As a New York Jew, I tend to avoid Christmas music — even snarky Christmas songs. In fact, “Chinese Restaurant on Christmas” only the third Christmas song I’ve posted here in the 8 years this blog has run. There’s a reason for that.
You see, as a New York Jew, it is a time-honored tradition to spend Christmas in a
Chinese restaurant. However, as a New York Jew who can trace their New York
lineage to the early 1800s, however, my family actually does
celebrate Christmas with a tree and presents, etc. (Hurray
assimilationism!) However, my mom didn’t want to deal this year, so we
are, indeed, catching a movie and ordering in Chinese food.
Hopefully, our holiday observation will be more fun than Jeremy’s. The song is a delightful throwback to early rock’n’roll, with Jeremy’s voice hitching in all of Buddy Holly’s favorite spots. The song woefully relates the sad scene of a Christmas breakup, but the band brings an irresistible irreverence to the proceedings.
The video, brilliantly shot on a lazy susan in the kind of Chinese restaurant I didn’t know still existed, elevates the song’s sly humor to absurdist heights.
You can find “Chinese Restaurant on Christmas” on the A-side of the band’s Christmas single, Christmas Special.