My family never wants to get Chinese on Christmas!!!😭😭😭We thought we were gentiles for most of our lives, so pretty much everybody else just wants the traditional Christmas things!!!
I’m not really sure how it all ended up happening, unfortunately, but I’m happy to share what I do know. I hope you’re not too bored or disappointed!
My mother’s family is mostly Northern European by ancestry, with the immigration to the U.S. happening mostly during the late 19th and early 20th Century. By then, both my maternal grandmother’s and grandfather’s families were predominantly Catholic. (As of 2022, most of us…myself included…are not religious, though a few still practice various forms of Christianity.)
We think that at some point, someone must have left the Jewish community and either never learned about their history or stopped talking about their family. We are not sure when that happened, or why. It could have been adoption, trauma, conversion, or other reasons. At any rate, it seems to have happened before WWI or WWII.
The genes first turned up when one of my aunts got curious and had some genetic ancestry testing done in the early 2000s, but they unfortunately became relevant again when another aunt developed a rare kind of cancer which apparently mainly runs in Black and Ashkenazi and communities. (She’s doing fine now, fortunately.) I’ve also had to have some medical genetic testing done, and sure enough, I’m as Jewish as she is. (No recent Black ancestry as far as we know, though I’m sure if you go back far enough, the story obviously changes.)
The genes they found may also help to explain the dysautonomia which also seems to run on my mother’s side of the family.
I’m not sure if the genes came down from my maternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, or both. They unfortunately both passed away with no surviving siblings before we learned about our history, so we can’t ask them if they might have any insights about it, unfortunately.
Now, on my father’s side, he may or may not be Jewish. I have long suspected Ashkenazi and/or Sephardic ancestry there based on his appearance and family history, but he absolutely does not want to be tested. I think that’s very likely a generational trauma issue, and he doesn’t want to hear the story that got him and his family members through isn’t really true.
I don’t feel particular called to practice the religion, though now that I know I go have Jewish ancestry, I do a few things differently. I’ve taken to leaving stones on certain graves, when appropriate, and I light a menorah on some nights during Hannukah. I also have a Star of David necklace which I used to wear when attending seders at a friend’s house, though I wasn’t able to do that the last few years because they adopted a strict immediate family only policy due to health issues of their own and COVID precautions. I also HAVE had Chinese food on Christmas, though this was a personal choice, and I haven’t been able to convince anyone to have a big Chinese style dinner for Christmas yet. Maybe someday, though! I don’t stop trying!
Anyway, I hope that wasn’t too depressing or boring! I hope you’re having a nice day and staying warm, if you happen to be stuck here in this ice storm today!
No! It’s a fascinating and beautiful story and I think it’s great that you’re getting in touch with your heritage.
One of the culture shocks I experienced moving out west from New Jersey is just how disconnected most white people seem from their extended family/culture/heritage in Oregon. Growing up most of my friends were of ashkenazi, Italian, or Latin American descent and they had all sorts of ties to their families pasts. I’ve been learning to appreciate how the “clean slate” of the west can make for cool and surprising culture, but I do think it can lack some of the richness you get from ties to the old country.
I’m back East rn and we’ve got our own crazy temperature drop we’re dealing with 🙃. But I just had a small Hanukkah celebration and we’re gearing up for the big Swedish Xmas smorgasbord, so I’ll be alright haha. Thanks for sharing and happy holidays!
It's my favorite Chinese-American greasy spoon. It's exactly what you would be expecting if you were looking for General Tso's, eggrolls, fried rice, etc. Grubbin.
The Mongolian Buffet place by the Yamhill MAX stop had a sign saying they are open. I've been there a couple times pre-pandemic and they were pretty good. It's a build-your-own stir fry joint.
Shandong Chinese on Broadway had a big, “We are open on Christmas” banner on their website
They’re INSANELY busy every Xmas.
I’m not surprised. I just had it for the first time recently and it was very good
They closed their online ordering within ten minutes, just FYI if anyone is looking at this thread for Christmas food
Proud of our Jewish Christmas traditions.
My family never wants to get Chinese on Christmas!!!😭😭😭We thought we were gentiles for most of our lives, so pretty much everybody else just wants the traditional Christmas things!!!
That sounds like an really interesting story! How come you didn’t know you were Jewish/how did you find out you were?
