What Are You Doing On December 25?
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
If Christmas to you means watching the Yule Log in your jammies, get dressed and take advantage of the smorgasbord of special events that the city has to offer.
In search of the classic Christmas experience? Put on a scarf and gloves and take part in the “Origins of Christmas Traditions” walking tour. Get in touch with your inner Edith Wharton and Henry James as New York City Discovering Walking Tours take you on a journey through Olde New York, exploring sites with connections to holiday traditions. ($13, call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place.)
If you’re just looking for a warm and welcoming place to hang out and throw back a few, join your fellow lost Christmas souls at Luna Lounge for an evening of general holiday merrymaking (i.e., drinking). There’s nothing like commiserating with other young professionals who couldn’t afford the plane ticket home to Nebraska. (Luna Lounge, 171 Ludlow St.)
Wary of giving up your annual Christmas ritual of Chinese food and a movie? Fret not, because the folks at Makor understand the importance of this age-old New York tradition and are hosting the second-annual “Christmas Day Chinese Food and a Movie.” Go the Ben Stiller route, with a double feature of “The Royal Tenenbaums” at 8 p.m. and “Zoolander” at 10. Mel Brooks fans can check out a bill featuring “Blazing Saddles” at 8 and “Young Frankenstein” at 9:45.All the Chinese food you can eat will be served. (Makor, 35 W. 62 St., 212-415-5500, $30)
Downtown, Sunshine Cinemas holds a special midnight screening of “The Muppets Take Manhattan.” (143 E. Houston St., $10.25, 12 a.m.) The Chinese food isn’t included, but Canal Street is only a few blocks south. Hailed “the New Super Jews” by Time Out New York, “Where in the World is Carmen San Diego?” composer/stand-up comic Sean Altman and Blender Magazine editor Rob Tenenbaum host “What I Like About Jew,” a music and comedy extravaganza at the Knitting Factory featuring Cindy Kaplan, Eric Schwartz, and Todd Barry. This foul-mouthed, eccentric duo have developed something of a cult following among New York comedy buffs and are known for their kooky onstage antics. (Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, 8:00 p.m., $12)
Speaking of new super Jews, the self-proclaimed “New Jew Review,” Heeb Magazine, hosts “Christmas Eve: Heeb Underground” at Eleven. For those looking to boogie down with the hipster Jews of the Lower East Side, DJs Synapse (Heads of State) and Gravy (Iration Soundz) will be spinning tunes into the wee hours of Christmas morning. (Eleven, 152 Orchard St., $12)
Nothing says Christmas like good old-fashioned klezmer music. Head to New York’s world music haven Satalla and catch “klezmer supergroup” Hot Pstrami perform their unique blend of klezmer and jazz. Founded in 1987 by Yale Strom, the group plays not only traditional klezmer standards but non-traditional, more experimental music as well. (37 W. 26 St., 7:00 p.m., $12)
On a similar note, Chasidic reggae phenom Matisyahu plays at BB Kings Blues Club. The 24-year-old wunderkind/Lubavitcher lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and his LP, “Shake off the Dust…Arise,” was released by Jdub Records in October. (BB King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42 St., 8:00 p.m., $12)
For those who treat Christmas Day as just other Saturday in December, catch the much-hyped “Dave Gorman’s Googlewhack! Adventure” at the Village Theater. The British comic’s one-man show deals with his journey into the world of “Googlewacking” – typing in two words into the search engine Google and yielding only one result – and has received praise both overseas and here across the pond. (The Village Theater, 8 p.m., tickets are $30 and $35 and are available through Ticketmaster.)