When Did Jewish Americans Start Eating Chinese Food For Christmas?

By | December 13, 2019

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Source: mockupworld.co

Jewish Americans celebrate a lot of things, but Christmas isn't usually one of them. Even with Santa Claus, Rudolph, and the other secular trappings, a holiday keyed to the birth of Jesus just isn't compatible with Jewish beliefs. But in not celebrating Christmas, Jewish Americans in New York City ended up creating their own particular tradition in the early 20th century. And it has taken on a celebratory flair, and even become widespread throughout the country: a family meal at a Chinese restaurant, often followed by a group visit to a movie theater.

A Christmas Tradition -- Hold The Christmas

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The long running tasty tradition you may not have known about (tabletmag)

Christmas, like Thanksgiving, offers a bounty of festive dishes that help define the holiday cheer. According to Wikipedia, that feast centers around stuffed fowl: either pheasant, goose, duck, or turkey (didn’t we just do turkey?). Naturally, traditions vary from family to family. Holiday honey ham usurps Wikipedia’s bird fascination in many households. But there’s a long-held Jewish tradition of eating Chinese food while the rest of us tuck into the other white meat. Here’s the story of General Tso’s chicken making its way onto the tables of many Jewish families around Christmas.