who celebrate do so an average of 2.5 times, with Christmas Eve being the most popular occasion.
At the table, Belgians rarely opt for innovation: meat dishes remain by far the most popular, with turkey and game as popular choices.
The Belgians mainly cook for themselves
It’s striking that cooking remains an essential part of the Christmas celebration for many Belgians. In more than 8 out of 10 cases, a meal is prepared at home, either by the family itself or by relatives. Christmas, therefore, remains a time to enjoy cooking and gathering around the table.
14% of Christmas meals are taken out (primarily by Dutch speakers and 35- to 54-year-olds). The vast majority celebrate Christmas at home: only 4% of Christmas meals are consumed in restaurants.
What ‘s on the menu?
This year, Belgians are once again opting for classics. For those who have already decided what to serve, the Christmas menu looks like this:
- 31% choose a classic turkey,
- 23% serve game,
- 24% choose a different type of meat,
- 38% opt for fish or shellfish,
- 8% provides vegetarian dishes,
- 40% combine multiple options, typically with gourmet, fondue or stone grill.
The total is above 100% because Christmas is often celebrated at several times and a festive meal usually consists of several courses.
These figures are in line with the results of the same survey last year.
Christmas in Belgium will continue to be celebrated primarily with family in 2025. 87% will celebrate only within their family or with extended family, while 13% of those who will celebrate Christmas will do so at least once with friends or other company.
