Hungarian Christmas traditions bring families together around a decorated tree, a festive Christmas Eve meal, thoughtful gifts and much-loved sweets.
How Is Christmas Celebrated in Hungary?
Christmas in Hungary is a time for family, familiar food and traditions passed from one generation to the next. For many Hungarian families, the heart of the celebration is Christmas Eve, when everyone gathers for a special meal, the Christmas tree is revealed and presents are exchanged.
The following days are often spent visiting relatives, sharing meals and enjoying the cakes and sweets prepared for the occasion. Customs vary between families and regions, but there are certain things many Hungarians immediately associate with Christmas: a pot of fragrant fish soup, slices of poppy seed or walnut bejgli, and colourful szaloncukor hanging from the tree.
Whether you are looking for a familiar taste of home or discovering these traditions for the first time, our Hungarian Christmas collection brings together festive foods, gifts and decorations to enjoy in the UK.
Advent and the Days Before Christmas
The festive season begins before Christmas Eve. During Advent, homes and public spaces are decorated, Christmas markets fill with lights and seasonal food, and families begin preparing for the celebrations ahead.
Some households have an Advent wreath with four candles, lighting another candle on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. There may also be time for making gingerbread, buying gifts, decorating the home and preparing food for the celebrations.
For children, one of the first exciting dates in December is 6 December, when Mikulás arrives.
Who Is Mikulás?
Mikulás is Hungary’s Saint Nicholas figure. On the evening of 5 December, children traditionally clean their boots or shoes and leave them on a windowsill. By the morning of 6 December, Mikulás may have filled them with sweets, chocolate, fruit and small treats.
In some versions of the tradition, a mischievous helper called the krampusz accompanies him. Children may receive a small decorative bundle of twigs, known as a virgács, as a playful reminder to behave, often alongside their sweets.
Mikulás is associated with 6 December rather than Christmas Eve. The Christmas presents under the tree are traditionally connected with a different figure: Jézuska.
Why Is Christmas Eve So Important in Hungary?
For many Hungarian families, 24 December is the most important moment of the Christmas celebration. It is known as szenteste, or Holy Evening, and is commonly spent at home with close family.
The day may be busy with final cooking and preparations, but the evening is usually reserved for gathering around the table, exchanging presents and enjoying time together. Some families attend midnight Mass, known as éjféli mise, or another church service, while others celebrate in a more secular way.
Christmas Day, 25 December, and the following day, 26 December, remain important family occasions too. The second day of Christmas, called Boxing Day in the UK, is often spent visiting relatives and friends, sharing another meal and enjoying the food prepared for the celebrations.
Who Brings Christmas Presents in Hungary?
In many Hungarian families, children are told that Jézuska, or the Baby Jesus, brings the Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. In some households, angels are part of the story or are said to help bring the tree and gifts.
Traditions differ from home to home, but the reveal is often a special moment. Children may be kept away while the tree and presents are prepared, then invited into the room when everything is ready. In some families, the sound of a small bell signals that it is time to see the tree.
It is a lovely contrast with the earlier visit from Mikulás: Hungarian children may look forward to treats in their boots on 6 December and presents beneath the tree on 24 December.
Christmas Carols and Nativity Traditions
Christmas songs often accompany the gathering around the tree, whether the family sings together or plays familiar carols in the background. Another traditional custom is betlehemezés, a Nativity play featuring characters from the Christmas story.
In some communities, groups perform these plays as part of local celebrations, while the older tradition of visiting homes with a Nativity performance also survives in some places.
The Hungarian Christmas Tree
In many homes, the Christmas tree is decorated on Christmas Eve, sometimes in secret so that children see it only once it is ready. Other families put their tree up earlier, particularly if they want more time to enjoy the decorations.
Alongside lights, ribbons and treasured ornaments, a Hungarian tree often has something especially tempting hanging from its branches: individually wrapped szaloncukor. These colourful sweets are both decorations and treats, and part of the fun is choosing one from the tree to unwrap and enjoy.
Hand-painted decorations can make the tree feel personal too. Our glass Christmas baubles are made by Szabó Üveg, a family-run workshop in Tárnok, near Budapest. The range includes designs inspired by Kalocsa folk flowers, winter scenes and Hungarian festive greetings.
For more ideas and the stories behind the decorations, read our guide to Hungarian Christmas decorations.
What Is Szaloncukor?
Szaloncukor is a traditional Hungarian Christmas sweet, individually wrapped in colourful foil or decorative paper. The sweets are commonly hung on the Christmas tree, arranged in a bowl or shared with visitors throughout the festive season.
Many varieties have a chocolate coating around a soft centre. Traditional and modern fillings include jelly, marzipan, fondant, caramel, nuts and fruit, so choosing a favourite can be as much a part of Christmas as eating them.
For many Hungarians, a tree decorated with szaloncukor is a familiar sight from childhood. It is also a thoughtful gift to send to someone who misses Christmas at home. Explore our szaloncukor collection for sweets to hang, share or give.
Discover more about the sweets, their flavours and their place on the tree in our guide to szaloncukor.
What Do Hungarians Eat at Christmas?
There is no single Hungarian Christmas menu. Some families keep the same dishes year after year, while others combine regional specialities with their own favourites. Fish, cabbage, festive roasts and generous desserts all have a place at the table.
Halászlé: Hungarian Fish Soup
Halászlé is a paprika-rich fish soup closely associated with Christmas Eve. Recipes vary by region and family: carp is a traditional choice, and some versions include other freshwater fish. The broth is vivid red, warming and full of paprika flavour.
