Feast Of 7 Fishes In NJ Among Nation’s ‘Favorite Christmas Traditions’

NEW JERSEY — The holidays are coming, and while people across the United States may end up doing something similar – exchanging gifts, toasting the season with eggnog and eating too much food – there’s no doubt that different parts of the county have different traditions when it comes to Christmas.

And in New Jersey, it’s all about the seven fishes, a study claims.

Photo book creation company Mixbook recently polled 1,500 people across the nation in an attempt to find “America’s favorite Christmas tradition.”

The Feast Of The Seven Fishes – a popular holiday meal celebrated on Christmas Eve in many Italian households in New Jersey – ranked at number 25 on a list of 50.

Not familiar with the tradition? Here’s the deal, according to Mixbook:

“New Jersey's ‘Feast Of The Seven Fishes’ placed in 25th position. It is a traditional Italian dinner, originating along the Mediterranean coast and is considered to celebrated more in New Jersey than in Italy! It is thought that observant Roman Catholics abstained from eating meat on Fridays and on the day before holy days like Christmas. Fish was exclusively served on Christmas Eve, typically fried in oil.”

However, according to the Food Network, the Feast of the Seven Fishes isn’t a religious celebration – it’s “just a big fish-forward holiday meal that traces its roots back to Italy.”

Typically, families gather around a feast of seven different seafood dishes, or one or two different types of fish prepared in seven different ways. And despite its popularity among Americans, many Italians do not even know about the tradition — or its origin, according to Eataly.

“For many of us, traditions are an important part of what’s so special about the holiday season,” Mixbook director of marketing Leslie Albertson said.

“Even though we may celebrate in different ways, spending time with friends and family and creating memories together is what matters most,” Albertson added.

See the full list below or view an interactive map here.

1 Ohio’s Buckeyes

2 Texas’ Highly Decorated ‘River Walk’ in San Antonio

3 New York’s Genesee Keg Tree in Rochester

4 Georgia’s Candy Canes

5 Tennessee’s Moon Pies

6 Michigan’s Sugar Cookies

7 Illinois’ Chicago Christkindlmarkt

8 California’ s Santa Surfing Competition

9 Florida’s ‘Deck The Chairs’ Decorating of Lifeguard Chairs

10 Washington’s Festival of Trees

11 Louisiana’s Bonfires on the Louisiana Bayou

12 Arkansas’ Trail of Holiday Lights

13 West Virginia’s Winter Festival of Lights

14 Alabama’s Wonder Under Warrior

15 Wisconsin’s Pickle Ornaments

16 Maryland’s Baltimore block of houses ‘Miracle on 34th Street’

17 North Carolina’s Santa Rappelling Down Chimney Rock

18 Colorado’s Santa Speedo Dash

19 Indiana Sweet Potato Casserole

20 Kentucky’s Christmas Dessert of Fruitcake Soaked in Whiskey

21 Hawaii’s Pig Roast Over an Open Fire and Hula

22 South Carolina’s Peanut Butter Blossom

23 Virginia’s Christmas Camel in Mount Vernon for George Washington

24 Pennsylvania’s Santa Rowing Across the Lake in Boiling Springs

25 New Jersey’s Feat of the Seven Fishes

26 Arizona’s Largest Tumbleweed Christmas Tree

27 Mississippi’s Decorated Boats on the Shores of Biloxi Beach

28 Connecticut’s Trees in the Rigging Community Carol Sing & Parade

29 New Mexico’s Ristra Decorations

30 Oklahoma’s Firing of the Christmas Guns at Fort Reno

31 Missouri’s Fairy Princess at the Kansas City Museum

32 Idaho’s Lake Coeur d’Alene Fireworks and Light Show

33 Minnesota’s Lutefisk on Christmas Day

34 Oregon’s Singing Christmas Tree in Portland

35 Visiting Massachusetts’ Stockbridge, the Christmas Capital of the state

36 Nevada’s Reno Santa Crawl

37 Utah’s Mormon Tabernacle Choir Performance

38 Iowa’s Decorating the Rooms in the Salisbury House Mansion

39 Rhode Island’s Lobster Trap Christmas Tree on Block Island

40 Vermont’s Scavenger Hunt in Middlebury

41 Maine’s Seafood Chowder

42 Montana’s Bison Ribeye

43 Alaska’ s Wooden Star of Bethlehem Parade

44 Nebraska’s Christmas at the Cody's

45 North Dakota’s Victorian Dickens Village Festival in Garrison

46 Wyoming’s Santa Ski-Along

47 New Hampshire’s Inn to Inn Cookie Tour

48 South Dakota’s Pie Day

49 Delaware’s Children dress as "tomtar," Swedish imps

50 Kansas’ Young Women Dress up as Saint Lucy for the St. Lucia Festival

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