“Tradition!”: Why Jews Eat Chinese Food on Christmas

All humans have specific biological needs that must be met.  We must sleep, we must breathe, and we must eat.  Eating is inherently biological but also culturally controlled in various ways.  Food provides insights into one’s identity, which is why there is an entire field of anthropological study focused on cultures and food.  Within this vein of inquiry is today’s blog post, which seeks to answer the question of why American Jews eat Chinese food on Christmas.  While searching for this answer I discovered that Chinese food actually goes beyond just being a Christmas tradition; it is one that has been incorporated into American, particularly New York City, Jewish identity.  This blog post will provide the cultural historical reasons for how and why Chinese food is now understood to be part of American Jewish identity.

 

It all started over a century ago (in the late 1800s and early 1900s) when European and Asian populations began immigrating to the United States.  European populations came to the US to escape poverty and in search of the “American dream,” meaning the ability to make an economically stable life for themselves.  For Jewish populations, there was an additional reason why they came to the United States: to escape religious persecution they were facing throughout Europe.  Asian populations, particularly Chinese, were also drawn to the US seeking economic prosperity, but they were actively recruited or tricked into coming.  Chinese men were hired to build the rail road lines or mine for gold, whereas many Chinese (and other Asian) women were either kidnapped and forcibly brought to the US or lured under false pretenses wherein they thought they would be working for legitimate businesses but then forced into prostitution.  European populations entered and began settling the eastern coasts, while Chinese and Asian populations worked and settled the western coasts. 

 

Chinese populations later moved east due to increasing anti-Asian sentiments, which brought about a variety of extremely discriminatory laws and led to various bloody riots.  Many moved to the cosmopolitan and seemingly immigrant friendly cities, including New York City, and due to their previous experiences Chinese immigrants opened up businesses that did not put them in direct competition with other immigrant or American populations.  One such business enterprise was the budding restaurant industry, which led to various Chinese restaurants popping up across the United States.  These restaurants were in less competition with other immigrant owned restaurants for various reasons.  Chinese restaurants provided inexpensive and seemingly exotic food that other restaurants could not or did not provide.  The décor in Chinese restaurants was areligious, and the food served was specifically tailored to appeal to various tastes.  Many other restaurants catered to specific clientele, making them feel exclusive.  Chinese restaurants specifically provided a welcoming environment to and for all patrons, making them pluralistic safe havens for various diners, regardless of racial or ethnic identity.  Furthermore, when Prohibition took hold in the 1920s it was reported that many Chinese restaurants ignored the law and served traditional alcoholic beverages to their paying customers.

 

According to some scholars food is an important part of Jewish heritage as it is not just about sustaining nutritional needs.  Food is also used as a means of bringing together people within the community, and the act of eating delicious food is viewed as a connection to God.  Traditional Jewish customs maintain strict dietary customs and restrictions, which is known as eating kosher.  Under kosher requirements one cannot eat unclean meats, must only consume meat from humanely butchered animals, and can never consume meat and cheese together.   While the first Jewish immigrants to the US were very keen on maintaining these culinary traditions subsequent generations were more interested in assimilating to mainstream American culture.  This coincided with the new American trend of eating out.  While there were several different restaurants available to patronize many Jewish individuals were limited by the core Kosher requirements, socioeconomic status, and a need to feel like eating out was a special treat.  This drew many to Chinese restaurants.

 

Chinese cuisine is prepared and cooked in ways that make it a safe unkosher option for Jews.  The food very rarely (if at all) combines dairy and meat together, which is one of the central requirements of kosher cuisine.  While Chinese food does utilize “unclean” meats these can either be easily avoided or are minced or chopped up that Jews either do not realize or can willfully ignore their consumption.  Also, many of the key ingredients in Chinese cuisine are similar to those of traditional Jewish meals, meaning they appealed to the already established Jewish tastes.  Chinese food was also typically inexpensive, meaning any Jew, regardless of their socioeconomic status, could enjoy eating out at these restaurants, and the exotic nature of the cuisine fulfilled that “special treat” desire that eating out typically encouraged.

