The bûche de Noël A chocolate sponge rolled and frosted to look like a Yule log — the sweet descendant of the real log once burned at the winter solstice.
- The tradition
- Europe’s great midwinter feast closes the year with light and abundance, a tradition layered over far older solstice rites of warmth against the dark.
- Customs & rituals
- The tree is lit and dressed, the long réveillon dinner runs late into the night, and the meal ends — in France — with the log carried to the table.
- What people wear
- Festive best for the table; in much of the world, a quiet competition over the brightest seasonal sweater.
On the table
1 recipe to cook for Christmas.
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