I’m not really sure how it all ended up happening, unfortunately, but I’m happy to share what I do know. I hope you’re not too bored or disappointed! My mother’s family is mostly Northern European by ancestry, with the immigration to the U.S. happening mostly during the late 19th and early 20th Century. By then, both my maternal grandmother’s and grandfather’s families were predominantly Catholic. (As of 2022, most of us…myself included…are not religious, though a few still practice various forms of Christianity.) We think that at some point, someone must have left the Jewish community and either never learned about their history or stopped talking about their family. We are not sure when that happened, or why. It could have been adoption, trauma, conversion, or other reasons. At any rate, it seems to have happened before WWI or WWII. The genes first turned up when one of my aunts got curious and had some genetic ancestry testing done in the early 2000s, but they unfortunately became relevant again when another aunt developed a rare kind of cancer which apparently mainly runs in Black and Ashkenazi and communities. (She’s doing fine now, fortunately.) I’ve also had to have some medical genetic testing done, and sure enough, I’m as Jewish as she is. (No recent Black ancestry as far as we know, though I’m sure if you go back far enough, the story obviously changes.) The genes they found may also help to explain the dysautonomia which also seems to run on my mother’s side of the family. I’m not sure if the genes came down from my maternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, or both. They unfortunately both passed away with no surviving siblings before we learned about our history, so we can’t ask them if they might have any insights about it, unfortunately. Now, on my father’s side, he may or may not be Jewish. I have long suspected Ashkenazi and/or Sephardic ancestry there based on his appearance and family history, but he absolutely does not want to be tested. I think that’s very likely a generational trauma issue, and he doesn’t want to hear the story that got him and his family members through isn’t really true. I don’t feel particular called to practice the religion, though now that I know I go have Jewish ancestry, I do a few things differently. I’ve taken to leaving stones on certain graves, when appropriate, and I light a menorah on some nights during Hannukah. I also have a Star of David necklace which I used to wear when attending seders at a friend’s house, though I wasn’t able to do that the last few years because they adopted a strict immediate family only policy due to health issues of their own and COVID precautions. I also HAVE had Chinese food on Christmas, though this was a personal choice, and I haven’t been able to convince anyone to have a big Chinese style dinner for Christmas yet. Maybe someday, though! I don’t stop trying! Anyway, I hope that wasn’t too depressing or boring! I hope you’re having a nice day and staying warm, if you happen to be stuck here in this ice storm today!
No! It’s a fascinating and beautiful story and I think it’s great that you’re getting in touch with your heritage. One of the culture shocks I experienced moving out west from New Jersey is just how disconnected most white people seem from their extended family/culture/heritage in Oregon. Growing up most of my friends were of ashkenazi, Italian, or Latin American descent and they had all sorts of ties to their families pasts. I’ve been learning to appreciate how the “clean slate” of the west can make for cool and surprising culture, but I do think it can lack some of the richness you get from ties to the old country. I’m back East rn and we’ve got our own crazy temperature drop we’re dealing with 🙃. But I just had a small Hanukkah celebration and we’re gearing up for the big Swedish Xmas smorgasbord, so I’ll be alright haha. Thanks for sharing and happy holidays!
Yuan Su on Powell definitely will be, if you’re okay with vegetarian Chinese.
They’re typically closed on Sundays but will be open Christmas Day and New Years Day this year.
Just ordered from them for pickup. Can confirm they are open!
If I remember right, HK Cafe is open during the holidays.
Din Tai Fung is open and you can make reservations online.
Anyone know if XLB dumplings will be open?
I love their popcorn chicken
XLB isn't open this Christmas per their Insta.
Thank you I don’t have insta !!
I use it mainly to follow local food spots. lol
It's not close but I saw a sign on the door of Chinese Happiness in Gresham that said they'll be open regular hours on Christmas.
HK Cafe but it gets PACKED. Definitely plan to go early
Kung Pow in NW Portland is open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
All of them?
Pretty much all of them……
Panda Express
Safeway
I havent spent the 10 seconds it would take to check, but I remember Duck House in SW being open
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There's always one of these comments.
Typically yes as they don’t observe Christmas Day as a holiday. At least in DFW all the Chinese buffets will be open.
Jumbo in Milwaukie was open last year.
I live right around the corner. How would you rate it?
It's my favorite Chinese-American greasy spoon. It's exactly what you would be expecting if you were looking for General Tso's, eggrolls, fried rice, etc. Grubbin.
It's so-so but worthwhile in a pinch. My fave dish of theirs is actually the Singapore Chow Mein.
The Mongolian Buffet place by the Yamhill MAX stop had a sign saying they are open. I've been there a couple times pre-pandemic and they were pretty good. It's a build-your-own stir fry joint.
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It's just called "Yamhill District".
Kung Pow! is our Christmas dinner choice every year:-);-)
HK Cafe is usually open on holidays.