Fish soup is particularly well known in the regions around Szeged and Baja, where local cooks have their own ways of preparing and serving it. Baja-style soup is commonly served with noodles, while Szeged-style versions are generally served without them. For many families, a bowl of halászlé is one of the flavours that marks the beginning of Christmas.
Fish, Stuffed Cabbage and Festive Meals
Fish may also be served fried, breaded or baked, sometimes with potato salad. If you would like a side dish for a Hungarian-inspired festive table, try our Hungarian potato salad recipe.
Another favourite is töltött káposzta, or stuffed cabbage: cabbage leaves filled with seasoned meat and rice, slowly cooked with sauerkraut. It is a comforting dish for Christmas Day or the following day, especially when there are family and friends to feed. Our stuffed cabbage recipe is a good place to start.
Depending on the household, the holiday table may also include roast meats, cold cuts, pickles, salads and other dishes prepared for family meals and visiting guests.
For a closer look at the dishes served across the festive season, explore our guide to traditional Hungarian Christmas food.
Bejgli: Hungary’s Traditional Christmas Roll
For many Hungarian families, Christmas would feel incomplete without bejgli, also written beigli. This rolled pastry is filled generously, baked until golden and sliced to reveal its distinctive spiral.
The two classic fillings are poppy seed and walnut. Poppy seed bejgli is called mákos bejgli, while walnut bejgli is diós bejgli. Both are often prepared ahead of Christmas and brought out when family or visitors arrive.
In older folk traditions, foods served at Christmas could carry hopes for the coming year. Poppy seeds, for example, were associated with abundance and prosperity. Today, many people enjoy bejgli simply because it is delicious and inseparable from their memories of the holidays.
Our bejgli collection includes the classic poppy seed and walnut rolls, as well as a plum-filled version. They are handmade in Budapest by Nándori Cukrászda, a family-run patisserie selected by Monika.
To learn more about the pastry and its traditional fillings, read our guide to Hungarian bejgli.
Other Hungarian Christmas Sweets
Bejgli and szaloncukor are joined by plenty of other treats. A festive table might include homemade biscuits, gingerbread, layered cakes and small pastries served with coffee or tea.
- Zserbó is a layered Hungarian cake made with walnut and apricot preserve beneath a chocolate topping. Our zserbó cake is a generous choice for sharing with guests.
- Mézes puszedli are soft honey-spice biscuits, lovely with a warm drink or as part of a festive selection. Try our mézes puszedli for an easy treat to offer visitors.
- Mézeskalács, or Hungarian gingerbread, can be baked and decorated for the table, given as a gift or used as a Christmas decoration.
Every family has its favourites, and the selection may change from year to year. What matters most is having something ready to offer when someone comes to visit.
For more festive treats, take a look at our guide to Hungarian Christmas sweets and desserts.
Hungarian Christmas Gifts
Food and drink make particularly thoughtful Hungarian Christmas gifts, especially when they bring back memories of home or introduce someone to a favourite family tradition. A box of szaloncukor, a handmade bejgli or a hand-painted bauble can each make a personal present.
For a small gift with a festive presentation, our Christmas Honey Gift Set contains three miniature jars of raw Acacia, Linden and Hawthorn honey in a cracker-shaped box. It is a lovely choice for a host, a colleague or anyone who enjoys discovering different honeys.
Wine can also be part of the celebration. Our BALASSA Tokaji Christmas Pudding Wine, made in Tokaj by István Balassa, brings a Hungarian touch to a British festive table. We selected it after Monika and our team tasted different Late Harvest wines alongside roast dishes, cheese and traditional Christmas desserts.
For more present ideas, explore our guide to Hungarian Christmas gifts, from traditional foods and wine to decorations and gift boxes.
How to Bring Hungarian Christmas Traditions into Your Home
You do not need to recreate an entire Christmas in Hungary to enjoy a few of its traditions. Choose the things that appeal to you and make them part of your own celebration.
- Hang a few individually wrapped szaloncukor sweets on the tree and let guests choose their favourites.
- Serve fish soup or stuffed cabbage as part of a festive meal.
- Offer slices of poppy seed and walnut bejgli with coffee when friends and family visit.
- Add a hand-painted Hungarian bauble to the tree as a decoration to bring out each year.
- Give a Hungarian food or wine gift to someone who would enjoy a familiar taste of home.
For Hungarians living in the UK, these small details can bring back memories of family celebrations. For everyone else, they are an inviting way to discover another country’s Christmas traditions.
When Do Hungarians Take Down the Christmas Tree?
Traditionally, the Christmas season draws to a close on 6 January, Epiphany, known in Hungarian as vízkereszt. Many families take down their Christmas tree and decorations around this date, although modern households choose whatever timing suits them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Christmas celebrated in Hungary?
For many Hungarian families, the main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, 24 December, when they gather for a festive meal and exchange presents. Christmas Day, 25 December, and the second day of Christmas, 26 December, are also important family occasions, often spent visiting relatives and sharing meals.
When do Hungarian children receive Christmas presents, and who brings them?
Many Hungarian children receive their Christmas presents on the evening of 24 December. Traditionally, they are told that Jézuska, or the Baby Jesus, brings the gifts; in some families, angels are also part of the story. Earlier in December, Mikulás brings small treats on 6 December.
How do you say Merry Christmas in Hungarian?
You can say Boldog karácsonyt!, meaning “Merry Christmas!” Another festive greeting is Áldott karácsonyt!, meaning “Blessed Christmas!”