Chinese Restaurants on Christmas!!

[PCIntern]

What a nice evening the Intern fambly had last night. Our usual place, right off City Avenue in the Wynnefield section of Philly, was jammed with people, mostly Jews such as our group, but many others as well. Parties of 8 - 12 were not uncommon and I ran into people whom I hadn't seen for some time. Rather than the usual 45 minutes to an hour, due to the volume of people, the slowness of the service - which was just fine with us - and the conviviality, the dinner lasted a little over 2 1/2 hours and it was a terrific time. It reminded me of the days when people weren't sitting at tables talking in hushed tones or texting to their other friends, business acquaintances, or family, and just enjoyed being out with each other. It seems that event which require "mass sociability" are fewer and fewer as we spend more time doing exactly what I'm doing now - typing away. But it was a great evening and a truly
"Merry Christmas".

The down side today, is that this impending massive storm is preventing me from going to NY to a long-planned birthday party for two family members: one 90, the other 95, but I'm not driving round trip thru a blizzard. One-way I'd do, but not round-trip, especially with the 95 year-old in the car. Shame.

I hope all had a fine day yesterday, and look forward to wishing all a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous New Year in the coming days.

[hedgehog]

1. Sorry to hear that the storm is disrupting your plans - but

it's better to play it safe. I live in the Lake effect snow belt, and it sounds like you guys are in for a tough storm!

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. You KNOW the scene in the movie, with the duck head, popped into my mind.

I had no idea until recently that Christmas at Chinese restaurants was very popular in some parts of the country.
Still have no idea how that got started.
However, I am pleased for you that you and yours had a such a nice time.

[Graybeard]

3. How that got started?

One theory is that, in the past, the only places to eat on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day were the Chinese restaurants. Every place else were closed.

[Cirque du So-What]

5. From what I've seen, there's truth to it

I observed that the only places to eat that were open after 5-6 PM were Chinese restaurants back before that Christmas movie ever made the screen. It appears to still be true, unless one wants to eat at Denny's or some fast-food vomitorium.

I'm new to the area where I'm currently living, but my wife and I have already located a favorite Chinese restaurant. We went there at about 7 PM on Christmas eve to find the place closed. Turns out the restaurant's operators are Christians - emigrants from Hong Kong who closed early to begin their holiday. We found another Chinese restaurant that was open, however, so we weren't too disappointed.

[SoCalDem]

4. It probably started because most restaranteurs may have been Christian

and once upon a time, most Chinese were Buddhist..or perhaps no discernible religion? Perhaps the people who celebrated Christmas, closed up all their restaurants on that one day, and the Chinese restaurants were about the only ones open.

When we lived in the Chicago area, it was not uncommon for people to cover shifts for others at their special religious holidays..Religious people were maybe a little more "friendly" back then..

[PCIntern]

6. the only day of the year they're closed here is

Thanksgiving. But other restaurants are open on that day...very expensive for Dinner.

Some of the fancy steak houses like The Prime Rib are open 365 Days a year and have a large turnout of regulars and groups who don't want to make Christmas dinner. Fascinating...

[SoCalDem]

8. Our Thanksgiving "dinner" was at Dennys

:rofl:

out kitchen remodel was not done (and still isn't :grr:..)

While others were chomping down turkey & fixings..my husband had french toast & I had a hamburger:rofl:

and Xmas dinner yesterday was tamales, ham & other good stuff.. but so far this year I have not had the "traditional holiday food"..

When my kitchen is finally done & the mess all cleaned up (boxes emptied), I AM doing the sit-down dinner with all the trimmings..

Once a year I need that:)

[WolverineDG]

15. "non" religious folks were too

just sayin'

dg

[SoCalDem]

17. yep.. people tended to be more accomodating and more likely to live-and-let-live

at least the people I came into contact with.. Things were different though.. Hard to tell how much we changed because of US or pressures of modern life..

Until quite recently, families had 1 phone, 1 bathroom, 1 car, 1 tv..lots of sharing going on.. We've evolved ourselves to the point where we no longer need to/want to share

[Tesha]

7. "Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra!"

We hit the Chinese take-out place Christmas Eve night and
it was jam-packed then too!

Tesha

[pinboy3niner]

10. "That Christmas would live in our memories...

...as the Christmas when we were introduced to Chinese turkey." :rofl:

[Bonhomme Richard]

9. You make me homesick. City Line Ave were old stomping grounds

as I grew up in the Manoa section of Havertown.

[WinkyDink]

11. And a Healthy, Happy, and Prosperous New Year to you, as well! So, what was your fave dish?

[PCIntern]

12. "Mr. Goldman's Scallops"

No lie! Juicy, tender scallops in a medium-spicy tomato sauce with scallions!

Mmmm. No leftovers on THAT one...

Also good; their Spicy Triple Delight...chicken, Shrimp, and pork with Vegetables....

A half-container of that to eat while watching the snow come down in carloads

[Sal Minella]

13. Fortunately, your 90- and 95-year-old family members have had

enough life experience to understand the wisdom of NOT driving around in a storm bringing sixteen inches of snow. A nine-year-old might be disappointed, but a 90-year-old will be relieved, is my guess.

This storm left about eight inches of snow here (Iowa) and seems to be gaining enthusiasm as it goes. I hope you and yours stay off the roads as much as possible.

Mazel tov!

[PCIntern]

14. Interestingly,

yes and no...on the one hand he completely agrees with the decision not to go. OTOH, he's (very) upset that (the obvious). W'll try to go next weekend...

Thanks!

PC

[Synicus Maximus]

16. We have been going to a Thai restaurant on Christmas Day for

the last five or six years, it has almost became a tradition. Got to love those Buddhist, if it weren't for them there would be no place to eat on Christmas.