End of year parties in Lebanon...

Back in the day, every other restaurant, hotel, resort had its own end of year party with artists ranging from A to D and prices conveniently. Actually, one time, popular singer Georges Wassouf was asked live on air if his party's tickets cost 100 USD by a certain lady, to which he quipped "if you want to sit next to washrooms, then yes". 

I have no idea how much tickets cost for the parties this year considering that the economy is completely cash-based and Dollarized at this point. But I do have a feeling there is nothing accessible in them to the average layman. Still, the fact that there are parties - and the above am sure a sample (meaning there are others whose ads I did not do a screenshot) - is a small indicator that there is a semblant of life creeping in on the Lebanese scene. Most A-list singers are ringing the New Year outside Lebanon where offers are more forthcoming and lucrative. Yet knowing that someone like Haifa Wehbe would be here is itself a nice booster. 

2023 has not been the easiest of years, as I said previously the second half was a complete nosedive on many levels and the situation in Palestine and the South of Lebanon did not make things any easier. A yet here we are so close to wrapping up the year and gearing for another one to come!

And for New Year's Eve.... a party!

Wow!!! 2019, 2020, 2021... Barely any whisper at all... New Year came and went and with just the smallest traces. Sure, there were a few parties here and there. And no, it was not just the pandemic. It was that horrible economic crash which took everything in its wake. But this year? You better believe it - there are end of year parties. Sure, the ads vary in terms of star wattage, and certainly no prices posted on the ads, but the mere idea that end of year parties are back - on whatever scale - is an indicator that 1) either the Lebanese market is improving slightly 2) we are the most demented people there has ever been 3) both 1 and 2 are correct.

As I said there are really some big stars, some acts to open the soiree, and again no pricing schemes for the tickets, no details about the food and alcohol (is it the usual open bar as the pre-crisis ambiance dictated or is every drop calculated?). Do note however that Hany Chaker, the Egyptian star and the former head of  the musicians' syndicate in Egypt, is at the Atlal Plaza (whereas major Lebanese stars are spread across the Gulf region) - OK this is one day prior to NYE but it still counts. 

Still, the above 4 images are just a sample of some more ads present on the streets. So yes, there are more parties indeed.

2020, the year of small joys

Was this year horrible? By all  measures it was.

And yet, we survived it. Only a few days and it would end. Of course, when one remembers it, maybe the most striking day would be that of the August 4th explosion, if you happen to be a Lebanese (I almost died twice that day). I previously have cautioned how to survive 2020 - the trick is simple - suspend all comparisons (here). But if I choose to remember a day of this wretched year, it would be September 11, the day of the Ethiopian new year.

You see, A., our househelp was invited to a sleepover. Her mother in Ethiopia firmly banned her from going because of all the Coronavirus cases popping up. To say the young girl was disappointed was an understatement. So I suggested she would host a party at our house. At first she thought I was joking, but I doubled down with "so, who do you want to invite?". Whereas she did not answer, I knew she was plotting it in her head.

And so indeed, on September 11, day of the new year, she went about cleaning the house and cooking and what not. Then early in the afternoon, I smelled something being baked. I went to the kitchen to check what the smell was, and A. put her finger on her mouth to indicate secrecy. It turned out to be a cake. 

So indeed, nuts were fried the Ethiopian way, leftover Lebanese roasted nuts and potato chips were assembled in small dishes, pop corn was popped, cola bottles manifested themselves (including a Mirinda which is the choice drink for celebration in Ethiopia), a small low table was decorated with flowers and an incense diffuser (with coffee cups for after the food and drink), and A. changed into a nice dress and high heels which she had ordered from an internet shop and which had arrived the day before. All this happened without my mother noticing as she was sitting in her Morris chair in the salon.

Two girls who worked in neighboring houses came by, and A. invited mother to preside on the celebrations. To be honest even I did the effort of actually wearing something that was not my usual house shorts. And there we were, eating cake and having cola drinks, mother was bestowing well wishes on the girls and they would repeat with "Amen" after each one in unison (health, wealth, prosperity, peace of mind and so on....). I made sure to take photos of everyone and send them to A. on whatsapp who immediately sent them to both the girls there but also to her parents in Ethiopia.

About three or four hours later, A. changed into jeans and trainers and went with the girls to the house where one of them worked for dinner. At about 8 in the evening she came back all smiling and giggling. I asked her if she had fun during the day. And she answered with a resounding "eehhh" (Lebanese for yes), and if she thought this was better than the sleepover - again she agreed.

Actually, we are a very low-key house in term of celebrations. Rarely do I invite people over (by choice mind you), and we do not hold extended family celebrations. Even Sunday lunches are a 15 minute thing. In case you did not know, Sunday lunches are Marathonic affairs in certain families that join lunch to dinner and go well into the night. So hosting a party was totally out of character.

But hey, 2020 was indeed a year of small joys. And the day of the Ethiopian new year was one of them.