The Lebanese have been begging for lost joy at Christmas since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2019. Perhaps the occasion this year is more painful in light of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the obsession with the outbreak of war in southern Lebanon. After their hopes were for radical solutions to the dire living conditions, their aspirations have become that They enjoy security and stability.
Limited municipalities took the initiative to decorate their streets to celebrate the holiday, while the signs of celebration were absent from many homes, and some were content with the holiday cave, or a modest tree, so that children would not be deprived of the joy of Christmas, while some assert that the holiday has become for the powerful, who have become few.
Cynthia Fares (28 years old), who lives in southern Lebanon, summarizes the atmosphere of Christmas and New Year by saying: “The holiday is in the heart because of its importance and great meanings that symbolize the birth of Jesus Christ. This year is different from previous ones, as we did not put up the holiday tree as we used to because of the conditions it is facing.” People of Gaza: We cannot celebrate Eid while the Palestinian people are facing oppression and death, and we will not buy Eid clothes while there are groups in our society who are unable to secure a living. The economic situation is dire, and Eid is limited to buying some gifts for children.”
Fares continues: “Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, we have been living in an atmosphere of anxiety and tension, but we will not abandon our livelihood, our property, and our lands. Our hope on this Eid is that people will have a conscience and feel for their fellow man. Eid is not about appearances and gifts, but rather love, mercy, safety, and compassion.”
For his part, Charbel Kamla, a father of two sons, is trying to bring joy to the hearts of his family in the city of Jbeil (north). He says: “Every year we make sure to decorate the Christmas tree and prepare the cave as a blessing for the holiday. But this year we will just buy some clothes and gifts in order to plant a spark of hope and draw a little smile and joy in the hearts of the children, and make them feel that life is beautiful despite the bad reality in which we live.” Eid A symbolic religious occasion, and we are supposed to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ despite the economic situation that all Lebanese are suffering from, which does not cause joy.”
In turn, Nadia Lahoud asks: “Where is Eid when the citizens’ souls are burning? No salaries, no rights, no health or social care. The condition of employees is deplorable, and the ability of the Lebanese to recover has become non-existent. How do we think about Eid when our first concern is survival?” “My priority today is monitoring my husband’s health condition in light of the crisis circumstances.”
An attempt to bring joy to hearts (Ibrahim Shalhoub/AFP)
The mother of three children regrets the atmosphere that accompanied Christmas, and says: “They stole from us the joy of Christmas, which we were waiting for for the family to gather, distribute gifts, and draw joy on the faces of the children. Today, our main concern has become how we will endure. No one thinks about the condition of the people. The official is blessed. “With a comfortable and prosperous life, and the citizen is deprived of his most basic rights. Our hope is that their hearts will be openly compassionate so that we can restore the Eid atmosphere and make our children happy.”
Liliane Machaalani says: “We did not prepare anything for Eid, and we do not feel it. We follow the news of the Lebanese borders and the tensions that the people of the south are experiencing, and we are only worried. We live on my husband’s pension, which is a small amount. We will celebrate by having a family gathering on Christmas Eve so that We feel that we are absent from the holiday, as my children are not to blame for what is happening, and they are not aware of the current events or the difficult circumstances. We are constantly worried about the deteriorating situation in southern Lebanon, and we are all hopeful that security, peace and peace of mind will prevail.”
Maryam Dahdouh decided to exceptionally dispense with the Christmas tree this year due to the war on Gaza, and in solidarity with the children, martyrs and afflicted. She says: “Our joy at Eid is limited, as we are somewhat in a state of mourning for the massacres that we follow on a daily basis. We will content ourselves with preparing the nativity scene to rejoice in the anniversary of the birth of Jesus Christ, but without decorations out of respect for the plight of our people in Gaza and throughout Palestine, the cradle of Christ. The next day, we will visit Church for prayer and supplication.
She continues: “We will gather as a family on Christmas Eve for a dinner, but unfortunately there are families who are unable to do so as a result of difficult economic circumstances, and a number of families may be content with some limited food items on the Christmas table.”
For his part, Mario points out that he deliberately bought Eid necessities about a month ago in order to avoid the crazy rise in prices during the holiday period. He added: “The Christmas tree cost me 550 US dollars, not to mention the price of the decorations, which amounted to approximately 320 dollars. As for the grotto, it is in our house, and I had to allocate part of my salary to buy Eid gifts, which were limited to small family members.”
He believes that “the situation varies between families and regions. The wealthy and people who receive their salaries in hard currency live in the Eid atmosphere, and go to commercial centers, despite their discomfort from developments in the south of the country and the war in Gaza. However, it is noticeable that the usual Eid atmosphere is absent, as decorations and lighting are absent from most of the streets.” What is noteworthy this year is the initiative of many Lebanese to buy from small and emerging institutions and enterprises.”
2023-12-25 00:18:10
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