Santa Claus
Beirut seeks Christmas cheer after devastating year
Near the wreckage of Beirut’s port, a charity is bringing Christmas cheer to a city hammered by a devastating explosion, rising coronavirus infections and the worst economic crisis since Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. The Solidarity Christmas Village, decked out with flashing fairy lights and glittering trees, has been offering visitors free entry to watch concerts and pick up drinks and snacks, lifting the mood of families who can’t afford seasonal luxuries. People dressed in giant polar bear costumes and others in Santa Claus outfits offer some festive spirit to a country that is a patchwork of Christian and Muslim sects. “We need to make our children happy …. even if we are tired,” said Toni Hossainy, who had brought her son. The Christmas village has been set up in a temporary warehous...
Rare Christmas sales in Saudi Arabia
Christmas trees and glittery ornaments are for sale at a Saudi gift shop, a once unthinkable sight in the cradle of Islam where all public non-Muslim worship is banned. In recent years, festive sales have gradually crept into the capital Riyadh, a sign of loosening social restrictions after Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman pledged to steer the conservative Gulf kingdom towards an “open, moderate Islam”. “I didn’t ever imagine I’d see this” in Saudi Arabia, a Riyadh resident told AFP at the shop selling trees, Santa Claus outfits as well as tinsel, baubles and other ornaments. “I am surprised,” said the resident, declining to be identified. Until barely three years ago, it was almost impossible to sell such items openly in Saudi Arabia, but authorities have been clipping the powers of the c...
Undercover Cheer: Peruvian Cops Dress As Santa & Elf To Take Down Drug Ring
Source: Fotoholica Press / Getty If you’re in South America moving dirty take this as your formal warning. The law is feeling very festive about giving out long sentences for the holiday. As spotted on TMZ the police in Peru are dedicated to their career and they are even staying in theme. Earlier this week a pair of badges dressed up as Santa Claus and an elf while on the prowl for bad guys. According to the report the team busted in a trap house in the city of Lima that suspected of moving pounds of weed. In the footage this festive duo is seen taking a hammer to the door and promptly got to work. Their hunches seemed to be on point as they found several tons of weed there. Additionally they recovered some guns and paraphernalia on the scene. This is not the first time the Lima Poli...
