Christmas 2025: What Is Kuswar? A Beloved Festive Tradition Across the Konkan Coast and Mangaluru

As December arrives, cities across India light up with festive cheer. Churches prepare for midnight masses, streets are adorned with colourful decorations, and homes fill with the aroma of freshly baked cakes. Christmas brings an atmosphere of joy, celebration, and an abundance of delicious treats, with cakes and traditional sweets taking centre stage.

Different communities across India celebrate Christmas in unique ways, reflecting a diversity of foods and customs. 

In Mumbai, for example, the East Indian community busies itself in kitchens and local bakeries, preparing delicacies from family recipes passed down through generations.

Christmas along India’s Konkan coast is not just about lights and carols. It is also about a rich culinary tradition known as Kuswar, a festive platter of sweets and snacks cherished by Goan and Mangalorean Catholics.

Kuswar, also spelled kuswad, is a traditional platter of sweets and snacks prepared by Christians along the Konkan coast. 

The term comes from the Indo-Portuguese word “consoada”, meaning a Christmas Eve feast. 

Kuswar is more than a collection of food; it is a gesture of sharing, friendship, and holiday cheer with neighbours, relatives, and friends.

The kuswar platter typically includes a mix of sweets, savouries, and dry fruits, each contributing a unique flavour to the celebration. 

Common items include:

• Kidyos or Kulkuls – Semolina-based sweets flavoured with coconut and cardamom.
• Nevryos – Fried pastries made with wheat, coconut, cashews, raisins, and cardamom.
• Perada – A tangy-sweet guava cheese made from local guavas.
• Doce – A sweet made from chickpeas and coconut.
• Marzipan – Almond-based confection often shaped into fruits.
• Bebinca – A layered cake with a fluffy, caramel-coloured texture, recognised with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag as a prized Goan speciality.

In Mangaluru, Christmas is celebrated with a local twist. Mangalorean Catholics have their own unique recipes, often influenced by coastal flavours and regional ingredients. 

The kuswar platter here includes sweets such as kidyo, nevryos, and perada, along with other local delicacies.

People in Mangaluru cherish these festive treats not only for their taste but also for the tradition of sharing kuswar among neighbours and family, reflecting the community’s spirit and warmth during the Christmas season.

Goa’s Christmas celebrations are deeply intertwined with its culinary heritage. The Goan kuswar features a similar mix of sweets and snacks, with local favourites such as bebinca taking centre stage. 

The layered bebinca cake, with its rich, caramelised layers, has become a symbol of authentic Goan Christmas celebrations. Though traditionally a holiday treat, bebinca is now enjoyed throughout the year.

Alongside bebinca, Goans prepare an assortment of sweets and savouries for their kuswar platters, making it a culinary highlight of Christmas that both tourists and locals eagerly anticipate.