Winter in Lebanon is as beautiful as it can get. It is a blessing in so many ways, even if we cannot wear our swimsuits and sunbathe all day.
Here are 10 reasons that will make your hearts and minds look forward to the Lebanese cold wintery days.
#1 Getting an extra hour of sleep
The daylight-saving time is ending on October 26, which means sunset and sunrise will be an hour earlier.
In other words, when you wake up at 6:00 AM for work or school, you are actually waking up at 7:00 AM in the summertime.
What is better than getting an extra hour of sleep without getting yelled at by the teacher or told off by the boss? Absolutely nothing.
#2 No longer sweating your weight in traffic
If Beirut is known for anything, it is the long hours of traffic, specifically in the afternoons. During this time in the summer, the sun would be too sharp, your car’s AC would be gasping its last breath of cold air, and your sweat would have already turned your clothes damp.
This is all mystical during winter! All you have to do is close down your windows and enjoy some music without feeling like your co-workers can smell your sweat all the way to Dbayeh highway. Plus, you will get to save some fuel as you won’t have to turn the AC!
#3 Enjoying the snow
Yes, we are talking about the largest ski resort in the Middle East: Mzaar Kfardebian. Three months of driving up to Faraya mountains, skiing and snowshoeing, renting cottages, and drinking hot cocoa as you watch your friends fall down the Téléphérique and turn into snowmen. How cool is that?
#4 Christmas festivals
Nothing says festivity in Lebanon more than Christmas! From Jbeil to Zahle, street festivals and Christmas trees decorating every part of the neighborhood, guaranteeing a jolly season and a lot of cookies for Santa.
#5 Skipping school because of bad weather
Even if you are not a student anymore, we can all agree that nothing can match our happiness when the Minister of Education and Higher Education gives days off because of extreme cold and snow!
#6 Tarboosh is back on the market!
Admit it, as little as this might seem, seeing Tarboush back on sale in supermarkets turns us back into little children with chocolate all over our cheeks and yumminess inside our mouth.
#7 Bonfires, chimneys, and heaters
As cold as it can get, we all enjoy a night near a fireplace with a hot drink and a nice book. Or even long nights out with friends in Café Em Nazih near the fireplace and under the cloudy sky.
#8 Chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and melted cheese
I don’t know about you, but I am on chestnuts’ and sweet potatoes’ diet till the end of April! There is a warm sensual feeling about eating these little bites of warmth while curling up on the couch and watching some cliché Lebanese series.
#9 Watching a George Khabbaz play
The genius Lebanese director, composer, and actor George Khabbaz blesses our winter every year with a new comedy play that not only shadows the main conflicts recurring in Lebanon but also gives us good laughs that we carry till the very next winter.
#10 Spending time with family
It all comes down to this. Long nights near fireplaces is the greatest opportunity to gather up with siblings, parents, relatives, and even friends, all while watching Arab Got Talent or just chatting our troubles away.
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