 

An additional important factor for why Jews eat Chinese food is that both Chinese and Jewish immigrants shared several key characteristics in common-they were non-Christians who were and continued to be widely discriminated against.  Jews who patronized Chinese restaurants often felt safe in these establishments, whereas in other places anti-Semitic sentiments were openly evident.  Additionally, Jewish patrons were welcome in Chinese restaurants because Chinese restaurant owners strove to create and foster a welcoming atmosphere for all.  Because the Chinese were also non-Christians their restaurants were often the only ones open on Christian holidays, providing the only option for eating out for Jewish patrons.  This is actually what led to the tradition of eating Chinese on Christmas.  Jewish people still wanted to be included in the Christmas celebrations, although they did not want to celebrate Christmas in the traditional ways.  As the holiday is about celebrating with family and friends over a large meal Jews could still feel included in the mainstream holiday by eating out at Chinese restaurants, which remained open. 

 

Over time, eating at Chinese restaurants became a central part of American Jewish identity.  The shared experiences of discrimination connected Chinese and Jewish populations, and the commonalities in their unique cuisines also lent itself to solidifying this relationship.  The notion of Chinese food being an additional part of American Jewish identity has become mainstream, popping up in various television series, movies, and comedic acts, and now you know why. 

 

Works Cited

Miller, Hanna. "Identity Takeout: How American Jews Made Chinese Food Their Ethnic Cuisine." The Journal of Popular Culture (2006): 430-465. Print.

Plaut, Rabbi Joshua. Why Do Jewish People Eat Chinese Food On Christmas? Robert Siegel. 25 December 2017. Electronic.

Tuchman, Gaye and Harry G. Levine. ""Safe Treyf": New York Jews and Chinese Food." Shortridge, Barbara and James Shortridge. The Taste of American Place: A Reader on Regional and Ethnic. ‎ Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 1997. 163-184. Print.

 

Mari Lwyd: The “Comeback Kid” of Holiday Traditions

Figure 1: Mari Lwyd celebration in Wales (Image Source: The Daily Post)

With another holiday season is in full swing it seems only fitting that the various unique holiday traditions celebrated around the globe be discussed.  This blog post will introduce you to the end of year celebration of Mari Lywd, which is celebrated throughout southern Wales.  This odd but fun loving tradition almost disappeared, but it is making a comeback throughout the country and taking off across the globe.

 

Mari Lwyd, which translates to “Grey Mare”, “Holy Mary”, or “The Grey Mary”, is celebrated throughout December and sometimes into January.  The celebration involves an individual donning a decorated horse skull, adorned with colorful ribbons and bells, and covered in a sheet (Figure 1).  This individual is often accompanied by mummers and traditional dancers.  The group goes door to door initiating ritual “battles” involving pwnco, which is made up of poetry, rhyme, and riddles, often centering around insults and tongue-in-cheek statements, with homeowners.  The “combatants” engage in these wars of words for however long they wish.  Ultimately the goal of the Mari Lwyd and her companions is to enter the home for food and drink, and the homeowners comply in order to have good luck bestowed upon them. 

 

The origins of the Mari Lwyd celebration are unknown, but it is known to be pagan tradition dating back at least 3000 years ago.  The Mari Lwyd is believed to be a representation of a death god, and some associate it with Rhiannon, a pagan horse goddess and Queen of the Underworld.  Its pagan associations were why it was almost completely abolished, but a recent resurgence of the holiday among southern Welsh citizens has brought it back.  It has grown in popularity ever since, and it is beginning to be celebrated in other parts of the world, primarily out of interest and fascination.

 

Bibliography

Connaughton, Marybeth. Ok Whatever. 23 December 2020. Electronic. 16 November 2021.

