Fried rice, egg rolls, wonton soup – all classic examples of Chinese food that are enjoyed year-round. Whenever I was sick or having a family meal, the savory, garlicky aromas would waft up in the air, and I would be comforted by the salty taste. Around a lazy susan spins many of my core childhood memories. Yet, I never really thought about having Chinese food for one of the most heartwarming holidays of all: Christmas.
I used to believe that Chinese food for Christmas was something I would only see in movies. “A Christmas Story” infamously has a scene where the family is served a duck. I mean, I’m Chinese and I’ll maybe see the occasional noodle dish, but a vast majority of the spread was usually dominated by holiday hams and mashed potatoes. However, Google Trends shows “more people search for ‘Chinese food/restaurant’ during the week of Christmas than any other week of the year.” While many families subscribe to the Americanized holiday, the data shows the unconventional meal is just as popular and growing rapidly.
A standard in every good Chinese restaurant is a lazy susan. It does not matter if the device is made from porcelain or glass as the purpose of the device remains the same. One can easily have access to the foods they desire and, with a simple push, can deliver those helpings to their friends and family. From the very appliances being utilized, Chinese restaurants establish how inclusiveness is a huge aspect of Chinese culture, perhaps contributing to the desire for Chinese food on Christmas.
What makes the allure of Chinese restaurants so appealing is that they are almost always open. While working on the holidays might seem like a nightmare to some Americans, according to a New York Times article, the restaurant hours originated in the fact that many “early Chinese immigrants were not Christian. So losing an entire day of sales for a holiday … did not make economic sense.” Thus, a tradition was born, making it an incredibly easy and guaranteed feast when surprise relatives pop into town. From spicy to salty to sweet–no one’s palate is left out.
This is especially true when it comes to involving other cultures. The Chinese population is no outsider when it comes to facing racial discrimination in the United States. After the Chinese Exclusion Act, it was incredibly hard for Asian citizens to find a place and make a successful career in the country. Having similar struggles, African Americans and Jewish locals would flock to the establishments providing excellent business. In turn, Chinese restaurants would be “one of the few public places that welcomed” them as noted by Yong Chen’s “Chop Suey, USA: The Story of Chinese Food in America.” The New York Times recognizes how it became a space where “Whites, blacks and Mongolians mingled without sign of prejudice.”
When thinking about Chinese food for Christmas, everyone unanimously has the vision of styrofoam to-go boxes and break-apart wooden chopsticks. However, we need to realize that there is so much more to that interpretation. Christmas is not about the presents wrapped in red ribbons, the pine tree adorned in silver tinsel, or even the jolly old man in red – it is about belonging to a community, a necessity after historically experiencing adversity. Chinese restaurants capture that same essence and should not be considered a lesser or lazier meal. Instead, we should keep the holiday spirit and maybe buy some take-out for the season.
Visual Credit: Debbie Tea
