Please wait

Contact

37-39 rue Boissière
75016 Paris
France

Phone : 01 41 40 99 80

GaultMillau © 2025 All rights reserved

Why do we eat turkey at Christmas?

Why do we eat turkey at Christmas?

Ingrid Boinet | 12/18/24, 4:41 PM

Do you know where the tradition of the Christmas turkey comes from? The answer may not be what you expect! An anthropologist tells you.

Of all the meats out there, how is it that turkey has such a prominent place in our Christmas meals? To find out, we need to go back in time, long before Thanksgiving.

Christmas turkey, a Euro-American tradition

Snails, oysters, logs... Christmas dinner includes some very special dishes. Among them, the turkey, often stuffed, takes pride of place on our tables. Yet turkey has not always been the fowl of choice for Christmas Eve celebrations. Until the 15th century, goose was preferred. " In Europe, before Thanksgiving, there was the tradition of the St. Martin's Day goose (November 11), which closed the agricultural season. Seasonal workers were returning home for the winter, and for the occasion, these last moments were celebrated with a big meal", explains Nadine Crétin, an anthropologist specializing in religious festivals.

We owe the presence of turkey on our Christmas tables to America, or rather to Christopher Columbus, who encountered this exotic bird in 1492 during his visit across the Atlantic. The first settlers of the 17th century created the Thanksgiving feast: " As there were no geese in North America, they found the local fowl and used it for the great meal of thanksgiving", continues the anthropologist. The term "turkey" is thought to come from the term "Indian hens" used by settlers who thought they had arrived in India. Later, it was Europe's turn to adopt poultry. Its large size and faraway origins soon made it an exceptional delicacy, ideal for large holiday feasts.

Three breeders where to find turkey

To delight your guests at the table, it's important to choose the right products. Here are a few good places to find quality turkey for Christmas dinner.

Ferme de Vertessec

Since 1973, Michel and Martine Petit have strived to raise old-fashioned, noble and forgotten poultry, such as the Faverole or Dorée de Vertessec. Raised in the wild and fed on GMO-free cereals, capons and poulards matured on whey are sold retail or transformed on the farm into wonderful roasts, natural and dense terrines, hams, hams or poultry sausages.

Christophe Vuillot's Bresse poultry

Christophe and Nathalie Vuillot offer you delicious products from their charming farm. The couple are committed to raising their PDO Bresse poultry using traditional methods, in a short distribution chain. Don't miss the tour of their farm and the delicious tasting session that follows.

La Ferme de Plume Cane

Chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, capons... You'll find everything you're looking for at this farm inn in the heart of the Parc Naturel Régional de la Brenne. All products are prepared using traditional methods, on site and with respect for the environment.

Now that you know the origins of the Christmas turkey, let's get cooking! Chestnuts, foie gras, mushrooms... What are you going to stuff it with?

These news might interest you

Anne-Sophie Pic's good addresses News & Events

Anne-Sophie Pic's good addresses

Anne-Sophie Pic reveals her best addresses for Gault&Millau readers. Oil, aromatic herbs, pastries... Here's where to buy the best products around Valence!
Arnaud Faye, aiming for excellence News & Events

Arnaud Faye, aiming for excellence

What if we didn't talk cooking with Arnaud Faye, the Executive Chef of Le Bristol Paris, who unveiled his first creations for the Epicure restaurant in September 2024? This Meilleur ouvrier de France has agreed to think outside the box and reveal what drives him, from his first glass of vosne-romanée to his latest musical tastes and his certificate in mental preparation for professional performance.
Live cooking, up-to-the-minute precision: the Accents experience reinvented News & Events

Live cooking, up-to-the-minute precision: the Accents experience reinvented

The three-star restaurant Accents Table Bourse has been given a facelift. Beyond the aesthetics, this change also improves the customer experience.
Stephan Paroche and Justine Viano open a new chapter in Béziers News & Events

Stephan Paroche and Justine Viano open a new chapter in Béziers

The former duo from La Table de Castigno now head up the kitchens at the Calice restaurant in Béziers. The location may have changed, but their cooking philosophy remains the same.
Cédric Grolet takes the sweet reins at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo News & Events

Cédric Grolet takes the sweet reins at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo

Cédric Grolet moves to Monaco, where he becomes Executive Pastry Chef at the Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo. A new gourmet address will open its doors this summer, in the heart of the legendary palace.
Alléno & Rivoire x Persée: the most precious Easter egg of the year News & Events

Alléno & Rivoire x Persée: the most precious Easter egg of the year

This year's Easter egg hunt could turn out to be much more successful than usual, thanks to the initiative of Alléno & Rivoire and the Persée jewelry house.

Food products, kitchen equipment, tableware, service solutions...

See the full list of partners who place their trust in Gault&Millau

All our partners
Become a Partner
LEARN MORE