you may ask, "how did this tradition get started?"
December 25, 2018 6:30 AM Subscribe
The history of Jews, Chinese food, and Christmas, explained by a rabbi
For over a century, American Jews have eaten American Chinese food on Christmas. This pastime has evolved to a near-holy tradition, parodied on Saturday Night Live, analyzed in academic papers, and reaffirmed by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.
For over a century, American Jews have eaten American Chinese food on Christmas. This pastime has evolved to a near-holy tradition, parodied on Saturday Night Live, analyzed in academic papers, and reaffirmed by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.
I read a paper on this once that supposed it had a lot to do with chicken broth based soups.
I won’t be having this today, but at least 30 of my past Christmases have been a movie and Chinese food. My parents would look for the worst movie playing when I was a kid. Ishtar, Three Amigos, Spies Like Us and To Be Or Not To Be were among them. Some pretty amazing worsts. Plus dumplings.
posted by wellred at 7:02 AM on December 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
I won’t be having this today, but at least 30 of my past Christmases have been a movie and Chinese food. My parents would look for the worst movie playing when I was a kid. Ishtar, Three Amigos, Spies Like Us and To Be Or Not To Be were among them. Some pretty amazing worsts. Plus dumplings.
posted by wellred at 7:02 AM on December 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
Ah, wonderful article. I just read parts of this out loud to my family as we wait for breakfast. Thank you for posting this.
posted by umwhat at 7:03 AM on December 25, 2018
posted by umwhat at 7:03 AM on December 25, 2018
Aside from high-dollar, impossible to get reservations at the major resort hotels here, China Garden West downtown is the only lunchtime restaurant that is open on Christmas day. Since I already eat there weekly, it's family. They always do something fun on Christmas, like sizzling scallops, or flaming shrimp with a dramatic presentation in the dining room. It's delightful.
My only quandary today is Mary Poppins or Aquaman for afterward.
NB - I'm Presbyterian, if anything.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 7:11 AM on December 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
My only quandary today is Mary Poppins or Aquaman for afterward.
NB - I'm Presbyterian, if anything.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 7:11 AM on December 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
There's some fun parallels with the question of why it's corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day--again, the answer seems to be the proximity of immigrant populations to each other in America.
Yet, the corned beef the Irish immigrants ate was much different than that produced in Ireland 200 years prior. The Irish immigrants almost solely bought their meat from kosher butchers. And what we think of today as Irish corned beef is actually Jewish corned beef thrown into a pot with cabbage and potatoes. The Jewish population in New York City at the time were relatively new immigrants from Eastern and Central Europe. The corned beef they made was from brisket, a kosher cut of meat from the front of the cow. Since brisket is a tougher cut, the salting and cooking processes transformed the meat into the extremely tender, flavorful corned beef we know of today.
The Irish may have been drawn to settling near Jewish neighborhoods and shopping at Jewish butchers because their cultures had many parallels. Both groups were scattered across the globe to escape oppression, had a sacred lost homeland, discriminated against in the US, and had a love for the arts. There was an understanding between the two groups, which was a comfort to the newly arriving immigrants.
posted by pykrete jungle at 7:20 AM on December 25, 2018 [16 favorites]
Yet, the corned beef the Irish immigrants ate was much different than that produced in Ireland 200 years prior. The Irish immigrants almost solely bought their meat from kosher butchers. And what we think of today as Irish corned beef is actually Jewish corned beef thrown into a pot with cabbage and potatoes. The Jewish population in New York City at the time were relatively new immigrants from Eastern and Central Europe. The corned beef they made was from brisket, a kosher cut of meat from the front of the cow. Since brisket is a tougher cut, the salting and cooking processes transformed the meat into the extremely tender, flavorful corned beef we know of today.
