Some foods only show up once a year, and everyone has an opinion about them. Eggnog, fruitcake, cranberry sauce from a can and pumpkin spice everything are four seasonal favorites that people either look forward to or politely skip. This One Gotta Go card asks which one you'd cut from the holidays for good.
Think about what you actually eat at holiday meals and what you leave on the table. Then make your pick, and be ready for some surprisingly strong opinions about cranberry sauce from a can at your next family dinner.
The 4 choices on this card
A. Eggnog
Eggnog is a rich, creamy drink with nutmeg and cinnamon that only appears around the holidays. Fans treat the first glass as the start of the season. The case against it is how thick and sweet it is, so plenty of people stop after a sip.
Keep it if: Your holidays start with the first glass of eggnog, and you love the nutmeg on top.
B. Fruitcake
Fruitcake is the most joked-about holiday food, a dense cake packed with candied fruit and nuts. Some families have treasured recipes. The case against it is its reputation, since many people say it gets regifted more than eaten.
Keep it if: You grew up with a family fruitcake recipe and think it's better than its reputation.
C. Cranberry Sauce from a can
Cranberry sauce from a can keeps the shape of the can, ridges and all, and it's a must on many holiday tables. Fans love the nostalgia and the easy slice. The case against it is that homemade cranberry sauce exists, and it tastes fresher.
Keep it if: It isn't a holiday meal until the cranberry sauce slides out of the can with the ridges intact.
D. Pumpkin Spice Everything
Pumpkin spice everything means lattes, cereal, candles and snacks covered in the same cozy spice mix every fall. Fans count down to it. The case against it is how far it spreads, so it's an easy cut if you're tired of seeing it everywhere.
Keep it if: The first pumpkin spice latte of the season makes you happy, and you'd keep it on every menu.
Our take
We'd cut fruitcake. It has loyal fans and some great family recipes, but it's the one food on this card that's better known as a joke than as a dish people look forward to. Eggnog, canned cranberry sauce and pumpkin spice all have big seasonal followings. Expect the most fun debate to be about canned cranberry sauce, because some tables treat it as tradition and others treat it as a crime against homemade sauce. Ask the host to settle any tie.
How to play this card with friends
- Read the four choices out loud.
- Everyone picks the one they'd eliminate at the same time.
- Explain your pick. This is where the fun starts.
- Use the follow-up questions below to keep it going.
Follow-up questions to keep the debate going
- Which holiday food would never make sense at any other time of year?
- Canned or homemade cranberry sauce: which one belongs on the table?
- Has anyone at the table actually finished a whole slice of fruitcake?
- Which holiday food deserves a spot on this card instead?
Want more debates like this? Get the One Gotta Go card game for game night, family dinners and road trips. Shop the decks.
Holiday Foods: quick answers
What is the most disliked holiday food?
Fruitcake is often named as one of the most joked-about holiday foods, but eggnog, canned cranberry sauce and pumpkin spice also have people on both sides. Holiday foods are so tied to family traditions that opinions run strong, which makes this card a fun dinner table question.
Why does canned cranberry sauce keep the shape of the can?
Canned jellied cranberry sauce sets firm because cranberries are naturally high in pectin, which turns the sauce into a jelly that holds its shape. When it slides out of the can, it keeps the ridges, and many families serve it sliced just like that.
