December is the month where food culture splits into two lanes: comfort-first tradition and attention-first spectacle. What wins isn’t always what’s newest — it’s what people can use right now: last-minute hosting help, holiday baking that looks good on camera, and globally shared festive dishes that travel fast through social feeds. Below are the Top 10 December trends, ranked by Trend Score (0–100).
1) Restaurants Open on Christmas (What’s Open Near Me) — Trend Score: 45/100
This is the month’s clearest signal: convenience has become a holiday tradition of its own. People aren’t just searching for “open restaurants” — they’re searching for reassurance, options, and a plan. The trend spikes because it solves a real December problem: travel chaos, family logistics, and the exhaustion tax of hosting. High score, high utility, and high repeat value every year.
2) Gingerbread — Trend Score: 35/100
Gingerbread isn’t trending because it’s new — it’s trending because it’s content. It hits the perfect December trifecta: nostalgia, decoration, and shareability. Houses, cookies, iced characters, structural collapses… it all performs online. The score reflects how reliably gingerbread resurfaces as a seasonal social ritual that invites both perfectionism and playful mess.
3) Pimm’s (Pitcher Cocktail Moment) — Trend Score: 34/100
A summer-coded drink sneaking into December is exactly why this scores high: it signals a shift in party logic. Hosts want low-effort, high-volume drinks that look photogenic and feel “event-ready.” Pitcher cocktails are the hosting shortcut of the season — and Pimm’s becomes the aesthetic, citrus-forward alternative to heavy winter classics.
4) Prime Rib Recipe — Trend Score: 34/100
Prime rib is a holiday power move — and the search behavior proves people are willing to spend when the outcome feels iconic. The spike is driven by two pressures: the fear of overcooking an expensive centerpiece and the desire to “win” the family dinner. A score this high reflects how prime rib sits at the intersection of status, tradition, and high-stakes home cooking.
5) Tofu Mama — Trend Score: 33/100
This is the breakout “unexpected” Top 10 entry. The score suggests strong traction that’s not purely seasonal — more like a viral food personality, concept, or product moment pulling tofu into a warmer, more playful spotlight. In a month dominated by classics, a tofu trend ranking this high signals the ongoing shift toward Asian-origin comfort formats and curiosity-driven eating. Tofu Mama is also a German brand that prevents food waste.
6) Holiday Baking — Trend Score: 32/100
Holiday baking is the umbrella trend that keeps expanding: quick bakes, shortcut techniques, and “looks impressive” finishes. The score reflects broad reach — because baking is both food and decoration in December. It’s not just about taste; it’s about making the home feel festive, producing gifts, and generating content that instantly reads as “holiday.”
7) Salpicão (Salpicão de Frango, Natal Versions) — Trend Score: 32/100
This is December globalization in one dish: a regional holiday staple getting platformed internationally through recipes, family clips, and festive menus. The score captures a familiar pattern: traditional dishes jump borders when they’re easy to explain, easy to batch, and emotionally rooted. Salpicão’s rise also shows how holiday food discovery is increasingly happening through search + social, not cookbooks.
8) Breakfast Casserole — Trend Score: 31/100
Breakfast casseroles score high because they solve the “morning-after hosting” problem. Make-ahead, feed-a-crowd, minimal morning stress — that’s the winning formula. In December, people optimize: they want one dish that covers family breakfast, brunch, and leftovers. This trend is pure practicality, and the score reflects that mass appeal.
9) Ensalada Navideña (Ensaladas Navideñas) — Trend Score: 31/100
Holiday salads don’t trend unless they carry identity — and this one does. The score points to a culturally anchored tradition spreading outward: recipes, variations, and “how my family makes it” posts. It also fits a modern December tension: balancing heavy meals with something fresher, brighter, and shareable. It’s holiday food with a lighter footprint — without losing the festive signal.
10) Holiday Recipes — Trend Score: 31/100
This isn’t one recipe — it’s the seasonal search machine itself. The score reflects volume and repeatability: every year, people hunt for the same thing with new constraints (time, budget, guests, dietary preferences). The winners are recipes that are shortcut-friendly, scale well, and reduce stress. In December, “best holiday recipes” is basically a survival query — and it keeps climbing.