When it comes to Christmas gifts, the Christmas chest is one of the most classic and formal there is, especially in office environments where bosses and managers receive large arrangements with bottles, canned goods and snacks.
Christmas chests are decorated baskets full of products that pair perfectly, such as wines and liquors, cold meats, snacks and nuts, canned sausages, accessories, among others, whose purpose is for them to be enjoyed by their recipient on the festive season.
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What is the origin of the Christmas chest?
According to the magazine National Geographicthe origin of the chest dates back to ancient Rome with the festival of the Saturnalia, related to the winter solstice that coincides with the “rebirth of the year.”
During Saturnalia, an activity called sportula was carried out, which consisted of workers receiving wicker baskets full of food from their employers; These gifts were given at the morning salutatio, when the workers came to greet their boss.
Generally, the baskets were received by people of low economic resources under the command of a superior and these contained bay leaves, figs and other foods.
Another holiday that could be related to the Christmas chest as we know it today is Boxing Day in the United Kingdom, a custom that is celebrated on December 26 associated with St. Stephen’s Day.
Since 1871, this date promotes the donation of gifts called Christmas Boxes that contain gifts and food and are given to workers for their continuous work throughout the year.
What does a Christmas chest contain?
A Christmas chest can be expensive or simple, depending on the quantity and value of the products placed in it.
These are some of the products that are most commonly used for traditional Christmas chests:
Wine and spirits
Bottles are a must-have in Christmas chests. Generally, bottles of red wine, white wine, some distillate or traditional apple cider are placed, which can be paired with any of the foods consumed during the Christmas holidays such as cod or turkey.
Cheeses
Cured cheeses are an essential ingredient in Christmas chests to put together a cheese and sausage board or to eat as a snack at a gathering. You can choose from various options such as: goat cheese, chunked Manchego cheese, chunked cheddar cheese,
Sausages
Cans of pâté, smoked sausages, salami, chorizo, serrano ham, among other cold meats, are an excellent option to integrate into the Christmas chest, perfect to combine with wine, cheeses and preserves, for example.
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Preserves and dried fruits
Whether in cans or jars, preserves cannot be missing for a gourmet Christmas chest, you can include options such as fruits in syrup, olives in brine, squid or octopus in its ink, etc.
Another option is to include nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and dried cranberries to pair with the other items in the chest or save them for a moment of leisure.
Sweets and chocolates
The sweet touch cannot be missing, you can include chocolates such as truffles, liquor-filled chocolates, covered raisins, dark or milk chocolate bars or candied almonds, peanuts or praline nuts, among others.
Dry dough, butter and ginger or salty cookies are also welcome and helpful as dessert in this type of Christmas gifts.
Now that you know what items a Christmas chest can contain, let your imagination run wild to create one or purchase one that suits the tastes and preferences of your loved ones.