n. A Jewish party or dance held on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
2007
It's time businesses faced up to Facebook.
Some users waste hours on social notworking sites, but a gentle hint may work better than a ban.
Some users waste hours on social notworking sites, but a gentle hint may work better than a ban.
2003
My brother Adam told me that it was traditional to hold Christmas Eve parties among Jewish singles living in Manhattan in the 1990s — after all, the following day was a day off from work. The parties were for Jews because Christians were assumed to be with their families on Christmas Eve. These parties were called "Matzoh Balls."
2002
On the other side of town, at Club Medusa in Belltown, close to 500 Jews, aged 21 to 40, will gather for the annual "Matzoh Ball," a Christmas Eve social dance held in cities across the country.
1989 (earliest)
What started as an annual Christmas eve party, a "Matzo Ball," has evolved into a big boogie and social phenomenon that attracts Jews from as far as Rhode Island and Maine.
The Matzoh Ball pun has been used as a joke punchline for many years, and has also been used to refer to non-Christmas Jewish parties (particularly around Passover) since at least the mid-80s, although probably long before that.
Thanks to subscriber b.santo for passing along the term and the link to Mitch Wagner's blog entry.
Thanks to subscriber b.santo for passing along the term and the link to Mitch Wagner's blog entry.