Can I publicly admit that it took me over 3 hours tonight to put two and two together to figure out why we’re having Chinese food for shabbat dinner this week? Admit that I didn’t even think about the time-honored tradition of eating lo-mein and catching all the new flicks that are opening in the theater. Or about the fact that Indie Jews‘ fabulous Dec 25th Jewbilee is on hiatus this year because Christmas eve falls on Friday night. Yup, I was busy thinking ‘Chinese food certainly sounds easy for all of us getting together but really? No gefilte fish for shabbat?!‘ and then planting my palm on my forehead after I finally made the connection. Oy.
I got to thinking – what will others be doing to celebrate this Friday/Saturday? Chicken or brisket as usual? Asian-inspired meal at home after lighting shabbat candles? Heading out to one of our city’s amazing restaurants that will be keeping its doors open? Are you staying at home on Saturday or catching a flick while the theaters are a little less full? Doing something completely different and unexpected?
Before you answer that question, you might want to check out this post at Frum Satire to see what’s kosher and what’s not when Christmas falls on shabbat (Note that the blog has the word ‘satire’ in its title. Fair warning). Or watch the video below multiple times. Hilarious PG13 comedy from Katie Goodman of Broad Comedy. (Thanks to our friend Leah over at Jewesses with Attitude for passing along this 4:42 hilarity break that she found at Heeb).
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SgVuTSPpWw&
(Photo: Scott Waldron www.dslrninja.com)
Hi Emily! I’m so excited that Christmas Eve and Shabbat dinner are on the same night. (Obviously Christmas Day and Shabbat too!) MANY of us will be united in our “shutting down” mode this year. I’m doing my typical Shabbat menu (chicken, kugel, soup, etc.) BUT, it’ll be Chinese food Saturday night. And a movie, of course.
Nina 🙂
http://ninabadzin.com
Nina – I love your thought about *lots* of people being in quiet, shut down mode. There’s not enough of that in our hectic, plugged in world. And I wonder if it will give those of us celebrating shabbat here a chance to experience it like our Israeli friends do – with less hustle and bustle outside our doors. Plus, I don’t have to worry about being annoyed that nothing’s open on Christmas Day (a fact that always seems to get my goat, despite the fact that it happens every. year.).
Thank you for these great comments! You inspired me to write about the quiet of Christmas on Shabbat at http://kissamezuzah.blogspot.com/2010/12/is-us-about-to-get-taste-of-jerusalem.html