The Skipper is red hot! This is his second submission in the last 2 weeks.
It’s that time of year. The weather dips below 70, the sunshine grows a little shorter, and all the members of your vocation lose interest in work of any kind. Holiday music is all around us and similarly, the traditional Christmas movies bombard our televisions as we prepare to close out the calendar year. Watching “A Christmas Story” sparked this train of thought.
Asians have always kept their businesses open on Christmas Day. Regardless of trade, whether their store sells Sanrio Hello Kitty merchandise, liquor, doughnuts, or laundry services; if you are Asian, your business is open on Christmas Day. White people have come to know and trust this piece of data. See “A Christmas Story”.
I’ve given this matter much thought, and cannot believe that Asian restaurants remain open on the hope that other races’ culinary incompetence will inevitably destroy their holiday meals, thus requiring a place to dine. Or is this true? (“A Christmas Story” supra) Or are Asians much more altruistic and giving than I had thought?
Perhaps it’s about the money? Is that need to generate revenue just one more day before the close of the year so necessary? It is my understanding that these Asian business owners are typically very wealthy when gauged by American tax bracket standards.
Maybe it’s about religion… Or even a collective, militant response to speak out against Christianity and the main holiday it observes? (I happen to know a great deal of Asian Christians who conduct their said business on Christmas Day).
Last but not least, maybe it’s one of those inexplicable traits of being Asian (Like the Taiwanese Toenail).
Last 5 posts by Peter
- #145 Being Crazy Rich Asians - June 22nd, 2020
- Stuff Asian People Like Book Deal! - June 13th, 2020
- #144 Donnie Yen (Ip Man 3 DVD Release) - April 27th, 2016
- #143 Managing Restaurants (ft. Professor Chen) - July 20th, 2015
- #142 "Lindorsements" (Being Linteresting) - October 2nd, 2014
Loading ...
16 responses so far ↓
1 Angry Asian Man // Dec 14, 2008 at 8:18 am
We don’t celebrate the white man’s faux consumer holiday.
2 Hundun // Dec 15, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Traditional Asian businesses only completely close down during the Asian New Year’s holiday. And abroad that can mean never.
3 Toby // Dec 16, 2008 at 9:38 am
It’s all about making money! Why not? Not everyone is Christian. If you don’t celebrate xmas there’s nothing else to do. The joke goes that Jews and other Non-Christians go see a movie on xmas day and then have chinese food. That’s our tradition! I’m pretty sure lots of people are grateful that these Chinese establishments – like Pacific Mall are open on holidays.
4 Hundun // Dec 16, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Although Chinese only have one official, major holiday per year – in terms of things shutting down – actually every day is a holiday because of the Night Markets. All you need to do is stay up late! I really miss them!
5 Shaun // Dec 18, 2008 at 8:41 am
Hey Peter,
I just wanted to add one thing… you missed a beat with this piece… you shoulda released it exactly on Christmas Day for double the impact!
Oh and just wondering, when’s #100 gonna come? That “Reserved” label is have a weird effect on me. Plus, the suspense is killing me…
I was gonna log on and comment but China’s internet system won’t… umm, let me.
*censored* =D
6 Red Sea Pedestrian // Dec 27, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Toby: It’s not just a joke. My family has always gone to the movies and eaten Chinese food for dinner on Christmas Eve/Day, as have a large number of other Jewish families I grew up around.
We’re all grateful that Asian restaurants stay open on Christmas–non-Christians have to eat, too!
7 Sbard // Jan 9, 2009 at 8:44 pm
It’s not just an Asian thing. Ask any Jewish friend what they do on Christmas, and they will tell you “Go see and movie and eat Chinese food.” I guess it has something to do with being one of the largest non-Christian minorities in the US.
8 Paul // Jan 15, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Not in the UK. All Asians shut their business on Christmas day and some even shut through to new years. I found it really wierd coming here from Australia where opening over the holidays was the norm.
9 Redneck Azn // Feb 22, 2009 at 12:34 am
My family owns a Chinese restaurant in South Florida, and Christmas day is the busiest day of the year. The customers on Christmas is 90% Jewish.
10 Lyn not LIN! // Jul 3, 2009 at 1:24 pm
it’s so annoying when you are trying to get food or buy whatever and you notice that most stores are closed… oh it’s Easter/Christmas… oh… $h!+! Just another way to keep non christians down. Ruin our days… grumble grumble
But where I work, I do get Xmas off, and since it is 3 days b4 my birthday, I try to take the whole week off.
11 Vladan // Aug 23, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Jews love chinese food, so that is why chinese people keep the restaurants open during christmas for the jewish people; the place in town has a great oriental chef who prepares massive amounts of general gau’s for christmas in anticipation of all the Jews.
12 Mumble // Sep 9, 2009 at 12:11 am
I think some owners keep their stores open on holidays is so that they can serve people who need to buy something on those days. maybe my way of thinking is a bit innocent, but wouldn’t it be nice of those owners to spend their holidays making sure that people can buy what they need?
13 Michael // Dec 23, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Vladan seems to be blaming the Jewish people for keeping the Chinese Restaurants open… Yes, Jewish people love Chinese food! Many Jewish people also are given the day off from work because their offices are closed and it is company policy to close on X-mas. But what shall Jewish people do with a day off when all business are closed? The Chinese Restaurateur has a symbiotic relationship with his Jewish customers. We’re thankful to have someplace to go to and enjoy a part of a day off. The restaurant is glad to fill a need in their greater community and make money for their family. If Christian Chinese Restaurateurs valued not working on X-mas more than they valued the gratitude of their Jewish customers, or even the additional revenue they are making, they would simply close their businesses. It’s their choice. This is America and we have a free market economy. Thank you for keeping the lights on for those of us who are left out in the cold! Merry X-mas and happy new year!
14 huu // Jul 13, 2010 at 10:45 pm
Supra Footwear which started with the production of functional skateboard shoes at first, in recent years emerged as a new force with luxury materials and exaggerated form, led to many stars unconditionally in their behalf. For Mens Supra Shoes, welcome to our online store.
15 wood pellets // Mar 1, 2011 at 1:20 am
Shipbuilding Plate within the Nineteenth CenturyOn New Year’s Day 1880 the steamship Rotomahana struck challenging on a sunken rock on the mouth of Fitzroy Harbour, New Zealand. She managed to again off and make her way safely to Auckland, leaking only by means of a couple of rivet holes. There the dockyard staff discovered that for twenty ft of her starboard bilge the frames were being forced back, the bulkhead bulged, and also the plate was wrinkled. Although not a crack was visible. One of the most broken plate was used out, flattened, and changed, along with the repairs ended up finished in 72 hrs.
16 Jenny // Apr 1, 2017 at 3:17 am
For White (and non-Jewish) people, Christmas is universally THEIR family day, since Thanksgiving is unique to North America. For Chinese people however, the family stay-in-day/night is Lunar New Year.
I do love Christmas, but I love its trappings, carols, shopping, decorations, and I love shopping AND eating out on Christmas day.
It would be cool if Chinese restaurants hire some non-Chinese, and turn over the operations to them on LNY so the Chinese employees can have their day off with family! But maybe language is a barrier. I did find this one white guy working for a Chinese grocery shop in Peanut Plaza who spoke Mandarin – he might be Russian, or might be Eurasian, he had very white skin but very dark brown hair.
Leave a Comment