Jun Belen / Getty Images

In the Philippines, bibingka is a Christmas breakfast pastry of rice flour and coconut milk that's baked in banana leaf–lined terracotta pots, topped with kesong puti (local white cheese), grated coconut and sometimes even salted duck egg.

Long before you sit down to Christmas dinner in Ethiopia, preparations are under way. Farmers buy lambs early to fatten them up for yebeg wot, the thick, buttery berbere-spiced stew that locals know and expect.

Slideshow: See what's eaten where for the holidays

After all, holiday meals are judged by a different set of standards than any other kind. You may like your dish dry because that’s what pleased you as a child. Memory is the juicier thing. Such sentimentality is a shared global matter, but food traditions are decidedly local — and reveal much about a destination.

The same old, same old won’t necessarily be available abroad, so if you’re leaving home for the holidays, embrace the opportunity to savor the season as celebrated in another part of the world. Every place has specialties, prepared with love and idiosyncrasies similar to your own.

In Quebec, the thing is tourtière, a meat pie. Maybe the crust on the one you’ll eat will be slightly burned to pay homage to the baker’s favorite uncle. There should be quirks. If you’re eating Jansson’s temptation in Sweden, perhaps it’s a version of the casserole with extra cream because one year, way back, some kid knocked the whole bottle in and, hell, it worked.

In Japan, it just wouldn’t be New Year’s Eve without eating a plate of stretchy buckwheat noodles to bring prosperity and ensure a long life. The longer the noodles, the better. Visitors can join in this age-old ritual at Tokyo’s Washoku En, among countless options.

The urge, just about everywhere on Earth, is to eat what you’ve always eaten for the holidays and just as you’ve always eaten it. The quality of a dish is never measured in objective terms. Technique? Taste? Presentation? It hardly matters. The question, globally, is how does the food make you feel?

Fortunate is probably the optimal answer. To come back to the same table and appreciate the same flavors with the same people — whether it’s curry devil on Boxing Day in Singapore, or that thing that’s been in your family since long before you have — is the benchmark of the season. Repetition, this time of year, is exactly the point.

But if you’re away from your own traditions, we bet the local ones, wherever you are, will make you feel just as sated — and may even inspire you to introduce a new dish back at home.

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Steve Cukrov / featurepics.com

As a child, did you ever wonder whether Santa got tired of eating the same thing at each house he visited? Turns out, you needn’t have worried: though American and Canadian children leave out milk and cookies, the treats left out for him in other countries keep Santa’s night from being anything but monotonous. Here’s a look at what Santa (in whatever form he takes) can expect at houses around the world on Christmas eve.

Denmark
On Christmas Eve, Danish children leave out a bowl of special Christmas rice pudding called risengrød. The pudding is said to appease Tomte, a white-bearded mythical figure, similar to the English Father Christmas, who brings presents but has been known to cause household mischief if his requisite bowl of risengrød is missing.

Germany
In Germany, Santa can only satisfy his appetite for reading. Children there leave letters, not cookies, for Santa (who in Germany takes the form of Christkind, a white-robed, present-bearing figure from which “Kris Kringle” is derived). The letters are usually doused with glitter and attractively displayed on the windowsills. On Christmas morning, when the children wake up, the letters are gone, replaced by presents under the tree.

France
In France, children don’t leave cookies for the French Père Noël, but instead make sure to fill their shoes with carrots and treats for his donkey, Gui. Père Noël will remove the treats for the donkey and in their place leave small trinkets and tokens for the children.

Netherlands
Dutch children leave out carrots, hay and a bowl of water on Christmas Eve for Sinterklaas’ horse. Sinterklaas, in return, leaves hot chocolate, mandarin oranges, chocolate coins and marzipan figures. Not a bad trade.

Britain and Australia
The Australians and Brits figure Santa needs something a little heartier than milk and cookies to sustain him through his big night, so children leave out sherry and mince pies. The traditional Christmastime treats are made with sweet, sticky fruit and brandy, and baked into bite-sized pies.

Ireland
Santa can expect more mince pies when he gets to Ireland, but there he’ll get to wash it down with some Guinness, which Irish families traditionally leave out for him on Christmas Eve. And after a long night of hard work, Santa definitely deserves it.