The Irish may have been drawn to settling near Jewish neighborhoods and shopping at Jewish butchers because their cultures had many parallels. Both groups were scattered across the globe to escape oppression, had a sacred lost homeland, discriminated against in the US, and had a love for the arts. There was an understanding between the two groups, which was a comfort to the newly arriving immigrants.
posted by pykrete jungle at 7:20 AM on December 25, 2018 [16 favorites]
if the chinese calendar is 4700 years old and the jewish calendar is 5700 years old that begs the question what did jews do for the first thousand years when they wanted to go out for christmas dinner?
posted by lalochezia at 7:21 AM on December 25, 2018 [37 favorites]
posted by lalochezia at 7:21 AM on December 25, 2018 [37 favorites]
For the answer to that question, I recommend reading Gabriel Garcia Markowitz's One Thousand Years of Gefilte Fish
posted by phooky at 7:27 AM on December 25, 2018 [33 favorites]
posted by phooky at 7:27 AM on December 25, 2018 [33 favorites]
jesus was still jewish then so they had brisket
posted by poffin boffin at 7:28 AM on December 25, 2018 [29 favorites]
posted by poffin boffin at 7:28 AM on December 25, 2018 [29 favorites]
For the answer to that question, I recommend reading Gabriel Garcia Markowitz's One Thousand Years of Gefilte Fish
“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Augy Bubbnik was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover iced coffee…”
posted by lalochezia at 9:23 AM on December 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
“Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Augy Bubbnik was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover iced coffee…”
posted by lalochezia at 9:23 AM on December 25, 2018 [4 favorites]
The article kind of answered one thing I've wondered: what about most Chinese restaurants' heavily pork menu? It seemed a bit odd to me that it was a Jewish tradition for that reason.
posted by lordrunningclam at 9:27 AM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by lordrunningclam at 9:27 AM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Until we got the dog, the mister and I used to spend Nittel Nacht at Foxwoods with the rest of the Jews and a variety of East Asian people. But since we can't take her with us and we can't leave her alone, now we stay home and watch Die Hard.
Northern RI doesn't have a robust Jewish population, so the only Chinese place we could find that was open was actually across the border in MA, but it had a limited menu and you needed to call in the morning for takeout that evening, else face a three hour wait. Oops.
Last night we had prime rib because at least there are really good meat sales.
posted by Ruki at 9:33 AM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Northern RI doesn't have a robust Jewish population, so the only Chinese place we could find that was open was actually across the border in MA, but it had a limited menu and you needed to call in the morning for takeout that evening, else face a three hour wait. Oops.
Last night we had prime rib because at least there are really good meat sales.
posted by Ruki at 9:33 AM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
My step kids are Jewish, although they celebrate Christmas, and we have always had Chinese food on Christmas Eve. I just sent them this article to explain why.
posted by Biblio at 9:59 AM on December 25, 2018
posted by Biblio at 9:59 AM on December 25, 2018
@runningclam there are kosher chinese places that substitute veal.
xmas for me growing up meant driving from the san Fernando valley to the south bay to visit my dad's xtian friend who had been his neighbor as a kid, then to south central to visit my family's 1st housekeeper.
if I'm home in ny at xmas I'll see a blockbuster the night before and an arthouse or revival on the day proper, going to a less crowded indian place beforehand
posted by brujita at 11:23 AM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
xmas for me growing up meant driving from the san Fernando valley to the south bay to visit my dad's xtian friend who had been his neighbor as a kid, then to south central to visit my family's 1st housekeeper.
if I'm home in ny at xmas I'll see a blockbuster the night before and an arthouse or revival on the day proper, going to a less crowded indian place beforehand
posted by brujita at 11:23 AM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Isn’t the simpler explanation that all of the restaurants run by people who celebrated Christmas were closed?
The only other major ethnic group at the time that didn’t close their restaurants for Christmas was the Chinese.
posted by darkstar at 12:23 PM on December 25, 2018 [6 favorites]
The only other major ethnic group at the time that didn’t close their restaurants for Christmas was the Chinese.
posted by darkstar at 12:23 PM on December 25, 2018 [6 favorites]
What's ironic is that my mom has come down with death flu and people are yelling at me to get her some won ton soup ASAP...and guess what's not open in this town after all, apparently.