Leaver, Joel. "The terrifying and weird tradition of the Mari Lwyd which is celebrated every December." Daily Post UK 6 December 2018. Electronic.

Mari Arts. Mari Lwyd: The Magic Of The Mari... 3 September 2015. Electronic. 16 November 2021.

National Museum Wales. Christmas customs: The Mari Lwyd. 14 June 2014. Electronic. 16 November 2021.

Rummel, Rachel. Ritual & Medicinal: Mari Lwyd. N.D. <https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/mari-lwyd-horse-skull-wales-wassailing>.

 

Spotlight on Students: Thinking Like an Archaeologist

 Thinking like an archaeologist is one of the most challenging exercises a novice or inexperienced person can do, including beginner archaeologists.  For one of the SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology assignments students were tasked with doing just that.  By viewing the familiar as the unfamiliar they gained important insights into the challenges archaeologists face, and several of them did exceptionally well in the exercise.  Here is a student's piece that was eligible for and agreed to be published.

 

By: Erin Lambert

 

Thinking Like an Archaeologist

 

            Hello, my name is Erin Lambert, and I am an archaeologist exploring the ruins of what used to be Jefferson City. This was one of the many great cities that once made up the state of Missouri, which is a central state in the land of the United States of America. Like Missouri, the majority of the other territories in the United States were decimated by the War of the Galaxies. The war spanned several years and killed millions of the United States’ citizens as the aliens from the Andromeda Galaxy fought for control over planet Earth, but they only managed to ravage the continent of North America before the war’s end. Nonetheless, fearing a wider and more deadly invasion was coming, the rest of Earth’s people fled to Europa, one of Jupiter’s many moons. Many Earthians did not make it through the journey, but my ancestors were some of the lucky ones, having reached and settled on Europa centuries ago. Since 2024, the United States, Mexico, and Canada have all been desolate. Following the war, the Andromedans stayed and used up all of Earth’s resources, leaving most of it a barren wasteland. Presently, in the year 4037, interest has been piqued as to how the ancients were living before the war, and my people have begun to excavate and explore the once booming nation’s remnants. However, the task has been difficult because of how destroyed the vast majority of the continent is. I am determined to learn more about this world. I am now standing in the rubble of a central Missouri neighborhood in Jefferson City, surrounded by a plethora of slanted homes. I am nervous, yet excited, to see what these lost ruins hold about the people of the past. More specifically, how these Missourians once lived and the equipment and tools they used to survive.

            I walk through the front door of a small home in a neighborhood that appears to have been relatively well-preserved, as are many homes on this block, but there is still a layer of ash and dirt covering many of the surfaces. I immediately recognize that this may have been an entertainment area or a family room by how wide and spacious it is. It is big enough to hold a large group of people, and has several places to sit. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by a large glass box that stands directly in front of the door but not quite blocking it. Right above the glass container there is a large and black rectangle. It is thick and about 40 inches wide and 20 inches in height. There are also several black lines running from the back of it and going behind the glass container. To my right there is a wooden black table with a single drawer and a silver knob. Next to the table there is a huge rectangular piece that I am unfamiliar with. It is made out of a leathery material and appears to be used for sitting, as it is built like it is a wider chair and appears to be comfortable to sit on. Beside it sits another small black table, and then another leather chair. However, this one is built like a normal chair. A similar looking stool accompanies it, but it does not have the same backing that the other one has. Nonetheless, I am intrigued already by this civilization’s living conditions. Furthermore, I am standing on compacted dirt and ash, and the original flooring is nowhere to be seen. The room is somewhat clean, other than a few items on the dirt floor, which I assume are from the quick departure this family may have taken from Earth. I created a map to represent the site with each of the furnishings being a blue rectangle. The map also shows where each of the artifacts were found and which artifact is which.

