Lebanon’s economic meltdown threatens to cancel Christmas

Lebanon’s economic meltdown threatens to cancel Christmas

DUBAI: Christmas is a time for celebration around the globe, but this year Lebanon and the Lebanese will find it hard to enjoy the seasonal festivities amid what the World Bank has called one of the worst depressions of modern history. Farah Fouad, a single mother, said that some parents who cannot afford gifts for their children are telling them that Santa Claus is sick and not coming this year. Even the price of Christmas decorations are rocketing out of reach for many families. Maroun Yousef, a father of three children who works in the Gulf, said: “I earn my salary in dollars since I work overseas, yet my wife told me that prices are unbelievably high.” An average-sized tree costs between $80 and $120 —between 2 million and 3 million pounds at the present black market rate. “This doesn’t make sense at all and kills the season’s spirit. Adults might accept the idea of not having a Christmas tree, but imagine how children would feel! This dollar crisis has been killing everything in Lebanon, literally everything,” he said. In the past few days, the country has witnessed nationwide protests as the dollar reached the highs of 25,000 in local