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:31 PM on December 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by jenfullmoon at 12:31 PM on December 25, 2018 [3 favorites]
My coworker told me that some folks just ignore the pork and use the fact that it's Chinese food as a layer of plausible deniability? Like, what the hell is shu mai? It's delicious, the menu doesn't say that it's pork and shrimp, I just eat it! (Before she said this, I also thought that the 'tradition' was just due to Chinese restaurants being open.)
My dad says that the one day that Chinese restaurants take off (i.e. go to the casino, or just not work) is Thanksgiving.
posted by batter_my_heart at 12:33 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
My dad says that the one day that Chinese restaurants take off (i.e. go to the casino, or just not work) is Thanksgiving.
posted by batter_my_heart at 12:33 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Just here for the title of the post thanks for putting those chord progressions in my head for the rest of the day now
Join me, won't you?
posted by tzikeh at 12:55 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Join me, won't you?
posted by tzikeh at 12:55 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
My dad says that the one day that Chinese restaurants take off .. is Thanksgiving.
Yeah I've heard that everybody in the tri-state Chinese restaurant biz closes up and heads for Atlantic City on T-Day.
posted by Rash at 2:05 PM on December 25, 2018
Yeah I've heard that everybody in the tri-state Chinese restaurant biz closes up and heads for Atlantic City on T-Day.
posted by Rash at 2:05 PM on December 25, 2018
ive read that some families that kept kosher would pretend that pork wasn't trayf if it was served on paper plates.
posted by brujita at 2:07 PM on December 25, 2018
posted by brujita at 2:07 PM on December 25, 2018
Since I’m on my own this year, I was going to get Chinese food to honor my Jewish heritage, but I have come down with an acute case of imminent death and will pass on it this time. Believe it or not, it is possible to be too tired and lazy to order Chinese food.
We do have some Trader Joe’s vegan orange chicken in the freezer, but I feel like the goal here is to get me less sick.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 3:07 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
We do have some Trader Joe’s vegan orange chicken in the freezer, but I feel like the goal here is to get me less sick.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 3:07 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
Also, I went to Jew camp as a kid (Mt. Airy, specifically) and pretty much nobody I knew there cared about eating pork at home. Same goes for friends and people I grew up with. So I’ve always had the impression that it wasn’t a big deal, but maybe that’s just where I grew up.
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 3:18 PM on December 25, 2018
posted by shapes that haunt the dusk at 3:18 PM on December 25, 2018
There was a Chinese restaurant in town that used to do a big dinner on Christmas, but as a group seating buffet dinner that just -- ran all afternoon and evening, I think? The staff would cook for a while and come out and eat with the guests at the lined-up-together tables for a while and card games may have broken out. Never convinced my rump family to go, though.
posted by clew at 3:54 PM on December 25, 2018
posted by clew at 3:54 PM on December 25, 2018
I miss this. I married outside the faith, so no more Peking duck and movies for me! If you can find it, the documentary “dreaming of a Jewish Christmas” talks about this, and details how many Christmas songs were written by Jews. It’s also partially filmed in the Chinese restaurant in Toronto where my family went every year.
And the “it’s kosher is Chinese food” phenomenon? My grandparents kept kosher, but never turned down an order of moo shoo. I don’t really get it either, but I eat bacon and Chinese food, but never acquired a taste for other pork....
posted by Valancy Rachel at 5:22 PM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
And the “it’s kosher is Chinese food” phenomenon? My grandparents kept kosher, but never turned down an order of moo shoo. I don’t really get it either, but I eat bacon and Chinese food, but never acquired a taste for other pork....
posted by Valancy Rachel at 5:22 PM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
Which skit show was it that had a Chinese restauranteur complaining on the phone to his wife in a one-sided conversation about having to stay open on Christmas to feed Jewish customers? ... It may not have aged well, especially with recent politics, but it made me laugh when it used to turn up regularly.
I read an article a few days ago which was exactly that! It's an interview with a Chinese restaurant owner in the West San Fernando Valley of California. He claims (for reasons I still can't figure out) that he loses money on Christmas even though he's in a very Jewish area.