 

            There are several peculiar artifacts scattered about the room and on the tables, and even more that I found from dusting and surveying the site. The first one I pick up out of the rubble and dirt is bone-shaped, but it does not feel like a normal bone or even have the same color as the bones I have seen. It feels rubbery and like plastic, and it is a bluish-teal color all over. There are some ridges, as well as large scrapes and what appear to be tooth marks all over it. It weighs about five pounds, which is all I can deduce about its weight by holding it. It’s also not the only one of its kind in the room, as there are two others in the room that vary in size and color.

The next artifact that I come across is laying just a few feet from the first. It is spherical and yellowish-green in color, almost neon. It is rather light and feels hollow by how light it is. Also, it is covered in little hairs or fibers, except for two white stripes that run over the sides of it, like circles. It is rough to the touch and the only one of its kind in the room. It also feels like it is made out of plastic. The third artifact is unique as well. It is rectangular, small, and about five pounds. It’s dimensions are about eight inches in height, six inches in width, and about two inches thick. The artifact has hundreds of pieces of paper on the inside, something that is very rarely used on Europa. Each piece of paper has strange black symbols and characters. It also has a hard shell encasing the papers and keeping them together. It is all purple with more symbols on the side of the hard shell, which are the color silver. Overall, the artifacts I have found are unfamiliar to me, but I have some theories about what they could have been used for and  how important they were to the family that once lived here.

            From surveying more of the premises, I have some conclusions about the artifacts I have found. The first artifact seems like it may have been a child’s toy, but the teeth marks and scrapes say otherwise. Perhaps it was used by an animal, judging by how large and deep the bites are, which is more than a child or even an adult could create. It could have originated and been used to ward away large predators by giving them something else to occupy themselves with, or for domesticated animals that lived in the home. The second artifact may have also been a child’s toy, as it is light and small. However, I also think it could be used by animals like the first artifact, as they were found relatively close to each other and there was nothing else on the floor with them. Also, because of its hollowness it could have been used to carry very small items. They may have been left on the floor for animals or children to play with. The third artifact may have been used for keeping records or for documentation. It could have been used for entertainment like reading or writing, or alternatively could have been used for conducting research. I also wonder if it was used in religious studies or rituals. Based on its surroundings, as it was present on a table, I can tell it was highly regarded unlike the other two artifacts that were strewn on the floor.

            From examining more of the site and other rooms of the premises, I found that this is the largest and most open room in the home. It is about 180 square feet, and besides the dirt and ash, it is quite clean. I can see this room being used by large families for gatherings or entertainment because of its spaciousness. It may also be used to hold religious meetings or rituals, as it has several artifacts similar to the third one I described. Overall, this home has been well preserved for being through a war, as well as the rest of the neighborhood. It is filled with large furnishings, which lend to the theory that it is for a family.

            Archaeologists like myself face many challenges when working with artifacts. Interpreting them based on the context of the culture and location in which they were found can be very difficult, as well as using this information to piece together information about these past civilizations and cultures. Interpreting these cultural objects with no information as to how the people who used them lived or what the artifacts we find are used for can make interpretation very difficult. Coming from a different planet and excavating centuries after the civilization fell makes it exponentially more troubling, as I am unfamiliar with what they used. Being an archaeologist requires looking at these cultures with an unbiased or culturally relativistic viewpoint. Add on top of that the possibility of looting, which the Andromedans may have done, that may take away vital information about the past, and things like war that can destroy it. Also, there is a significant language barrier because I cannot understand the symbols and language of this culture, which limits what I can deduce about the site (Kintigh 2014). Overall, there can be many obstacles that archaeologists have to face, but it is worth it in the end to learn about the histories or different cultures, and how we can keep from repeating history.

Works Cited

Kintigh, Keith W., et al. “Grand Challenges for Archaeology.” PNAS, National Academy of

Sciences, 21 Jan. 2014, https://www.pnas.org/content/111/3/879. Accessed 10 Nov. 2021.