Chris tmas, Chinese food and Jews Outside the USA

MaBelleVie

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:45 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

MaBelleVie wrote:

I cooked Chinese tonight. And plan to watch a movie in bed later. Not that I have the minhag. . . never actually heard of this. I just happened to be craving that amazing sesame chicken from fresh and easy.

I accidentally planned pepper steak. With red and green peppers. I didn't think about the date at all when I was looking for a little something in my freezer to supplement Shabbos leftovers with.

I guess accidentally I am mekayem this mitzvah gedola Rolling Eyes

Baruch Hashem! It's not that often that you have the zchus of stumbling upon a hidden mitzva Twisted Evil

(If you really want to be yotzei, you can watch the Temple Grandin movie that Mama Bear posted on her blog- like I plan to)

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:49 pm

If anyone wants to have fun, there are a gazillion ways to have fun. Seems to me this is more about davka doing the Chinese food/movies and less to do with wanting to relax in the way you like doing (I would prefer to read books if I had a day off and wanted to do nothing gainful).

And I wouldn't think Israelis have off today....

Whatever. Seems like there are very different ways of prioritizing life as evidenced by the microcosm Imamother is.
I am learning there are American Jews, and there are Jewish Americans, even amongst the Orthodox. I just get nervous when more weight is put to cultural Judaism than is put to halachic Judaism. Unpopular position, at least on here, I know, but I have a right to be concerned.

I hope everyone had a fun day off. I was working, and can't relate Tongue Out

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:49 pm

busydev wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

She means nittel nacht being referred to as a minhag/nonsense.

whoops

but I still stand by the rest of my post.

Don't worry, I liked it Very Happy

imamiri

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:49 pm

chocolate moose wrote:

It's not really fair to call minhagim "nonsense".

The nonsense part is, "We can't have sx because if a child is conceived he will end up a heretic.". That's nonsense and superstition of epic proportions.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:50 pm

MaBelleVie wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

MaBelleVie wrote:

Baruch Hashem! It's not that often that you have the zchus of stumbling upon a hidden mitzva Twisted Evil

(If you really want to be yotzei, you can watch the Temple Grandin movie that Mama Bear posted on her blog- like I plan to)

When does the day end? I mean it starts the eve of on the 24th, but it ends at 11:59:59 December 25th?

MaBelleVie

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:52 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

MaBelleVie wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

MaBelleVie wrote:

Baruch Hashem! It's not that often that you have the zchus of stumbling upon a hidden mitzva Twisted Evil

(If you really want to be yotzei, you can watch the Temple Grandin movie that Mama Bear posted on her blog- like I plan to)

When does the day end? I mean it starts the eve of on the 24th, but it ends at 11:59:59 December 25th?

I think lechatchila you need to at least start downloading the movie before shkia. Chilukei deios. . .

imamiri

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:53 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

I identify as an American (currently Canadian) Jew as opposed to a Jewish American/Canadian. And there's some who identify the other way.

And had we been able to get a sitter we'd have gone to see The Hobbit or Les Misérables today. Alas, all of our regular sitters are not Jewish so they aren't available. So it's Netflix.

vintagebknyc

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:55 pm

CatLady wrote:

vintage, what movie are you going to see? We're checking out "Django Unchained" because we love Tarantino. Plus, it'd be really weird going with my grown son to see "The Guilt Trip", which would have been my choice otherwise. LOL

I ended up not seeing anything... DH was working, kitty was curled up cozily on the sofa, so I joined her.

imamiri

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 5:58 pm

CatLady wrote:

I'm in Canada (therefore outside of the USA) and we take the movie-and-Chinese-food minhag very seriously. Even my friend who is too tired to go out is watching Netflix and making a stir-fry for dinner, so as to participate in this cherished custom. Wink

Another important part of the celebration is to make up my Boxing Day shopping list and itinerary. I am delighted to report that the toasty-warm and stylish coat I've been eying all season but wouldn't fargin myself at $200.00 will be marked down tomorrow to - wait for it - $35.00!!

Boxing Day sales are awesome and that is an incredible deal!!

Raisin

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 6:21 pm

Honestly I could care less what ppl do on the 25th of dec or the 6th of jan or whenever, but I would feel very uncomfortable keeping a tradition that originated with people eating actual treif.

Zus

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 6:47 pm

Raisin wrote:

Honestly I could care less what ppl do on the 25th of dec or the 6th of jan or whenever, but I would feel very uncomfortable keeping a tradition that originated with people eating actual treif.

And on a day that remembers one of those we try to forget most.

ChutzPAh

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 6:55 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Why is this shtuyot started by non-observant Jews more binding than some halachic practices?

It's a funny stereotype, thats all. So when my (non religious)boss offered to buy dinner last night, I told him to order us Chinese and he thought it was hysterical.

saw50st8

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 7:18 pm

To all those of you concerned: really, its a joke.

Have you ever read those really funny spiels on "If Jews had x-mas trees, what would the halachos be?" Its hysterical.

I use any excuse to eat chinese food :-) I'm not sure why this means I'm putting more effort into cultural Judaism than halachic Judaism.

That's why I put this in chit-chat. Its not a serious halachic debate.

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 7:22 pm

I had no idea, until this thread, that religious Jews went out of their way to eat Chinese on xmas, or that those who did so didn't know the source of the practice. I thought it was a New York-y culturally Jewish not-religous thing to do. (From my BT perspective).

shiffycc

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 7:36 pm

imamiri wrote:

CatLady wrote:

Boxing Day sales are awesome and that is an incredible deal!!

Sigh...as a canadian living in the us- I miss boxing day!

smilingmom

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 7:38 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

Thanks. I thought it was funny, and had no idea people can be so serious.
To continue the chit chat, to those who have non Jewish friends or co workers, what was your favorite 'holiday' gift?

Mine was a pair of Chanukah socks.

Mama Bear

Tue, Dec 25 2012, 7:55 pm

Chinese food and a movie on xmas night is absolutely not a minhag. Nor is it a tradition. Nor is it a custom. It's something started in non kosher circles and some kosher keepers picked it up. It's NOT a minhag at all.