Holiday Pipe Clogs: What Christmas and New Year’s Food Does to Your Drains (and How to Prevent It)

By Brisc Plumbing

Christmas is one of the busiest times of year in the kitchen—and New Year’s isn’t far behind. Between big meals, leftovers, extra guests, party snacks, and nonstop dishwashing, your plumbing ends up handling far more grease, starch, and scraps than it does on a normal week. The result? Slow drains, bad odors, backups, and in some cases a full kitchen sink overflow right when you’re trying to relax and enjoy the holidays.

Below is a practical guide to the most common Christmas and New Year’s foods that get stuck in pipes, why they cause clogs, and what to do if your drains start acting up.

Why Holiday Food Clogs Happen More Often

Most “food clogs” are not caused by one single item. They’re caused by layers. A little grease here, a little starch there, and a few scraps down the drain can combine into a thick buildup that narrows your pipes. Add colder winter temperatures (which help grease solidify faster), and your kitchen drain can go from fine to clogged surprisingly quickly.

The holiday season also adds two extra risk factors:

• More cooking sessions back-to-back (Christmas meals, then New Year’s parties and appetizers)

• More people using the sink (guests rinsing plates, dumping cups, and using the disposal more often than usual)

The Biggest Christmas and New Year’s Food Offenders in Your Pipes

1) Grease, Gravy, and Pan Drippings

This is the number one holiday clog starter. Grease doesn’t stay liquid for long. As it cools, it coats the inside of your drain line like wax. Over time, it traps food particles and forms a stubborn blockage.

Common culprits:

• Turkey grease and drippings

• Gravy

• Butter-heavy sauces

• Bacon grease from breakfast crowds

• Oil from party appetizers (wings, sliders, fried foods)

Better move: Let it cool in a disposable container and toss it in the trash. Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing.

2) Mashed Potatoes and Starchy Sides

Mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, and stuffing seem harmless because they’re soft—but in pipes they act like glue. Starches swell, stick, and thicken when they sit in water. Add grease to the mix and you’ve got a clog that’s tough to clear.

Common culprits:

• Mashed potatoes

• Rice

• Stuffing/dressing

• Mac and cheese

• Pasta

• Party dips thickened with cheese or starch

Better move: Scrape plates into the trash, not the sink. Compost if you can.

3) Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds don’t dissolve. They collect into a heavy sludge and stick to existing buildup inside the pipes. Around the holidays, extra guests often means extra coffee—especially New Year’s morning.

Better move: Put grounds in the trash or compost.

4) Eggshells and Fibrous Peels

Eggshells don’t grind into dust like people think. They can create gritty sediment that clumps with grease. And fibrous items like onion skins, celery strings, and potato peels can wrap around other debris and build a clog “net.”

Common culprits:

• Eggshells

• Potato peels

• Onion skins

• Celery strings

• Citrus rinds from holiday cocktails/mocktails

Better move: Trash them. Even if you have a disposal, treat it like a helper—not a garbage can.

5) Bones and Tough Scraps

Turkey bones, rib bones, and tough scraps don’t belong in your disposal. They can jam the unit or lodge in the drain line and catch everything else passing by.

Better move: Toss bones in the trash. If you’re hosting, keep a small “scraps bowl” by the sink so guests don’t dump food down the drain.

Early Warning Signs Your Kitchen Drain Is Building a Clog

Catching a clog early can save you from a messy backup.

Watch for:

• Water draining slowly from the kitchen sink

• Gurgling sounds when the sink drains

• Bad smells coming from the drain

• Water backing up on one side of a double sink

• The dishwasher draining into the sink

New Year’s tip: if you host a party and notice the sink slows down late in the night, that’s often the moment buildup finally catches enough scraps to restrict the line.

What to Do (and What Not to Do) If Your Drain Clogs

Do:

• Stop running water if it starts backing up.

• Try hot water + dish soap (only if it’s draining slowly—not fully blocked).

• Use a plunger on the sink if you can get a good seal.

• Check the P-trap under the sink for a localized blockage (place a bucket first).

Don’t:

• Don’t pour more grease “with hot water to push it through.” It cools later and causes worse buildup farther down.

• Don’t rely on chemical drain cleaners. They often don’t remove grease buildup and can be harsh on plumbing, especially if the line is already slow or compromised.

• Don’t keep using the garbage disposal to “solve it.” If the line is restricted, it can pack the clog tighter.

The Best Prevention Tips for the Next Holiday Meal (or Party)

A few habits can keep your drains clear through Christmas, New Year’s, and the rest of winter:

• Trash first, wash second: Scrape plates fully into the trash.

• Grease goes in a container: Never down the drain.

• Use sink strainers: Catch debris before it enters the pipes.

• Run plenty of water when using the disposal: Cold water helps keep grease from melting and smearing inside pipes (and helps move small particles along).

• Don’t overload the disposal: Feed small amounts, not a whole plate at once.

• Set up a “party rinse station”: If you’re hosting for New Year’s, put a small bin or bowl by the sink for leftovers and scraps so guests don’t dump food into the drain.

When It’s Time to Call Brisc Plumbing

If your sink is repeatedly clogging, backing up into the dishwasher, or you’re smelling strong odors that won’t go away, the issue is often deeper in the drain line—especially after a heavy holiday stretch. In those cases, professional drain cleaning can clear the buildup properly instead of temporarily “poking a hole” through it.

Brisc Plumbing can help diagnose the cause and remove the blockage safely, whether it’s a kitchen line clog, grease buildup, or a deeper drain issue.