Why Christmas dinner is so important, especially now.
The current corona regulations will not be changed, the partial lockdown will remain in effect; the devastating words from the Dutch prime-minister in the Netherlands on Tuesday the 8th of December. The catering industry, not allowed to open anymore in 2020. Now there is only one thing left for us to do, show your support. If you want to keep informed on the places you can support through take-out or delivery, check out our Instagram page. For now, let’s focus on the parts that can make a difference for the catering industry and support them through the holidays. Let’s make sure everyone will make it to 2021 by showing our support and love through orders and online promotion.
The topic of this week? Christmas. For many also known as the best time of the year. It’s a time of joy, happiness and coming together. And even though Christmas originates from tradition and religion, it’s also a cultural celebration with non-religious traditions; such as Santa Claus and giving gifts. Which makes it an intercultural holiday celebrated by many different people from many different countries around the globe. And even though one person might think of sunny beach days and the other about christmas trees, snow and hot chocolate; we all have one thing in common, food. We all know Christmas is all about giving. So let’s do that this year, let’s give.
Food has multiple different purposes, and as discussed before, it means something different for everyone. But, the most important thing about food; it brings people together. Food can serve as a true bonding experience, no matter where you are in the world. It can allow you to stay connected with your loved ones.
I remember this one evening during my exchange in Finland, we would all come together and share our culture and heritage through food. Everyone would bring one meal with a memory of their home country and share the story. It was one of the most precious moments ever. We went from traditional Hungarian ‘Langos’, to Dutch ‘Appelflappen’, to the best Italian pizza and Finnish ‘Karelian’. Without knowing anyone we had the best time ever sharing our stories and backgrounds. And gosh, the food, insane. I was introduced to an unexpected culinary Finnish crayfish party, originally spread through Finland by the Swedish-speaking population (see below image). All the way throughout our abroad experience, we kept this tradition of cooking traditional cultural meals and sharing the recipes. Trust me when I say I still enjoy a delicious ‘Langos’ and ‘Pogachas’ every once in a while.
“Dill in the mouth, crown on the head. We’ll carry you to the table, on toasted bread — and give you a schnapps bath.”
I don’t want to get into science, please, but research actually has shown that eating together can literally be the recipe to friendship. Very simply quoted by Ayelet Fishbach: “On a very basic level, food can be used strategically to help people work together and build trust.” The moment you can bond over similar food preferences, this can easily build trust.
Now, we are in the middle of the corona crisis and our options to build these friendships is limited. But, this does not mean you should fully disclose coming together and have a delicious christmas dinner. The regulations are clear, you can invite a maximum of three people over per day. This means you can see a total of nine friends/family members spread over the christmas days. Don’t ignore or dismiss the joy that christmas and therefore the food brings. Embrace it and be creative, focus on the positives instead of only the negative. It is still christmas, and it only happens once every year.
Let me give you a tip: start your christmas dinner search early this year. Restaurants have a limited amount of meals they can serve for take-out & delivery, so make sure you start in time. I will post a blog with my top 5 recommendations of christmas dinners from the start-up food places in- and around Amsterdam. Make your reservations on-time and who knows, maybe this’ll be the best christmas dinner ever! I mean, a private home chef or dinner delivery on Christmas eve; it might be the most relaxed christmas ever too.
Christmas is about love, caring, giving and celebration; let’s try to make the best of it for all. Order your dinner at that local restaurant on the corner or order some in-house brewed beers at that new bar. Already have plans for christmas? Buy a gift card and use them later on, support the locals and show some love. We all need a little extra support this year.
Stay posted for exciting christmas recommendations later this week!
Bite2Support.
