Your sponsored child may live halfway around the world, but you may have more in common than you think, especially when it comes to Christmas traditions.

Because Christmas brings families together, food can play a major role in the Christmas celebration. Although your sponsored child's family may not have money to purchase gifts for the children, parents and caretakers try hard to provide a special meal in honor of this special day.

So what's on the menu in your sponsored child's country? Here are some typical meals and specialty dishes that appear this time of year. If you'd like to try a recipe, click on the blue links in the post!

The Dominican Republic

In addition to roast chicken or pork, families make a special warm ginger and cinnamon drink called jengibre.

Ethiopia

Ethiopians eat a special meat stew with injera, the traditional spongey bread that is often used in place of plates and silverware.

Haiti

The special meal is called reveillons, and is actually an extended breakfast after the midnight Christmas church service. For entertainment, families set off allumettes bengal, a special type of homemade firework.

Honduras

During Las Posadas, when the whole family stays in the same place, they will feast on roasted chicken or pork with tamales wrapped in banana leaves.

India

On Bada Din (the Big Day), families will eat roasted meat along with a special curry and rice dish. For dessert, a special Christmas cake and payasam, a rice pudding is unveiled.

Jordan

Jordanians enjoy a special lunch of chicken stuffed with rice, zucchini, and grape leaves.

Kenya

A barbecued meat dish called nyama choma, along with chapati, a special flat bread is served. Sodas and juice are a special treat.

Lebanon

Coffee is traditional, and for lunch families gather to eat chicken, rice, and kubbeh, a dish of crushed boiled wheat, meat, onion, and seasonings.

The Philippines

A buffet of lechon (roasted pig), pancit (noodle dish), rice, adobo (seasoned meat), and the special lumpia (pastries) is prepared.

Sri Lanka

Families make a vanilla butter cake if they cannot afford to make the rich Christmas Cake. This special cake includes cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and semolina instead of ordinary flour and is then packed with raisins, dates, cherries, cashews, pumpkin, and ginger.