Why do we eat turkey at Christmas?

Christmas turkey meal

WHY DO WE EAT TURKEY AT CHRISTMAS?

WHY DO WE EAT TURKEY AT CHRISTMAS?

Added 11 days ago. 22 October 2024

With over 10 million eaten each year in the UK on Christmas day, we take a look at how this dish became a household favourite every Christmas. 

Turkeys are native to North America and were introduced to Europe in the early 16th century by Spanish explorers. By the 17th century, turkeys were becoming more popular as a festive meal in England. Before this, people often ate other birds like goose, peacock or swan. Turkeys were seen as a more practical choice as they were large enough to feed a family but didn't have other uses like cows for milk or chickens for eggs. But how did they become the number one choice on Christmas day?

A Royal Pardon

King Henry VIII of England is believed to be one of the first English monarchs to eat turkey as part of a Christmas meal, establishing the bird as a festive must-have. That being said it wasn't until the Victorian era in the 19th century that turkey became the centrepiece of any Christmas dinner. It was Queen Victoria who was given credit for this cultural shift, as she started to enjoy turkey at every royal Christmas feast.

Charles Dickens'

Although the royals played a role in making turkey a festive favourite they can not be given all the credit, it's popularity was given a boost from Charles Dickens' 1843 "A Christmas Carol". In the story, Ebeneezer Scrooge sends a large turkey to the Cratchit family for their Christmas dinner, cementing the idea of turkey as the ideal Christmas feast.

Practicality and Size

Turkeys are large birds that can feed many people, making them well-suited for large gatherings. As Christmas became a time for families to get together a large bird like a turkey made sense for the main dish. Meaning it was more economical to prepare one large bird rather than several small ones.

 

In some European villages, traditions such as turkey races are held before Christmas. In these events, turkeys are dressed in festive outfits and race through the streets.

 

 

Fun fact: 10 million turkeys are eaten on Christmas day across the UK alone. This accounts for around 75% of all turkey sales throughout the year!

 

 

The heaviest turkey on record weighed a whopping 39kg! Named Tyson he weighed the same as a Labrador Retriever and displayed at a London Christmas show in 1989.

 

Frozen Turkeys Were a Game Changer

The availability of frozen turkeys revolutionised the Christmas dinner experience. Before refrigeration, people had to buy their turkey fresh, which meant a rushed trip to the butchers and risking them selling out if they didn't get there quickly enough. Freezing turkeys allowed for easier planning and meant you could ensure that you would have this delicious bird for Christmas day making it an even more popular choice.

 

Delicious Leftovers 

Another reason why turkey has remained the bird of choice for Christmas day is for the leftovers that can be enjoyed on Boxing Day. As a big bird,  families would find themselves with leftovers which they could use to make sandwiches, stews, curries and pies becoming a staple ingredient in some of these favourites. In particular turkey curry has become a popular way to use up leftovers.  

 

Tukey has a rich history in the UK which is one of the reasons why we still have it on Christmas day to this date. Even if you are unable to prepare a big turkey or you just want to enjoy your meal with no preparation or fuss, why not have one of our delicious turkey dishes this Christmas?

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