By Town Crier Staff

Ever wonder what local Jewish residents do on Christmas Eve?

Chinese food and comedy, according to Gloria Goldblatt. The Los Altos resident will present “Chopshticks,” a fund-raiser, on Dec. 24. The event consists of performances by six local comedians, complemented by a six-course Chinese dinner.

For Jewish people and those who don’t celebrate Christmas, it’s kind of a lonely night, Goldblatt said.

“It’s really one of the few nights that everything is closed and that you’re really aware that you’re different,” she said.

Chinese restaurants are usually the only places open during the Christmas holiday, which is perfect, Goldblatt said, because “Jewish people love Chinese food.”

For several years, many venues have offered Chinese food and comedy on Christmas Eve. But “Chopshticks,” which will be held at the Golden Wok Restaurant in Mountain View, is the first such tradition to be offered on the Midpeninsula, according to Goldblatt.

“Events like this have been offered before in San Francisco and San Jose, but there was a need for something local,” she said.

Goldblatt’s husband is just one of six Bay Area comedians performing at the show. Most are professionals with day jobs outside of the comedy realm.

“He’s a physicist by day and comedian by night,” Goldblatt said.

She said she selected the comedians — five men and one woman — because they were “quick, clever and just sort of classy, a thinking man’s comedian.”

A no-host cocktail and schmooze hour will begin at 6:30 p.m., and dinner and the comedy show will follow at 7:30 p.m.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Jewish Coalition for Literacy, which trains and sponsors volunteer reading tutors in public schools.

Tickets are $45 in advance, $55 at the door. Golden Wok Restaurant is located at 895 Villa St., in Mountain View.

For more information, call Gloria Goldblatt at 949-1033 or logon to www.chopshticks.com.