In Finnish Christmas tradition, rice porridge may contain one hidden almond for luck.
Rice porridge is traditionally eaten during the Finnish Christmas season, especially on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. A single almond may be hidden in the shared serving, and the person who finds it is associated with good luck.
The dish is commonly served with cinnamon, sugar, butter, or milk. Although rice is not native to Finland, rice porridge became an established festive food as imported rice became more available in northern Europe.
The hidden almond custom resembles other European holiday traditions in which one special object is placed in a communal dish. It should not be confused with Denmark’s Christmas rice pudding custom, where the hidden object is also typically an almond but the surrounding traditions differ.