It’s Time We Finally Explain the Weird Foods and Drinks Mentioned in Christmas Carols

December is officially here! As we make the transition from pumpkins and turkeys to mistletoe and holly, one of my absolute favorite aspects of the season is the music, of course.

I won’t blather on endlessly about the vast amount of wildly underrated Christmas tunes—but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to debate the merits of the Holiday stylings of Dan Fogelberg, Luther Vandross, Hanson, Tori Kelly, or maybe even Leighton Meester). I digress. Regardless, one undisputed aspect of the Christmas music landscape is the sheer amount of food mentioned in the lyrical content of the bulk of all holiday songs.

Now, I won’t write about pumpkin pie, eggnog, or roasted chestnuts, but some of these dishes or foods are much less ubiquitous or timely. Though you may mindlessly sing along with the names of these dishes while listening to your favorite songs, you may also have pondered just what some of them actually are. That stops now!

1. Figgy pudding
2. Lovely cakes
3. Wassail
4. Sugar plums

Figgy pudding

Mentioned in “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.” 

This not-entirely-aptly named dessert is more of a British mainstay, but it is most certainly not a smooth, viscous pudding like you may be thinking. As The New York Times wrote in a recipe headnote, figgy pudding is also called plum pudding or Christmas pudding, adding that “‘pudding’ in the United Kingdom is what ‘dessert’ is called everywhere.”

The dessert is almost in the same vein as a fruitcake, with a more solid consistency consisting of candied and dried fruits, ranging from raisins to nuts. Interestingly enough, it doesn’t always contain figs—but if you’re making your own this year, why not throw in some chopped dried figs? 

The Kitchn sums it up beautifully, deeming it a “boozy, opulent, steamed pudding,” also noting that originally, the fig nomenclature may have been referring off-handedly to the raisins or prunes often included in many traditional batters.

Lovely cakes

Mentioned in “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella”

Jeanette and Isabelle tout a “platter of lovely cakes” around town in the song “Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella.” The traditional carol, which I first learned of through a lo-fi Sufjan Stevens cover in his enormous, labyrinthine Christmas catalog, is celebratory and jubilant.

Originally written and published in French as “Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle,” the carol chronicles the birth of Jesus, as Jeanette and Isabelle (sometimes “Isabella” in some renditions) alert the townspeople. 

While the song doesn’t delve into the details of the “lovely cakes,” leaving it up to your interpretation, my assumption is that they were simple, classic French cakes, perhaps eaten with gusto. Seek out one of the choral versions of this song, perhaps in French, while enjoying some lovely cakes. It’s stunning. 

Wassail

Mentioned in “Here We Come A-wassailing.“

Yet another instance of townspeople going door-to-door to celebrate and wish good tidings to neighbors, a “wassail cup“ references what is essentially a festive, spiced, mulled wine. While a traditional English wassail was a bit more involved—sometimes even involving bread, interestingly enough—you can most certainly partake in this tradition this year with even something as a lightly warmed red wine flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. 

Not drinking? You can also opt for a warmed apple cider with clove and ginger.

Sugar plums

Mentioned in “The Night Before Christmas” (as well as "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”).

You may have noticed that the bulk of the foods on this list veer rather sweet—I’m more of a savory guy, but I’d venture to say that the holiday season is the time of year when I have more of a sweet tooth than the rest of the year. This one is more of a line from “The Night Before Christmas” than a lyric, but what exactly is a sugar plum, you ask? 

In this Alton Brown recipe, plums, apricots, and figs are mixed with nuts, powdered sugar, and a host of spices (cardamom, anise, fennel, caraway), along with honey, sugar, and salt to create fruit-and-nut balls that are perfect for serving over the holidays.

May all of your eating be festive.