Christmas Event for Pet Charity

A merry and balanced Christmas to all - Paula Manoli-Gray

Despite my best attempts to ignore any signs of Christmas, it is getting harder and harder to avoid it, so I will have to concede that yes, it is indeed getting closer.

I don't like Christmasy things too early, I think December 1 is a good time to start it all, but I do understand that shops have to start early because their competitors do, which in turn makes them start even earlier to get in there before their competitors… and round and round it goes in a cycle of not wanting to miss out, hence the date moves forward year by year!

Although I am not keen on too much Christmas too early, I do still love it because I have two young children and there are wonderful events in Larnaca with a real seasonal spirit. They love the whole razzmatazz of it all, and of course, using Santa as a behaviour tool is very handy! But every year I become more and more jaded with Christmas as an adult because I cannot stand the way it is being made into a secular celebration, like people are embarrassed to acknowledge that it is a Christian celebration to honour the birth of Christ. Even my writing it here may make some people uncomfortable, but if that sounds like you then you shouldn't be jumping on the bandwagon of Christmas and using it as an excuse for presents, gluttony and parties. There, I said it!

In truth, Christmas has now become a commercial holiday for excess and nothing more; the shops rub their hands with glee, the bars and restaurants rub their hands with glee, the supermarkets can bring out whole new ranges to cash in on, and it just reeks of greed, materialism and hedonism with a flip side of stress and feelings of inadequacy.

Personally, I partake in and enjoy the ritual of giving gifts, the social gatherings and the seasonal foods, but I am careful to balance out stories of Santa leaving stockings with the nativity story for my children, and I do remind them why it is Christmas and what it means, whilst still embracing the other elements of it. I don't deny that for some, Christmas is a welcome break from the norm, as it always brings cheer and a message of hope and positivity – and a chance to let out steam at parties too – but we need to balance it out and ensure that we do at least acknowledge the 'reason for the season'.

Cyprus' main religion is Greek Orthodox, so Christmas for many on the island is still about it's original meaning; as is Easter, but every Christmas we read stories from the UK press about how the nativity play is not allowed in case it offends non-Christian children and parents and many cards use the terms 'happy holidays' or 'season's greetings' instead of the word 'Christmas' for the same reason.

Like many things that Cyprus still does right (as hard as it may be for some to believe!), I hope my little island is strong enough to maintain its faith for its religious celebrations too because I can honestly see children in generations to come not having a clue who Joseph, Mary and Jesus are, just as we no longer have a clue why Halloween exists. Do YOU know the reason for Halloween?

First appeared in The Cyprus Weekly 21/11/14

Emma's Lunch - 2nd Birthday Bash

Classic opera concert “THE MAGIC OF OPERA”

On 21 of November 2014 in Limassol (Theatre RIALTO) at 7 p.m. Moscow academic Musical theatre named after Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko, one of the leading musical theatres of Russia, presents Classic opera concert "THE MAGIC OF OPERA".

The gold voices of the theatre Natalia Petrozhitskaya (Soprano) and Dmitry Zuev (Baritone) – are participants of numerous prestigious International festivals and Vocal Competitions.

The most demanding public will be pleased of the concert program:
• Rossini, "The Barber of Seville" (Figaro's Aria)
• Bellini, "Norma" (Casta Diva)
• Mozart "Don Giovanni" (Duet of don Giovanni and Zerlina, 3rd Donna Elvira's Aria, "Champagne Aria")
• Puccini, "Gianni Schicchi" (Lauretta's Aria "O mio babbino caro", Aria Gianni Schicchi)
• Leoncavallo, "I Pagliacci" (Duet of Silvio and Nedda)
• Rachmaninoff (Prelude)
• Tchaikovsky, "The Queen of spades" ( Liza's Aria "Where from these tears", Aria of Prince Yeletsky)
• Tchaikovsky "Eugene Onegin" (The Final scene).

Piano accompaniment by Antonina Kadobnova (principal concertmaster of the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Concervatory).

Duration of concert - 2 hour with interval.
Recommended age - 12 +.
Price of tickets: 20 Euro.

Breathing life back to Faneromeni - Paula Manoli-Gray

Last week's news that the old leper colony of Agios Charalambous along Faneromeni Street will become a University of Cyprus campus is most exciting! Granted, it will take years to become a reality – two years before construction is started, then however long it takes to complete it – but imagining the area full of life is wonderful.

My parents live in a street off of Faneromeni and close to the colony. As such, I spent my youth in the area and vividly remember it in its heyday. Like Dhekelia Road at the time, Faneromeni was a thriving street and its selection of shops made it almost unnecessary to head into town for shopping. From fruit to shoes, and gifts to haberdashery, Faneromeni had it all.

But like its then-popular cousin, Dhekelia Road, the last decade has seen a steady decline. To the unfamiliar eye, the street appears to be doing okay with a wide mix of establishments, and seems busy enough, but the residents of the area know it's not what it used to be.

The prospect of new life that the university will bring has so excited some in the area, that they are already planning on turning their properties into student digs, and a big name developer with a strong presence in neighbouring Drosia is also readying itself for the big day. For the struggling shops along the street, holding out and struggling for a few more years until the big cash cow comes to town offers a ray of hope. Imagine cafes, restaurants, shops and services all filled with young adults… If the street plays its cards right with its choice of establishments geared towards the youth, it may very well end up giving other popular areas of the town a run for their money.

As for the leper colony, I have to admit it always appeared creepy to me. Logically, I know that it is nothing sinister, but as a child, the stories were of residents that looked like zombies with body parts missing and misshapen features. We would never dare approach it, and it took me many years to finally pluck up the courage to drive through and have a look. What I found was a quaint and peaceful little community of small houses and a church. There were a couple of old ladies sat outside on chairs - nothing sinister at all, but my childhood impressions will always remain with me.

I don't think there is anyone left now, or if there is, it is only a handful of very elderly patients, but I do wonder what will happen to the church when it becomes a university. The church was moved to the colony brick by brick from the old colony in Nicosia and rebuilt by the residents themselves in 1955, as such, it is a piece of the town's history. I hope it is treated with respect and incorporated into the campus.

And of course, the university development comes with a national park for the adjacent salt lake, which is also fabulous news, although the combination of boisterous, carefree students and a protected natural area isn't one that really marries well on paper! I just hope that there is enough along the regenerated Faneromeni street to keep the young 'uns occupied and merry, and that we won't regret putting a university next to one of our loveliest beauty spots.