Food is an integral part of the holiday season. It symbolizes the depth of happiness and the sentimental atmosphere of this time.  Regardless of what holiday each family celebrates, food always plays a huge role in making it special. These are just seven of the best foods to consume during the season.

1. Hot Chocolate

After coming in from the snow and cold weather, what is a better way to warm up than to drink a big cup of hot chocolate?  The mug warms your frostbitten hands, and every sip defrosts your frozen insides.  It is the perfect barrier against the winter weather!

2. Cookies

We all have childhood memories of wanting to help our moms shape the dough with our tiny pudgy hands as soon as we were big enough to.  The scent of the dough spread throughout the house, and your watering mouth could hardly wait for the ding of the oven. You would grab the fresh cookies off of the tray, and after burning your tongue on the melted chocolate chips, you would take a sip of milk to relieve the pain.  So, as you bake and decorate your holiday cookies this year, remember those days when you stood beside your mom pouring copious amounts of sprinkles and making a mess with frosting.

3. Honey Ham

Ham is a classic holiday dinner food that is present on most families’ table.  The memories of mom glazing it with honey, dad cutting slices out of it with a huge knife that amazed you as a little kid, and the fights with your siblings for the best pieces when it came time to eat, remind you of typical events that make your holiday dinners unique and memorable.  

4. Mashed Potatoes

What is a holiday dinner without the potatoes?  After a long day of enjoying your new presents and reveling in the joy of the holiday season, nothing closes the day better than a familiar, comfortable plate of mashed potatoes with some warm gravy.

5. Candy Canes

You know that the holiday season has begun when candy canes start to appear everywhere.  The store windows are all decorated with the striped delights and children walk around with red-stained mouths.  The peppermint flavor is an enormous part of the season, and who doesn’t love to eat candy canes?

6. Gingerbread

There are so many ways in which gingerbread represents the holiday season.  From creating and decorating gingerbread houses, to playing and eating gingerbread men cookies as a kid, to simply the scent, gingerbread is, without doubt, a holiday delicacy.

7. Eggnog

When the sun is long gone, your stomach is full to bursting with good food, and the drowsiness begins to settle in, a great way to end the day is with a cup of eggnog.  Whether served warm or cold, this sweet, creamy drink will help you sleep in content after a long day of fun.  Add whipped cream or nutmeg for an even more exciting experience!