HELSINKI, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Christmas ham has been losing ground on Nordic dinner tables amid shifting tastes, but a new Swedish survey suggests the traditional centerpiece is making a modest comeback this season, while Finland remains, by most measures, firmly "ham country."

In Sweden, 23 percent of respondents named ham as their leading Christmas dish this year, bucking a downward trend in recent years, according to the latest survey by the Swedish Food Federation. The classic casserole "Jansson's temptation" ranked second at 16 percent, followed by herring at 9 percent. Jansson's temptation is a Swedish dish made with julienned potatoes, cream and either sprats or anchovies.

Commenting on the results, Richard Tellstrom, an associate professor in food and meal science at Stockholm University, told Swedish Television (SVT) that Swedish festive meals have become increasingly fish-based over the past 15 to 20 years, even as ham has retained its symbolic status.

"Except for 2021, we have seen a steady decline in Christmas ham, although it has always been number one. This year, however, we see it increasing again," Tellstrom said. He added that ham entered Swedish Christmas traditions around 150 years ago and "never disappeared."

In Finland, ham continues to dominate at a far higher level, despite a gradual decline in some staples. An industry survey in November found that 80 percent of Finnish households plan to purchase Christmas ham.

Finnish national broadcaster Yle, citing sales data from the country's two major supermarket groups, SOK and Kesko, reported that Finland's Christmas menu is increasingly split between metropolitan areas and the rest of the country. Turkey has gained visibility in cities but remains a minor product by volume.

"Finland is ham country," Juhani Haara, a sales manager at SOK, told Yle, describing ham as the clear staple outside coastal areas. Turkey accounts for around 1.5 percent of SOK's kilogram-based sales, he said, though it is more popular in major cities such as Helsinki, Turku and Tampere.

Yle's review of SOK figures also pointed to softening demand for other traditional items. Since 2019, ham sales in the chain have fallen by 12 percent, while sales of lye fish, a traditional dish made from dried cod or other whitefish processed with lye, have dropped by 15 percent.

Johanna Makela, a professor of food culture at the University of Helsinki, told Yle that multiculturalism and lifestyle changes are reshaping Finland's Christmas table, including less time for home cooking. She said she was encouraged, however, by growing interest in traditional Finnish casseroles, typically based on turnip, potato or carrot. SOK statistics showed sales of such casseroles have risen by 10 percent since 2019.

"The casseroles are a recollection from the Finland that no longer exists," Makela said, adding that ready-made versions allow families to keep familiar flavors even when fewer people prepare them from scratch.

As Christmas approaches, the surveys and supermarket figures suggest a common Nordic pattern: tradition remains strong, but the holiday table is gradually adapting. Enditem