5 Christmas Eve treats Santa will love

Put a smile on Santa's face this Christmas with these delicious, easy-to-prepare treat ideas.
Every Christmas Eve, families spend the night eagerly anticipating Santa Claus's visit and all of the presents he'll deliver once everyone is fast asleep. A popular tradition is to leave food and snacks out for Santa and his reindeer to eat when they arrive. While Santa Claus is greatly anticipated all over the world that night, different cultures leave out varying types of foods. What will you choose?

Milk and cookies are a North-American classic. Leaving out a plate of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies, along with a cold glass of milk, is thought to guarantee that Santa will stop by your house. Don't forget a few carrots for his reindeer. They have a long night of work ahead of them.

One of the classic holiday traditions in the United Kingdom involves leaving Santa a mince pie with a glass of milk. Some families thoughtfully substitute a glass of sherry instead of milk in case Santa has gotten cold on his journey.

In Denmark, children like to offer Santa sweets that are nourishing and filling. The common offering is called Risengrød, which is a type of sweet rice pudding. Nordic dishes like this are thought to help ward off the cold and give Santa the energy to visit many more houses throughout the night.

It's traditional to make Pan de Pascua for Santa in Chile. This is a classic Chilean dish that is similar to a sponge cake, but is much sweeter. It comes in many varieties, so you can pick your favourite kind to leave for Old Man Christmas.

The focus is on the reindeer, not Santa, in the Netherlands. Dutch kids love to leave carrots, hay and water for the reindeer to help them recover from the long journey from the North Pole. If you're worried that Santa will be left out while the reindeer enjoy a feast, you can always leave a hearty glass of beer for him to drink while his reindeer are being fed.

These are just a few of the traditional snacks that people around the world prepare for Santa. Find a recipe and try making one or more of these foods with the help of your kids this year or, better yet, create your own tradition.