Holiday Traditions in South Africa

For many, the winter holidays are a favorite time of year. No matter where you are or what you celebrate, there’s just something magical about the holiday season.

It’s the comfort of reuniting with friends and family, honoring them with gifts and love. It’s enjoying customs passed down from generation to generation, connecting everyone around us! And that’s before mentioning the delicious food and cozying up on the couch with a warm mug of hot chocolate!

And of course, each country and community has their own holiday traditions. Globally, every holiday celebration has a unique flavor that warms the heart and celebrates the spirit of the season. This week, we’ll be diving into the Holiday Traditions of South Africa.

A Holiday at the Beach

A Family celebrating the holiday on a South African beach. Image by Freepik — Image by Freepik

The first thing to remember when talking about the winter holidays in South Africa is that, well, they’re not technically Winter Holidays. South Africa lies south of the Equator, in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. That means that their winter holidays actually take place during the summer. So South Africans don’t “dream of a White Christmas,” but instead look forward to hot and sunny days.

This means that outdoor activities are a popular part of the holiday festivities. Most families opt for beach days near the coast or extended camping trips when the children are out of school. Many of the local wildflowers are in bloom during this season, creating a gorgeous, natural atmosphere for the celebrations.

Classic Christmas Traditions

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday in South Africa, thanks to the influence of British and Dutch settlers arriving to the country in the 1800s. South Africans share many of their Christmas traditions with the home countries of these original settlers. For example, many South African homes will set up a traditional Dutch fir “Christmas Tree” in their homes, and with engage in the British tradition of “Christmas Crackers,” which is not a snack but instead a small paper tube that children will “crack” open to receive the small gift inside.

And of course, we can’t forget about hanging stockings for Kersvader! (That’s Santa Claus in Afrikaans! Though some communities will still call him by his traditional Dutch name, Sinterklaas.)

Handmade Holiday Decorations on a Tree. Image by jcomp on Freepik — Image by jcomp on Freepik

Over the centuries since Christmas was introduced, South Africans have added their own traditions to the proceedings. Christmas lights in South Africa will feature representations of local wildlife in the displays, such as Elephants, Springbok, and Giraffes. Woven baskets and ornaments made of local flowers and seashells also take a center stage in the decorations.

Christmas carols are also a major part of the Christmas traditions in South Africa. Some cities will host Candlelight Carols, where the lights are turned off across the city, save for the candlelight held by the singers and crowds. Caroling is also a very popular activity in coastal towns. The beauty of the ocean view matches perfectly with the beauty of the voices of the carolers. Both traditional Christmas Carols and traditional African Music are performed, creating a joyous and celebratory atmosphere.

Good Food and Better Friends

Of course, no Christmas in South Africa would be complete without a Christmas Braai. A South African barbeque, Braai is a strong and ongoing local custom held for many occasions throughout the year. However, it is a particularly meaningful during the Christmas Holiday. Many South Africans look forward to the Christmas Braai more than the giving of gifts! The Christmas Braai represents the importance of spending time with your family and friends, something one shouldn’t take for granted.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas, Boxing Day, are all prime Braai Days. Somme communities will even host a full three-day Braai extravaganza. However, a Braai Christmas Lunch is the most popular of the holiday Braai traditions. Folks will then use Boxing Day to enjoy the beach, or to explore a wildlife reserve or national park.

All the usual favorites are available during Christmas Braai, from the traditional beef sausage to the more unique ostrich meat. The Christmas Braai will also emphasize Turkey and Duck based dishes, served alongside vegetable and rice-based side dishes. The Christmas Braai can range from intimate family affair to a town wide Christmas celebration, so it’s best to have a lot of food prepared!

And don’t forget the Christmas desserts! The South African favorite around the holidays is Mulva Pudding, also known as Lekker Pudding. Mulva Pudding is a bread pudding made with apricot jam and a special sauce topping that’s always served hot. A scoop of ice cream is usually added on top, helping to keep everyone cool during the hotter weather. Cinnamon flavored Milk Tarts are quite popular this time of year as well.

Good Tidings to You this Holiday Season!

Even with these all these traditions, both unique and shared, there’s one thing to keep in mind. No matter where you are, what you celebrate, or what your traditions are, whether you’re from South Africa or from London or from Chicago or anywhere in-between, there’s nothing like the Holidays, and there’s nothing like cherishing it with your friends and family.

From all of us at Baya Biltong, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Geseënde Kersfees!

General December Update!

Hello everyone! We’re back on the Baya Biltong blog for general December update.

First, the big news: We’ve officially launched! We’ve made our first batch of biltong, and we’ll begin shipping out our pre-orders very soon. If you didn’t get a chance to get in on the pre-orders, don’t worry! You can head to our shop right now to order your own batch of biltong today.

