[Lee Stewart]

Jewish folks going out for Chinese food on Christmas may be a cliche, but it’s not exactly inaccurate. There are a few reasons behind this annual tradition. First, Jewish and Chinese immigrants lived very closely together on New York’s Lower East Side, and because neither celebrated the holiday, it only made sense for them to spend it together. Second, Chinese food is generally a safe choice for kosher Jews, because Chinese cooking rarely includes dairy, and Jewish law forbids mixing dairy and meat. And third, Chinese restaurants are open on Christmas Day, when many others (except for some chain restaurants) are closed.