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The holidays can conjure up traditions and customs being enjoyed by big extended families. But for a lot of folks, for a lot of reasons, the holidays don't always match the traditional greeting-card images.

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City Pages food blogger and dining critic Mecca Bos has dubbed her holiday tradition "Chosen Family Christmas." She spoke with MPR News' Tom Crann about how she celebrates Christmas.


 
 
Well, a few years ago I started noticing that my already small family was growing even smaller — my grandparents had passed on and my sister and her family had moved away. So having a big dinner in the home didn't really make sense anymore. But I still wanted some semblance of ritual at the holidays.


 
At around the same time, it was becoming more and more apparent how much my extended circle of friends meant to me — I think of them as my family in every sense of the word.


 
The best thing about this tradition is that everyone is welcome! Sometimes we have a large group and sometimes small — it's all about providing a space for people who either can't be with family, choose not to be, or have already had their fill of their family time and are ready to relax and cut loose a little.


 
My boyfriend is Jewish and doesn't celebrate Christmas, so he's always likely to be there, as is my close friend Sameh Wadi, who is Muslim. And, as the saying goes, the more the merrier!


 
I love these traditions: There are no hard-and-fast rules (except, of course, that you are truly choosing to be with us). It morphs and changes over the years and that's part of the beauty of it. I'm really looking forward to it this year, and as I said, everyone is welcome!
 

Mecca's picks for 'Chosen Family Christmas'

 isn't just a brilliant claymation skit from SNL. It's a real thing — Jewish folks get the run of the town on Christmas and I'm here to tell you that it's great fun to join them (or to be one). One case in point is the annual Jewbilee at 7th Street Entry, where bands, comedians and those who love them gather for music and laughter. This year, hear Meinong's Jungle, Planet Plookey, The Rivkinz, Kids Like Us and more.

We like a little heat to offset the chill of winter, and warming up from the inside out is as good a way to do so as any. Many Chinese restaurants are open at Christmas, but Szechuan Spice is an intimate spot in Uptown, where it's nice to gather around a table with a big group and slurp Dan Dan Noodles. Also check out all three locations of 

The Lowry is one of those neighborhood bars that doesn't go too far in any direction — it's neither divey nor twee, and there's something on the menu to please anyone, from chicken potstickers to chocolate-chip cookies — and its raucous enough for your hard-drinking friends, yet congenial enough for your grandma. Opens at 6 p.m. on Christmas Day for all of your thirsty needs.

John Oulman, owner of the 331 and Amsterdam Bar, personally bartends on both Thanksgiving and Christmas, when he keeps the bar open for those who "need" to be out on those days, and we do. You're going to need something to soak up the Margaritas and Lonestar Tallboys, and he recommends their "killer Reuben."

Palmer's Bar is the great equalizer. It's a place for everyone, so long as you've got the stones to cross the threshold. Inside, you'll find people from all walks of life: old, craggy dudes who've been sipping brown liquor so long they're practically affixed to the bar; bike punks with ear gauges so wide you can see through them clear to the other side of the bar; pretty young hipsters who've come to cut a rug to the piano-banging of Cadillac Kolstad. Perfect place to meet more orphans to adopt into your chosen family.

The entirety of the bar isn't open on Christmas, just the dim little annex with a jukebox in back. So dial up Mariah Carey and dance the night away with new and old friends. And of course, they pour the stiffest martini in the city, making socializing and booty-shaking easy.

Hotels have got to be poised with hospitality hats on at all times. The show must go on, 365 and 24/7. Turn to them with your hungry bellies and thirsty gullets at the holidays — Marin in the Hotel le Meridian is a good choice to flout traditional fare — their menu trends toward light, California-style cuisine, so you can indulge without the dreaded bulge.

If you're feeling extra flush this year, dine finely at Brasserie Zentral, where big-name chef Russell Klein is churning out fussed-up Eastern European food. They know how to do Christmas in that part of the world, so we would not be surprised if the crew has extra flair up their sleeves for the occasion. In any case, don't miss out on their dainty cookie program, so impeccable you'll never hanker for Nana's again.

With their many pool tables, sports screens and a jukebox, The Tap means there's lots of other stuff to do if you're already tipsy, stuffed, and conversation is flagging. Anyway, a pound of chicken wings, a Lucy and a tower of cheese curds trump a Christmas goose each and every time.

We like to go old-timey and classic at the holidays, for the evocative memories we never really had but wish we did. A big steak, baked potato and an icy martini go great with hunkering down at one of the oldest bars in the city — and its understated elegance offers an excuse to don your sparkles.

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Dining critic Mecca Bos offers her choices for where to spend Christmas if your idea of fun doesn't match the traditional greeting-card images.

Appetites: Where to spend Christmas with your 'chosen family'

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