Chile
In Chile, Viejo Pascuero (Old Man Christmas) is greeted with a traditional Chilean pan de pascua, a sponge cake flavored with ginger and honey and full of candied fruit.

Aparna Balasubramanyam/My Diverse Kitchen

Indians make kulkuls instead of cookies for Christmas.

Other Christmas Eve eats around the world
Not all cultures set aside food for Santa on Christmas Eve, but if he gets hungry on his long trip, here’s a look at what he can expect in other parts of the world.

India
Children don’t traditionally leave food out for Christmas Baba in India, but they do make Christmas treats called kulkuls, which are sweet balls of fried dough made from coconut milk. Want to make your own? Get the recipe here. 

Japan
In Japan, children can snack on a traditional Japanese Christmas cake, a white sponge cake covered with cream and decorated with strawberries, while waiting for the arrival of the Santa-like Hotei-Osho.

Philippines
Filipino children go to bed on Christmas Eve dreaming not of sugarplums but of the traditional nochabuena Christmas meal, which involves queso de bola (a ball of Edam cheese) and tsokolate (a hot-chocolate type drink).

Kenya
A Kenyan child might save lucky Santa a bit of roasted goat, which is the traditional Kenyan Christmas Eve repast.

Argentina
And if Santa gets thirsty on his trek through Argentina, he can duck into the kitchen for some sidra, an alcoholic apple cider that’s traditionally used to toast on Christmas Eve.

What kind of food did you leave out for Santa when you were a kid? 

When I was a little kid growing up outside of New York City, my family always tried to make the yearly trip to Rockefeller Plaza to see the Christmas tree and the holiday displays at the department stores. The skating rink and the Plaza have always felt like a special place around the holidays, full of energy and perhaps a bit of nostalgia as well, at least for me.

 Opened in 1936, The Ice Skating Rink at Rockefeller Center celebrates its 75th year as one of the most visited attractions in New York City. The panorama above is a composite of over 65 separate photographs merged together to represent an immersive 360-degree view from the center of the ice.

 Below is a video from Brian Williams on the history of the ice rink and a time-lapse video of the installation of the 12-ton, 2011 Christmas tree.

Follow @msnbc_pictures

Courtesy of Gaylord Opryland Hotel

Visitors can enjoy carriage rides during the Christmas festivities at Gaylord Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.

Renowned for its Gingerbread House competition, the Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa showcases some of the country's best sugar-and-spice creations. Between Nov. 14, 2011, and Jan. 1, 2012, the little ones will have a tough time of keeping their fingers to themselves as the mountain resort's halls are overrun with holiday-inspired gingerbread themes. Guests of the resort may view the displays daily, while visitors can get a peek Sundays through Thursdays only. Hour-long guided tours are provided Wednesdays through Sundays, between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tenn.

Head to Music City and stay at the grand Gaylord Opryland Hotel to witness a Country Christmas like no other. The 28th annual event brings back traditional holiday favorites like Louise Mandrell's Christmas Dinner Party and the 10th anniversary of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes, as well as a few new treats. Kids will love the DreamWorks Experience, featuring Kung Fu Panda, Shrek, and the cast of "Madagascar" in the ICE! Experience, featuring larger-than-life ice sculptures and 20-foot-tall ice slides. Opryland features more than 2 million lights in its light spectacular, as well as one of the country's largest live nativity scenes.

The Westin St. Francis, San Francisco

With its iconic location on Union Square, the Westin St. Francis overlooks San Francisco's holiday ice rink and Christmas tree. However, it’s what's inside the hotel that brings the onlookers: a 12-foot sugar castle. What began in 2005 has become a San Francisco tradition as the pastry chefs create bigger and more elaborate holiday sugar castles every year. This year, the French chateau-inspired castle will weigh more than 1,200 pounds and include a medieval French village with shops, homes and a church surrounded by a magical forest. Two trains will pass through and around the village and castle, which will feature nearly 30 rooms, glowing windows and 20 towers. The hotel will also be decked out with a winter wonderland lobby filled with garland, trees, icicles and lights. Those staying in executive suites will also find Christmas trees in their rooms.

