Holiday Foods
This warm, spiced drink is a staple at Christmas gatherings and often made with egg yolks, sugar, and milk.
What is eggnog?
This popular Christmas song, sung by Donny Hathaway.
What is “This Christmas”?
At every Christmas gathering, you’ll find at least one family member making this loud request when it’s time to open gifts.
Answer: What is “Don’t forget to save the gift bags!”
Families often hang these items on the fireplace for Santa to fill with goodies.
What are stockings?
This activist and leader of the Civil Rights Movement gave a powerful Christmas sermon about peace and love in 1967.
Who is Martin Luther King Jr.?
A Christmas meal isn’t complete without this baked dish, layered with macaroni and cheesy goodness.
What is mac and cheese?
Families may gather to do this popular line dance at Christmas parties. (Nothing to do with electricity)
What is the Cupid Shuffle?
This holiday ritual happens after dinner when the elders sit in the living room, and the kids are mysteriously sent to do this.
What is to go get some desserts?
In many African American households in the South, this traditional decoration is often placed on the front door during the holidays as a sign of welcome and festive cheer, and is sometimes paired with a bow.
What is a wreath?
This iconic African-American figure helped popularize the tradition of “Black Santa,” pushing back against traditional imagery and making Santa more inclusive for Black children.
Who is James E. F. Jones (creator of the Black Santa)?
This traditional holiday side dish, often made with smoked turkey or ham hocks, was historically created by enslaved Africans using leafy greens.
What are collard greens?
On Destiny’s Child’s Christmas album, 8 Days of Christmas, this lesser-known trak
What is “Spread a Little Love on Christmas Day”?
During family photo time, you can count on at least one relative shouting this phrase to ensure everyone looks picture-perfect.
What is “Y’all better smile like you got some sense!”
In many African American households in the South, this symbol of prosperity and new beginnings is often displayed during the holiday season, especially around the New Year, to bring good fortune for the year ahead.
What is a black-eyed pea?
In 1963, this historically Black-owned department store in Harlem became famous for hosting the first-ever Christmas parade in the neighborhood, drawing crowds to celebrate the holiday season with pride and joy.
What is Ebony Fashion Fair?
This dish is made with cornmeal, milk, and sometimes sugar, but its roots trace back to African culinary traditions brought over during the transatlantic slave trade.
What is cornbread dressing (or cornbread stuffing)
This iconic Christmas song by the Jackson 5 is a favorite during the holiday season.
What is “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”?
During Family Christmas dinners, this classic tradition often involves the whole family gathering around the table to pray, and it’s not unusual for one relative to take way longer than necessary with their blessings.
What is “the long-winded prayer”?
This floral plant, often red and green, is a common decoration during the Christmas season.
What is the poinsettia?
This Harlem Renaissance poet wrote about the spirit of Christmas in poems like Merry Christmas and Carol of the Brown King.
Who is Langston Hughes?
A traditional African-American dessert featuring brown sugar and cinnamon, perfect for the holiday season.
What are sweet potato pies?
Bryson Tiller’s 2021 Christmas album features this soulful track that reinterprets a classic holiday favorite with his signature R&B style.
What is “Winter Wonderland”?
A midnight tradition where families attend church service to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
What is Midnight Mass or Watch Night?
Some families light these seven candles during the holiday season to celebrate unity and culture.
What is the kinara (from Kwanzaa)?
This abolitionist wrote about how enslaved Africans were allowed to celebrate Christmas with food and small gifts in their 19th-century narrative.
Who is Frederick Douglass?