Today in Beirut: Santa…

While I was grocery shopping today in Beirut, after this morning’s bombing at the Iranian Embassy, I was surprised to see Christmas decorations being stocked on the shelves–since it seems like just yesterday that we had Christmas in Beirut.

Beirut is one of the most beautiful places in the world to celebrate Christmas–last year, some friends who were visiting during the holidays noted that Beirut had more festive Christmas decorations around the city than their own towns back home in the United States. After all, St. Nick was from the Middle East.

In addition to bright Christmas lights and decorative Christmas trees, Beirut offers a wonderful line-up of Christmas activities–like concerts of Christmas carols sung in a number of different languages, and even a bustling Christmas bazaar downtown…