We’re also excited to announce that we’ll soon have our Droëwors and Droëwors Jerky available for purchase as well. You’ll be able to buy them individually or as a special three pack alongside our signature biltong. Check back to our shop to be the first to get your hands on our Droëwors and Droëwors Jerky.

Finally, we’d like to further discuss the future of this blog. As you may have seen, we’ve posted our first full blog post, detailing the origins and evolution of biltong. If you haven’t had an opportunity to check it out, you can find it here.

We plan on continuing to post fun and informative blog posts as we head into 2026, with a variety of subject matters ranging from inside looks at our Baya Biltong to more insight into South African culture, and everything in-between.

Honestly, we have too many ideas: In-depth looks at our biltong process, fun facts about the Springbok that’s featured in our logo, the best things to see when visiting Johannesburg, even a deep dive at South Africa during the holidays. There’s plans on even throwing in a few fun recipes that feature our biltong.

As we head into our full launch, we wanted to once again thank all of you for your support, and we’re very excited to bring our family favorites right to your door. Everyone here at Baya Biltong is excited to start this journey with you. We’re looking forward to sharing more updates and more interesting blog posts with you all soon!

The History of Biltong

Welcome back to the Baya Biltong Blog!

First, we have some good news! Our signature biltong is now available for pre-order! Be sure to check out our shop and order yours today!

While we prepare for our full launch, we thought it was time to start our exploration of South Africa’s unique culture and history. Let’s kick things off by delving deep into the beginnings of biltong itself!

The Origins of Biltong

Biltong begins with the indigenous Khoisan people. The nomadic Khoisan tribes struggled to keep their meat easily available while also preserving it from spoiling. This, of course, was in an era long before modern refrigeration and food preparation was even a thought.

While there was plentiful game to hunt for (such as antelope, wildebeest, and ostrich), carrying these large animals between camps proved to be quite the hurdle! Not to mention the challenge of getting the most out of the meat before it spoiled in the harsh African sun. Solutions to both of these issues became necessary for survival.

The answer to the large game issue was simple enough: just make it smaller! Cutting the animals into lean strips made them easier to carry and distribute among the tribe. Everyone was able to share the load as they traversed from camp to camp.

As for the harsh climate? It turned out to be the solution to its own problem. Salting these lean strips of game and hanging them in the hot and arid weather would dry these strips out. This helped to “cook” the meat, which removed excess moisture and prevented the meat from spoiling.

These dried and salted strips of meat became a staple of these communities. They now had convenient access to a high protein snack that sustained them throughout their lengthy travels. These meat strips could be enjoyed anytime, regardless of season, weather, terrain, or available game.

Each generation of Khosian would pass down the “meat strip” recipe to their children. Soon, it was an integral aspect of these nomadic societies. In fact, it was common to see meat of all sorts hanging throughout the village, drying in the midday sun.

The Dutch’s Influence on Biltong

It was so much of a normal sight that even the settlers arriving in the 17th century took notice. The Dutch were so smitten by these dried meat strips that they quickly learned the methods to create their own. Soon, this snack became just as popular in Dutch settlements as it was in indigenous villages.

Folklore even suggests that the Dutch produced their own technique for salting the strips as they first explored the continent. According to legend, the Dutch would place the meat strips under the saddles of their horses. The horses’ naturally salty sweat was then soaked up by the meat, before being hung out to dry.

The “horse sweat” story may be a tall tale. However, a truth we do know is that the Dutch are responsible for giving the “biltong” name to this snack. The word “biltong” is a combination of two Dutch words that the evolving Afrikaans language adopted as their own: “Bil” (meaning buttock, in this case describing the leanness of the meat) and “tong” (meaning tongue, describing the shape of the strip.)

Alongside the name, the Dutch explorers also introduced new spices and ingredients into the biltong recipe. The addition of vinegar, pepper, coriander, and cloves, among other spices, assisted in adding new depth and complexity to its flavor. With this added depth, the popularity of biltong continued to spread throughout the country.

The introduction of beef may be the Dutch’s most lasting influence on biltong. As the Dutch established farms throughout the country, they also brought along their cattle to breed and to trade with the local tribes. It wasn’t long before Beef replaced the traditional African game meats as the most popular form of biltong.

Biltong’s Lasting Legacy

A family enjoying a delicious meal featuring biltong.

Even in modern times, biltong is still a favorite South African treat. It remains a staple of community gatherings, sporting events, and family meals throughout the country. South Africans have also introduced biltong to food lovers worldwide, helping it become embraced internationally,

Today, biltong’s made with the finest beef, most flavorful spices, and familial care, a tradition that started centuries ago with the wandering Khoisan people. Whether enjoyed on its own, or alongside other delicious treats such as pizza, nachos, or macaroni and cheese, the highly flavorful taste of biltong is a high protein snack and a centuries-old tradition that all can enjoy.