The article says that the tradition began because Jewish and Chinese immigrants were the two groups that had no cultural practices associated with Christmas -- but if the quotes from the restauranteurs are indicative, it sounds like Chinese-Americans nowadays are either more Christian or just American-assimilated enough to expect to take the holiday off and spend it with their families.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 6:20 PM on December 25, 2018
I read an article a few days ago which was exactly that! It's an interview with a Chinese restaurant owner in the West San Fernando Valley of California. He claims (for reasons I still can't figure out) that he loses money on Christmas even though he's in a very Jewish area.
The article says that the tradition began because Jewish and Chinese immigrants were the two groups that had no cultural practices associated with Christmas -- but if the quotes from the restauranteurs are indicative, it sounds like Chinese-Americans nowadays are either more Christian or just American-assimilated enough to expect to take the holiday off and spend it with their families.
posted by Harvey Kilobit at 6:20 PM on December 25, 2018
Well, we did the thing. Yay dim sum! Feeling full and somewhat exhausted after a long afternoon and evening of hanging out with family, after an evening of hanging out with friends last night as well. Introvert life!
posted by limeonaire at 7:23 PM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by limeonaire at 7:23 PM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
I'm not Jewish but I wound up having Chinese food for dinner with a couple of boardgame geek friends. Then I cracked a bottle of Chat. Suduiruat Sauternes for sipping while playing Crazy Rummy. Turned out to be an okay xmas day after all. (and I'm finishing off the sauternes as I type)
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:15 PM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by MovableBookLady at 9:15 PM on December 25, 2018 [1 favorite]
what about most Chinese restaurants' heavily pork menu? It seemed a bit odd to me that it was a Jewish tradition for that reason.
my synagogue is very liberal/crunchy, and half the members are vegetarians or kosher pescatarians. So the local Chinese (Buddhist) vegetarian restaurant was packed.
posted by jb at 10:26 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
my synagogue is very liberal/crunchy, and half the members are vegetarians or kosher pescatarians. So the local Chinese (Buddhist) vegetarian restaurant was packed.
posted by jb at 10:26 PM on December 25, 2018 [2 favorites]
They're also feeding athiests. I've spent a lot of Christmas Eves with my best friend who is also athiest with a group that also had two pagans, an agnostic, and yes - one Jewish person. We'd watch sci-fi or horror movies and eat a huge feast of Chinese food, Thai food, and Japanese sushi because Sultans Wok was the only place open. We'd meet the driver with a holiday tip that once reached $50 along with a bottle of wine.
The pagans and agnostic moved to North Carolina and my best friend to Texas. For Christmas Eve I had oatmeal. It was not the same.
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 5:28 AM on December 26, 2018 [5 favorites]
The pagans and agnostic moved to North Carolina and my best friend to Texas. For Christmas Eve I had oatmeal. It was not the same.
posted by 80 Cats in a Dog Suit at 5:28 AM on December 26, 2018 [5 favorites]
We're not Jewish, but we're also not all that into Christmas, so a movie and Chinese food has been our Christmas Day activity for a while, and with each passing year there are more and more people engaging in this holiday practice. We went to see the new movie about RBG yesterday and the theater was completely full, then the restaurant was similarly packed to capacity, and I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt it wasn't all Jewish people.
posted by briank at 6:30 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by briank at 6:30 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
Jew here. I don't think, in my 5 decades on this planet, I have ever NOT had Chinese food on Christmas. I also live in the San Fernando Valley. It has always been a thing, and as far as I'm concerned, it will always be a thing.
posted by Sophie1 at 6:40 AM on December 26, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by Sophie1 at 6:40 AM on December 26, 2018 [4 favorites]
When I lived in a larger city, my ex and I had dim sum for Christmas, most years. I was missing that yesterday, while I watched my nephews bounce around scrambling the parts of board games and destroying things yesterday.
posted by elizilla at 7:05 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by elizilla at 7:05 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
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I haven't been able to find it in years. I feel like it was SNL or MadTV. It may not have aged well, especially with recent politics, but it made me laugh when it used to turn up regularly.
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:52 AM on December 25, 2018