The Roosevelt, New Orleans

The Roosevelt Hotel remains a personal favorite, as it was the first hotel my newborn daughter visited during her first holiday trip. The Roosevelt's lobby is filled with white birch trees and fir trees stretching to the ceiling and bedecked in thousands of white lights. Named for the president for which teddy bears were named, it’s no wonder the Roosevelt also features teddy bears in its seasonal fun. Special Teddy Bear Teas occur over December weekends, serving up tea and hot chocolate. The tea includes a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, and kids receive teddy bears upon check in.

Lake Lanier Islands Resort, Atlanta

Just getting to the Lake Lanier Islands Resort will be a treat when driving through the seven-mile Magical Nights of Lights display where leaping reindeer, Santa's elves, candy canes and favorite characters and holiday scenes are on display. For nearly 20 years, the resort has welcomed visitors to take in the twinkling light driving tour, which ends at the Holiday Village, where Santa awaits for photos. The village also features a bonfire for roasting marshmallows, pony rides and a petting zoo, carnival rides and games, a holiday store, and more.

Mirror Lake Inn, Lake Placid, N.Y.

Pulling up to the Mirror Lake Inn, guests are greeted by a winter wonderland complete with 70 lit trees and 300,000 twinkling lights. Inside, more Christmas trees and a tree of poinsettias are found, with real Christmas trees placed in guestrooms upon request. Mirror Lake Inn plays upon its location to become a holiday season favorite: skate on the frozen Mirror Lake and receive free hot chocolate at its cafe, enjoy a winter bonfire with marshmallows, ride the Toboggan Chute or in a horse-drawn sleigh ride complete with sleigh bells, receive a visit from Santa with milk and cookies and turndown, and take part in the town's Holiday Village Stroll.

Gaylord National, Washington, D.C.

Not to be outdone by its southern sister, the Gaylord National on the National Harbor is offering Christmas on the Potomac, which also offers the ICE! Experience with the same characters at its Opryland counterpart, as well as a beautiful winter wonderland. Enter the hotel to snow falling indoors, then walk through the hotel's ice sculpture wonderland and gaze upon the 60-foot-tall glass Christmas tree.

Disney's Grand Floridian, Orlando, Fla.

You didn't think Disney would ignore the holiday season, did you? Not only does Disney World become even more magical during the holidays -- think snow falling on Main Street! -- the Disney World Resorts also get a holiday transformation. One of the best is the Grand Floridian, where a life-sized gingerbread house greets guests in the lobby. The house is so large that every year it has actually featured a bakery selling all things gingerbread. While staying at Disney, make your way to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

The Sheraton Princess Kaiulani, Oahu, Hawaii

Even if you decide to hit the tropics over the holiday season, the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani will have you in the spirit of Christmas with its annual Santa's German Gingerbread Village. From Thanksgiving through the New Year, the hotel lobby is transformed into a village of sweet treats in an Alpine village standing 24 feet wide and 14 and a half feet high. The hotel's chefs use more than 130 pounds of chocolate, 200 gallons of icing and 60 sheets of gingerbread to create the masterful cookie town.

More from Family Vacation Critic

• 9 most unusual New Year's Eve ball drops for families
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Courtesy TrendyKids

TrendyKids offers two-piece, kid-friendly luggage sets that are perfect for young travelers.

Unless you’re a member of the 1 percent, you’re probably not buying that special someone a trip to Tahiti or round-the-world cruise.

Nevertheless, you can help make even their less-extravagant travels more pleasurable by giving them a bag or accessory that helps them pack lighter, organize their gear better or just smile when they’re getting ready to go.

Here are 10 for the road:

Rebecca Bonbon
Got a junior jetsetter on your gift list? If she’s a girl between six and 12, a rolling carry-on bag from Rebecca Bonbon ($20) may be just the ticket. The kid-sized rolling carry-ons feature telescoping handles, 1,056-cubic-inch capacities and a sparkly image of Rebecca Bonbon, the fashionista French bulldog created by Yuko Shimizu, whose previous claim to designer fame was as the creator of a little feline called Hello Kitty.

Courtesy Skooba Designs

Cable Stable Mini
Earbuds, USB cables, adapters for your phone, camera or music player — if you’ve ever reached into your carry-on bag and pulled out a tangle of cords and wires, you’re a candidate for the Cable Stable Mini ($25), the Mini-Me version of Skooba Designs’ Cable Stable DLX. Inside, 11 elastic hold-downs and pockets separate and protect essential tech accessories; outside, a zippered pocket offers easy access to boarding passes, hotel key cards and other flat items.

