L’Orient-Le Jour revives its tradition of ‘A Christmas of Solidarity’ this year

After a one-year hiatus in 2024 due to the war, L’Orient-Le Jour resumed its annual Christmas gift distribution for the less fortunate in 2025, seeking to bring smiles back to children during the holiday season. The 2025 edition was held on Wednesday, Dec.17, at the parish hall of the Sacré-Cœur Church in Beirut’s Badaro district.

As always, “A Christmas of Solidarity” allows parents to personally choose new gifts for their children, whether or not the children are present. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., volunteers from the newspaper welcomed families and guided parents through displays of gifts arranged by age group and interests: a wide selection of toys, board and educational games, figurines, sports items — everything to delight children aged 0 to 16.

In total, nearly 1,300 gifts were distributed this Christmas, with each family receiving two on average. As in previous years, the initiative was funded through a donation drive that raised $18,000. The beneficiaries included vulnerable Lebanese families as well as middle-class households affected by the successive crises since 2019.

While the first four editions were held in the Saint Joseph crypt in Monnot (Beirut) and the fifth at Mar Abda Church in Baabda (Mount Lebanon), the 2025 edition took place in a completely new neighborhood. “We wanted to reach a new community and support new families,” explains Maya Bassila, human resources director at L’Orient-Le Jour, who organized the event.

To better reach their target audience, our team contacted a dozen parishes and pre-registered 500 beneficiaries ahead of the event. That did not stop many people from learning about the event through word of mouth and coming to the church on Wednesday.

Father Fadi Sader, the parish priest, praised the initiative, saying it “reflects the spirit of the Church, which is to bring joy to children during the holiday.” He also welcomed that it was led by volunteers and allowed parents to collect gifts without their children, so the presents could be given discreetly.

Extending this spirit of solidarity beyond families, L’Orient-Le Jour’s “A Christmas of Solidarity” also turned its attention this year to children facing other forms of hardship. For the first time, the initiative includes visits to hospitalized children, with volunteers distributing gifts in two major Beirut hospitals in an effort to bring a moment of holiday cheer despite illness. Members of the team are scheduled to visit Hôtel-Dieu de France on Friday, dressed as Santa Claus, while additional gifts will be delivered to children receiving care at LAU Medical Center–Rizk Hospital.