FAQs
According to reports, medieval people believed that if you ate a mince pie every day between Christmas and Twelfth Night, you'd be brimming with luck and happiness for the next 12 months.
Why are mince pies a Christmas tradition? ›
However, the mince pie was originally a savoury pie – and not even round! In the Tudor period they were rectangular, shaped like a manger and often had a pastry baby Jesus on the lid. They were made from 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and his disciples and were all symbolic to the Christmas story.
Which countries eat mince pies at Christmas? ›
A mince pie (also mincemeat pie in North America, and fruit mince pie in Australia and New Zealand) is a sweet pie of English origin filled with mincemeat, being a mixture of fruit, spices and suet. The pies are traditionally served during the Christmas season in much of the English-speaking world.
How many mince pies should you eat on each of the 12 days of Christmas? ›
There is a tradition of eating one mince pie each day over the 12 days of Christmas from Christmas Eve to 5 January.
What is the 12 days of Christmas mince pies? ›
of Christmas it brings good luck for the year ahead. According to tradition, you must also make a wish. when eating your first mince pie of the season.
Why can't you eat mince pies on Christmas Day? ›
It has been claimed that eating the snack is illegal in England if done so on Christmas Day. The tradition comes from the time of Oliver Cromwell in the 1650s, when mince pies were banned at Christmas, along with other tasty treats. Cromwell wanted to tackle gluttony in England.
Do Americans eat mince pies for Christmas? ›
In the US, there are no laws regulating what foods fictional characters can consume, transport or distribute. Mince pies are not commonly consumed in the US outside of the New England region. Perhaps if more Americans were familiar with them they would be banned. Or perhaps not, who can know.
Why is it called a mince pie? ›
The reason mincemeat is called meat is because that's exactly what it used to be: most often mutton, but also beef, rabbit, pork or game. Mince pies were first served in the early middle ages, and the pies were quite sizeable, filled with a mixture of finely minced meat, chopped up fruit and a preserving liquid.
What is mincemeat pie filling made of? ›
Historically, mincemeat pie did contain meat, such as mutton, beef, or even game meats, alongside fruits and spices. However, modern versions focus on a delectable, sweet blend of dried fruits, spices, and sometimes rum or brandy.
What is the etiquette for mince pies? ›
Going on to how one should formally eat a mince pie, she explains: 'One would pick up the mince pie with a thumb and first finger, and lift [it] away from the plate. 'The mince pie is crumbly, so make sure anything that falls from the mince pie falls onto your plate.
Once made, the mince pies keep for 3-4 days in an air-tight container. They also freeze well so you can make ahead if you're super organised. Make sure you warm them through in the oven before eating though as the pastry needs livening up again once defrosted.
Does Santa eat mince pies? ›
Thankfully Santa starts off his trek with some actual food. Appropriately combining sweet fruits and spices with savory minced meat, mince pies are a hearty British classic that should fill his jolly belly while the snifter of sherry is the reason his nose gets so red.
Why are mince pies only sold at Christmas? ›
They became a popular treat around the festive period thanks to a tradition from the middle ages, which saw people eat a mince pie for 12 days from Christmas day to Twelfth Night. Doing this was believed to bring you happiness for the next 12 months.
What odd ingredient did mince pies once contain? ›
Martin Fone investigates the most traditional seasonal food of all, mince pies, and finds that they really did contain meat at one time in the past. Just be grateful you never got served one made with fish...
What's the difference between mincemeat and Christmas pudding? ›
It is a Christmas Pudding, but instead of adding a lengthy list of spices, fruit, and sugars you are just adding in Mincemeat. Mincemeat, in turn, is actually made up of spices, fruit, and sugars and that is why it is a great 'substitute' in this recipe and a fantastically easy way to make this traditional dessert.
Why do we leave mince pies for Santa? ›
So all traditions come from somewhere, right? And the tradition of leaving mince pies and milk for Santa actually originated in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, December 6th is Festival of St. Nicholas, with children all over the country leaving food offerings for the Saint, in exchange for presents.
How many mince pies do Brits eat over Christmas? ›
Christmas in numbers
Brits eat approximately 175 million mince pies over Christmas, using 175 tonnes of aluminium packaging. The UK uses 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each year.
What were Christmas mince pies also known as due to their resemblance to Jesus cradle? ›
It was originally known as a Christmas Pye. The oblong or square shape was said to resemble Jesus' cradle. A small doll made from pastry was placed on the top in the centre of the pie where the hollow indentation would be. These were known as Crib Pies.