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Jews eating Chinese food on xmas?
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Do you have a "minhag" of eating chinese food on xmas?
Yes  
 13%  [ 22 ]
No  
 86%  [ 137 ]
Total Votes : 159



amother
Gray


 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 8:21 pm
The tradition might be coming from secular jews, but I do know some frum families that eat Chinese on x-mas. I wonder if they even know why they're doing it. With all these traditions people have and do on x-mas, it's almost as if they're celebrating in their own way.
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Fox




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 8:42 pm
I got a ton of questions about this on the non-Jewish forum where I'm active ("Is it true that Jews go to Chinese restaurants . . ., etc.).

One person said something that really touched me, though. He posted, "It's amazing that you guys can find a way to make a whole family gathering out of somebody else's holiday. Sounds a lot more fun than what my family does."

I'd never thought of it that way, but it is admirable that we use time off from work, etc., to have fun with our kids or get together with relatives.
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#BestBubby




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 8:51 pm
I read that the minhag was for Jews to go to the movies on the 25th.
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self-actualization




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 8:58 pm
I don’t think you should knock it so quickly. I have a coworker who is Jewish and totally secular and won’t discuss any holiday or thing like that, but she will come over and tell me about the movie lineup at her “Chinese and a movie” party with her Jewish friends that she looks forward to all year. I think there is even an idea for a Jewish singles meeting that night called “The Matzoh Ball.”
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flowerpower




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 8:59 pm
Anytime chinese restaurants than jews celebrating xmas with a tree and all- sadly, I see it more every year. First it started with a small pink tree... this year it became a regular tree with all kind of ornaments...
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amother
Blue


 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 9:00 pm
#BestBubby wrote:
I read that the minhag was for Jews to go to the movies on the 25th.


It’s both—you go out to the movies in the afternoon then Chinese food for dinner. This isn’t something I’ve kept up as an adult, but it is something we did relatively frequently when I was growing up.

For those complaining that there’s a tradition around a xtian holiday—it’s one of the few times a year that my entire family had off of work, we didn’t have any religious obligations and we couldn’t even take care of things / run errands because everything is closed. It’s just a way to capitalize on time together using whatever is open.
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amother
Green


 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 9:05 pm
Adding that, frum businesses close on xmas because 1. Non jewish workers should have the day off and 2. Legally the workers who work on xmas need to be paid overtime rates for working on a holiday. Pile that onto the fact that the rest of the world isn't working, so it makes for a very unproductive day financially for places to stay open. I use to work at shop rite and I loved working xmas and easter etc because I got paid 2.5x my hourly rate and hey not even my holiday so why not work?
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amother
Hotpink


 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 9:15 pm
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Thu, Dec 24 2020, 9:16 pm
For those interested - an article on how both the custom of eating Chinese and going to the movies evolved among the Eastern European Jews.

I have been told but not sure if it is true that Thanksgiving is a major wedding day for many Chinese people because it is a day when many Chinese restaurants are closed since almost no one eats Chinese on Thanksgiving. One of the restaurants in Monterey Park will do a Chinese style turkey if you bring it in to them much the same way people have their turkeys fried or smoked at commercial establishments.

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/.....rican
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Raisin




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 7:29 am
I know a lot of people here who get together with family and eat (kosher) turkey on dec 25th. In the UK I have seen mince pies and xmas pudding on sale in kosher bakeries.

I am not sure if that is better or worse then eating non kosher chinese food. Can't Believe It

Eating kosher chinese/Indian food (because other kosher restuarants may close to give their workers a day off) and watching movies, not a big deal. people have off, relax and enjoy a day that we don't need to cook and entertain. Not this year though, its shabbos tonight.
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amother
Aubergine


 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 7:33 am
Raisin wrote:
I know a lot of people here who get together with family and eat (kosher) turkey on dec 25th. In the UK I have seen mince pies and xmas pudding on sale in kosher bakeries.


My sister did that for her Sheva Brachos. Complete with red and white hats and everything else. Can't Believe It

She said it was the most fun of the whole week.
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sequoia




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 7:49 am
https://youtu.be/iPSLWauwwZM

Enjoy. This is really funny.
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etky




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 9:18 am
I grew up MO in NYC and no, we did not have that tradition (or any Nittel nacht related tradition either).
OTOH I'm in my fifties. Maybe it only started later?
Anyway, here in Israel now, X-mas is largely a non-event, although there are of course Christian Arabs and other non-Jewish Israelis (mostly Russian) as well as foreign workers who do celebrate the holiday, so in some areas you will see signs of the holiday in the public sphere.
Driving past Bethlehem last night it was actually kind of sad to see how dead it was in comparison to previous years, because of Corona.
Also, the Christian Arab population of Bethlehem has dwindled greatly over the past few decades.
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shabbatiscoming




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 9:25 am
Etky, similar to you. Im in my 40s and never heard of this as a thing, ever. And grew up MO as well.
I find it very strange. But thats only my opinion Smile
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amother
Honeydew


 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 9:35 am
only heard of it in conservative circles -- I mean we do not go to movies--get it as other places are closed if you live outside of Israel. Still as jews we do not have any "traditions" associated with this holiday during which in our history was used as an excuse in many locations and times to riot and pillage jews R"L. Sorry I clicked on the snl skit because now that song is stuck in my head. ugh.
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4sure




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 10:31 am
Just saw this on Torah Anytime he explains the entire Xmas traditions.

https://www.torahanytime.com/#.....=5768
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amother
Burlywood


 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 11:49 am
It's not something that really applies if your kids go to Jewish day schools and have a regular day.

However, for secular Jews, when the whole family was off, kids home from school, and everything closed (it's fairly recent that stores have been open on Xmas, used to be not even the grocery store) Chinese restaurants were open because the technically Chinese people do aren't X-tian, so it became a thing to do because it was that or stay home the entire day. I don't know when movie theaters started opening on Xmas, bet it was after the 1950s. So those were the 2 activities available. But it's hardly what I would call a tradition.
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Chana Miriam S




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 1:27 pm
Last night my son had made 5 spice wings. I ate them and called it chines but really we eat them frequently. I don’t buy food out anymore ( mainly because we are better cooks and also because once we are already eating carefully what’s the point? Anyways, we aren’t manic about it but we used to do it regularly when we didn’t keep kosher.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 3:03 pm
Given the pandemic, I will binge on Bridgerton and do a braised pot roast with Asian flavors. 🤫🤫🥡🥡🥢🥢
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amother
cornflower


 

Post Fri, Dec 25 2020, 3:16 pm
self-actualization wrote:
I don’t think you should knock it so quickly. I have a coworker who is Jewish and totally secular and won’t discuss any holiday or thing like that, but she will come over and tell me about the movie lineup at her “Chinese and a movie” party with her Jewish friends that she looks forward to all year. I think there is even an idea for a Jewish singles meeting that night called “The Matzoh Ball.”

There is, my non-frum coworkers kids met spouses there. They are not frum and have no plans to become such, but they married Jews and will have Jewish children.
I’m my experience, most things in life can be looked at in 2 (or more) ways. You can choose to see the beauty or you can see the flaws. Everyone is free to decide which outlook in life works best for them. I know where I stand.

Here you have families and/or friends who are using time off from work as an opportunity to to spend time with Jewish friends and relatives.

Maybe I’m guilty of Avodah Zara or something. My dentist is Frum and works on 12/25. I always make my dentist appointment for then because I’m off, and the kids have school. My bad.
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