By Sally Torbey
About this blog: About this blog: I have enjoyed parenting five children in Palo Alto for the past two decades and have opinions about everything to do with parenting kids (and dogs). The goal of my blog is to share the good times and discuss the ...
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About this blog: About this blog: I have enjoyed parenting five children in Palo Alto for the past two decades and have opinions about everything to do with parenting kids (and dogs). The goal of my blog is to share the good times and discuss the challenges of having a satisfying family life in a community where parents set a high bar for themselves, their children, and the schools and organizations that educate and socialize them. I grew up in the Midwest, attended a small liberal arts college on the East Coast and graduated from medical school in Chicago. I left a pediatric residency to care for our then infant son and spent the next dozen years contentedly gestating and lactating while having four more children. My husband grew up in the Middle East, came to the US for graduate school and works in high tech. Our eldest son graduated from a UC, and after working in the Middle East for a few years, now attends law school in NYC. Our eldest daughter graduated from a Midwestern Big Ten University and is a journalist in Texas. Our middle child studies engineering at a UC. The youngest two girls are in middle and high school in PAUSD. We are celebrating 20 years as PAUSD parents! I volunteer in the public schools, our church, and scouting.
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Christmas is an important religious celebration in the Middle East. After all, Christianity originated there! In Beirut, nativity scenes are ubiquitous. Every public square and many businesses, including the corner gas station, display the holy family, the animals, the shepherds, the kings and the angels artfully arranged in a rocky grotto. Initially I found this depiction confusing, but it was explained to me that historically livestock were sheltered in caves, so if Jesus was born in the region it was more likely in a cave than in a barn.
This year we were surprised and delighted to see how the holiday celebrations in Beirut expanded from past years to include German traditions, like the Christmas market and brightly lit and decorated fir trees, the American version of jolly Santa Claus, and arrays of red poinsettias on balconies. Rows of garland-draped alpine huts sold foods and crafts with a distinctly Arab influence. Honey, jams, apple cider, pistachio, roasted chestnuts, zaatar-laden flat bread, and rose water-infused desserts were available as well as artisanal goods like hand-painted leather and wood decorative items, candles, hand-worked metal dishes and jewelry, soaps, and intricately embroidered cloth.
Children painted pottery or were photographed with Santa, who did not disappear back to the North Pole on Dec. 26th, but stayed to spread holiday cheer through the New Year. We were heartened to see families of multiple faiths gathered together and enjoying the festivities throughout the holiday season.