As the semester wraps up and the holidays approach, brace yourself for the dining halls’ take on seasonal foods — slimy ham, teeth-cracking gingerbread and runny cranberry sauce.
Just because you’re stuck on campus during finals season doesn’t mean you should be subject to GW Dining’s ill-fated attempts to recreate classic holiday meals. No matter if you celebrate the holidays filling up on sweet treats or ordering Chinese takeout on Christmas night, treat yourself at one of these five spots around the District to get your fix on all of your seasonal favorites.
Christmas Cookies at Baked and Wired 
Since you can’t get grandma’s homemade Christmas cookies anywhere in D.C., settle for the next best thing: a holiday treat assortment from Georgetown bakery Baked and Wired. Baked and Wired offers a selection of Christmas cookies with classics like snickerdoodle ($3.75) and chocolate chip ($3.75). While visiting Baked and Wired, make sure to check out the coffee bar portion of the bakery to get an extra boost of energy during the busiest time of the year.
1052 Thomas Jefferson St. NW. Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Chinese dinner at Chang Chang 
For those who opt for a Chinese feast Dec. 25 instead of the usual ham-and-potato dinner, Chang Chang, a Sichuanese restaurant in Dupont Circle, will be open on Christmas and through the holiday season. On the lunch and dinner menu, Chang Chang has an extensive list of appetizers and small plates, like the garlic cucumber salad ($9) and kung pao chicken ($18).
With entrees like wagyu beef lo mein ($32) and sesame tofu ($20), you can load up on all your favorite Chinese plates at Chang Chang. In addition to dining in, the restaurant also offers a condensed takeout menu if you prefer to eat your Chinese dinner in the comfort of your home while binging all of your favorite holiday movies.
1200 19th St. NW. Open 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Hot Chocolate at Tryst 
Head to Adams Morgan-based cafe Tryst for a selection of hot chocolate to warm you up from the chilly December weather. The coffee shop and cocktail lounge sells traditional hot chocolate ($4) with a list of flavors that can be added to the drink for an additional 75 cents, like brown sugar, caramel, vanilla and hazelnut, to truly get in the holiday spirit.
Tryst also includes a Mexican hot chocolate ($4.50) on their seasonal menu, made with cayenne chili syrup, vanilla, chocolate and cinnamon. Pair your cocoa with a slice of Tryst’s warm pecan pie ($6.75) to improve on the lukewarm-at-best pies you might find at Thurston on a given Monday.
2459 18th St. NW. Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 7 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday.
Christmas Buffet at Farmers Fishers Bakers 
If the idea of Christmas dinner sounds appetizing but the actual cooking aspect not so much, Farmers Fishers Bakers has you covered with their all-you-can-eat Christmas day dinner buffet ($55). The dinner buffet, open from 2 to 8 p.m. on Christmas Day, will have you going back for seconds, thirds and probably even fourths for a truly gluttonous meal.
Participants can fill their plates with meats, like turkey or prime rib, and side dishes, like mashed potatoes and macaroni. The buffet also includes a variety of sweet treats with Farmers Fishers Bakers made-from-scratch desserts like cakes, donuts and cookies to end your meal on a sweet note.
3000 K St. NW. Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Spiked Eggnog at Death Punch 
Adams Morgan bar Death Punch transformed at the end of November into a winter wonderland, decked out with nutcrackers and candy canes and serving up holiday cheer until the end of December. The Jingle Balls Nog ($18) on their seasonal drink menu imitates the classic holiday beverage with ingredients like cream, egg, vanilla and nutmeg but is spiked with cream sherry and cognac.
For those who aren’t the biggest fan of eggnog, the holiday drink menu has 10 other cocktail options like the Christmapolitan ($18), made with winter flavors of cranberry and rosemary, and the Snowball Old-Fashioned ($18), a classic old fashioned with gingerbread. No matter if it’s as a two-week farewell to friends or a way to celebrate going home and getting to eat more than whatever District House is serving that day, these cocktails give a thematically appropriate way to ring in the holiday season.
2321 18th St. NW. Open noon to 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Graphics by An Ngo and Gia Kalyani.
