New Year's Eve in Syria

Many Syrians like to celebrate New Year's Eve like Eid al-Adha or Christmas: going out to a sahara (staying-up-late) at a restaurant, with food, drink, and a singer of varying fame. However, this year, in solidarity with Gaza, all restaurant parties were cancelled by order of the government. I heard the same happened in Lebanon but I don't have any confirmation on that.

So instead, some friends and I met up at out friends apartment and welcomed in the New Year with drinks, dancing, and fireworks. Jeramana has got to be one of the best places for New Year's because the entire neighborhood was going crazy. Baba Noel likes to visit on New Year's here, and I saw several troops of Santas with one or two helpers in animal constumes. Parents pay groups to dress up and deliver presents to their children, which I found out when the upstairs neighbors' kids started screaming in delight.

Other neighborhoods might not be as fun. My boyfriend had to take today off work - it wasn't a holiday for his office. His office is all Muslims and they director found no reason to lose a day of work. He told the director he was taking it off and his coworker told him that New Year's is a Christian holiday and if he celebrates it than he shouldn't celebrate Eid, big or little. This is a coworker who often tries to coax my boyfriend into praying with him, and when I've visited the office he asks me what I know about Islam and if I'd like to know more. "What do you think about Muhammad?"
"He's cool." I usually get out of the situation by saying my standard, "I believe all religions are paths to the same truth" thing and "Oh! look at the time!"

Dude is completely missing the point of living in a multi-confessional society, which is naturally more holidays! I personally can't wait until the number of Muslims in America reaches a critical mass meaning Eid Mubarak specials at the local mall. And no work. A Dutch friend who traveled to Libya last Christmas said there were Christmas trees for sale. Libya is essentially 100% Muslim so he asked the Christmas tree seller about it.
"He's ouir prophet too!" And so he is.
From what I've seen, most Syrians, and the government, embrace the fun of religions and enjoy themselves some breaks. And parties.

Our multiconfessional (Sunni, Shi'i, Allawi, Christian, Druze, athiest) and mulinational (Syrian, Iraqi, American - me!) group got the party started after 11. There was no countdown, instead we all ran to the balcony when we heard the fireworks going off. All the neighbors bought fireworks, from sparklers and roman candles to big ones fired from rooftops. All of Jeramana was lit up. Since we forgot to buy any, we just cheered on the others. After 12 the cellphone networks tied up as all of Syria called to wish each other kul am wa intum bekheer!