Courtesy Kiva Designs

Aircraft Toiletry Bag
Someday (we hope), we can all say goodbye to TSA’s 3-1-1 rule on liquids. Until then, there’s the Aircraft Toiletry Bag ($30) from Kiva Designs. Part of the company’s new Packing Genius line, the pouch features a wide opening for easy access, an integrated TSA-compliant bag for liquids and a swivel hook for hanging when open. Rezip the liquids bag to the bottom of the main bag, hang the combo on a door hook or shower rod and you’ve got a smart solution to the dilemma of diminutive lavatories.

Phil Keoghan NOW Collection
As host of the adventure-travel reality show, “The Amazing Race,” Phil Keoghan is no stranger to the concept of packing fast and traveling light so perhaps it’s not surprising that he’s come out with a line of luggage. Now being sold on HSN, the Phil Keoghan NOW Collection ($80–$180) consists of four items: a backpack with a removable laptop organizer, 20- and 28-inch spinner bags and a set of five accessory bags for clothes and other necessities.

Travel Buddies 
What do you get when you let a six-year-old boy help design luggage? At TrendyKids, you get Archie Alien ($90), the latest addition to the company’s line of Travel Buddy two-piece luggage sets. Each set consists of a 12-inch backpack and an 18-inch wheeled case with multiple compartments, compression straps and telescoping handle. Made of sturdy, neon-green ABS, both cases feature a grinning, three-eyed alien that’s bound to make an impression.

Courtesy Magellan

Getaway Wheeled Under-Seat Tote
Tired of battling for space in the overhead bin? Pursue peace in the cabin with Magellan’s Getaway Wheeled Under-Seat Tote ($149), a box-like tote that fits under the seat in front of you. Individual pockets are designed to hold a water bottle, iPad and your 3-1-1 liquids; the main pocket will hold a weekend’s worth of clothes, and the wheels and telescoping handle make it easy to maneuver up and down the aisle.

Motil Kit
It’s a laptop bag, it’s a lunchbox, it’s two bags in one. The Motil Kit ($180) from Nau is a limited-edition messenger-style bag that comes with a 14-inch laptop sleeve, titanium mug, collapsible chopsticks and even a spork. The bag itself is made from recycled polyester; the mug and cutlery cut down on plastic waste, and the company will donate 2 percent of the sale price to the social, environmental or humanitarian group of your choice.

Foldable Carry-on
If you’ve ever stayed in a shoebox of a European hotel room, you’ll understand the logic behind foldable luggage from Lipault of Paris, which is now making its debut in the U.S. The company’s 20-inch, two-wheeled folding carry-on ($189), for example, features 2,929 cubic inches of space when packed but folds to a flat four inches when empty so it’ll slide under a bed or into a closet until you need it again.

WT Convertible
Befitting its Victorinox heritage, the WT Convertible ($200) is the luggage equivalent of a multi-tool. When fully zipped, it’s a 3,060-cubic-inch duffel bag with a large U-shaped opening and twin zippered end pockets. Unzipped, it transforms into a 41-inch garment bag complete with compression straps and foam bolsters to keep clothes secure and wrinkle-free.

MOVE Mobile Closet
New from Max Mirani, the MOVE Mobile Closet ($450) proves that big things can indeed come in small packages. Closed, it’s a wheeled, hardsided carry-on case; opened, it’s a hanging wardrobe with cantilevered shelves that keep clothes, shoes and accessories neat and accessible. Just the thing for small cruise ship cabins, it also features a zip-out lining that can be used as a second, soft-sided tote, doubling your storage space when it’s time to head home.

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• More airports catering to kids

Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.

Clio

Chicory eggnog custard

Eggnog doesn’t usually stray from being spiked with booze and typically served at holiday parties in large crystal bowls. But chefs have taken a new look at the stuff and have incorporated it into dishes deviating from the liquid party punch. In Boston’s 606 Congress, chef Richard Garcia said he started incorporating eggnog in his winter dishes about five years ago when he made eggnog flan. “That was one of the best-selling desserts,” he says. “Eggnog is one of those forgotten, but distinct, ingredients.”

