Hot Chocolate: As long as it doesn’t taste too watery, hot chocolate is hands-down the best wintry beverage. It’s sweet and creamy and guaranteed to warm you after a freezing trek through the snowy wilderness. A lot of places even make specialty flavored hot chocolate such as caramel or peppermint!

Turkey: Now, I know this one typically is more of a Thanksgiving meal, but my family has always eaten this during the holidays in favor of ham or whatever other meat that serves as the main dish. Let’s get straight to the point- most turkey just doesn’t taste good. It’s usually dry and flavorless and in my personal opinion, bears a strong resemblance to cardboard when I’m chewing it. However, if someone cooks a turkey just right, then it tastes rich and flavorful and much less like cardboard.

Christmas Cookies: I should preface this by saying that holiday cookies are delicious no matter what festivity you make them for! However, I always celebrate the holiday season with Christmas cookies. Cookies are such a versatile dessert because there are so many options; everyone is guaranteed to enjoy at least one kind! Also, I love baking cookies with my family and friends because it’s such a fun and simple bonding moment, which really, is what the holidays are all about. Not to mention you get a tasty result.

Apple Pie: Call me weird, but I’ve never really enjoyed pie. I could never fully get behind this dessert. I’m not sure if it’s the lack of sweetness in the crust or the lack of texture in the filling, but either way I end up passing on this dish every year. But, if I have to comment on the best flavor of pie, it’s apple 100%.

Mashed Potatoes: Over the years, mashed potatoes have gone from one of my least favorite holiday dishes to one of my most beloved. They’re warm and melty and flavorful and taste exactly like what the home should taste like. If you ask me, any form of potatoes are delicious, but mashed potatoes rank pretty high on the list.

Candy Canes: THESE. ARE. MY. FAVORITE. I’m absolutely obsessed with candy canes and they’re easily my favorite holiday treat. Something about them just tastes like classic winter and festivities. They involve zero mess and are easy to give people for gifts as well. Although the classic peppermint is a favorite of many (including me), there are many other specific flavors out there, from lemon to Sour Patch Kids. Just don’t buy the pickle flavored ones (yes, they DO exist).