Since then, Garcia has moved up from sweets and started using eggnog in his savory dishes, including this year’s creation, a cider glazed pork belly with pumpkin gnocchi that gets coated in eggnog froth. “It’s one of the ingredients that a good chef will look at and figure out what to do,” said Garcia. “It’s no harder than any other cooking ingredient, but you really only think about it one month out of the year.”

Over at Salumeria Rosi Parmacotto in New York City, chef Cesare Casella uses eggnog in his risotto during the holiday season. He says he found that the creaminess of a properly slow-cooked risotto serves as a natural complement to the seasonal tipple, and, with the addition of nutty Parmigiano Reggiano, the dish becomes almost like the dinner version of rice pudding.

Other places have taken eggnog for a spin as well. For example, chef Bill Buszinski of Mr. Rain’s Fun House in the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore whips up a savory-sweet sauce with eggnog and pairs it with braised rabbit, grilled scallions and mashed sweet potatoes. On the dessert side, Ken Oringer of the Boston restaurant Clio does a chicory eggnog custard, chef Brandon McGlamery of Prato in Florida dishes up eggnog panna cotta, and at the Sheppard Mansion in Pennsylvania, chef Andrew Little adds eggnog to a tart along with cranberry compote.

“When you take something like eggnog, you evoke a lot of memories in people,” said Garcia. “A lot of our older guests remember their parents making it in the '40s and '50s. When people connect with their food, we feel that it gives them a deeper dining experience.” Plus, he added, “I personally think it tastes like the holidays.”

Want to find some unique uses for you holiday eggnog? Try some of these great recipes:

Chicory eggnog custard
By Ken Oringer

• 6 eggs at room temperature   
• 6 Tbs powdered sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 pint Ponche de Santo Antao Rum or any dark rum
• 2 pint heavy cream
• 1 pint half and half
• 1/2 cup chicory extract
• 6 Tbs chicory granules
• 5 Tbs vanilla extract
• 2 Tbs coffee extract
• 6 star anise, finely ground
• Ground nutmeg to taste

Separate egg whites and egg yolks into two bowls. Pour cream, vanilla extract, chicory extract, chicory granules and star anise into a third bowl and whip until just thickened. Pour granulated sugar over egg yolks and whisk until the yolks become a light yellow color, add rum and whisk. Pour egg mixture into cream and incorporate. 

Using a whisk, whip egg whites until frothy. Add powdered sugar into egg whites and whisk until medium peaks form.  Add egg whites to the cream mixture and whisk until smooth and thick.  Add half and half and whisk until thick. Refrigerate for at least half-an-hour before serving. Custard is a loose-style so won’t firm too much.

When serving, garnish with chicory granules and freshly ground nutmeg.

Eggnog sauce
By Bill Buszinski

• 2 cups Milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup cugar
• 1/2 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup braising liquid (from the meat or stock)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice

In a large bowl combine egg yolks and sugar and beat until incorporated. Place milk in a heavy bottomed pan over low heat. Stir occasionally until milk is hot, but not boiling.

Temper egg mixture by slowly pouring hot milk into egg mixture while beating. Put back into saucepan over low-medium heat. While continually stirring with wooden spoon, add brandy, braising liquid, and all the spices.

Continue to stir until sauce thickens, but do not allow to boil. If needed, sauce can be thickened more with blonde roux. 

Eggnog panna cotta
By Brandon McGlamery

• 3 1/2 cups milk
• 5 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup cold cream
• 2 Tbs dark rum
• 1 Tbs powdered gelatin
• Fresh grated nutmeg to taste

Bring 2 cups milk to a boil over medium heat. Combine yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale yellow. Temper 1 cup hot milk into yolk mixture. Return to heat and continue to cook over low heat until custard is thick and able to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in remaining half cup of cold milk and cold cream. Set custard over ice bath and add rum and nutmeg. Allow mixture to cool.

Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup of cold eggnog mixture and allow the gelatin to bloom. Place remaining eggnog mixture in medium saucepan and place over medium heat and cook until mixture just starts to steam. Remove and add gelatin mix. Divide mix into ramekins (or any small container like tea cups or tiny bowls). Refrigerate about an hour until set.

Linnea Covington is a freelancer writer and eater who will try any drink, dish, or sweet at least once, especially if it involves chili or bourbon.