Lean christmas in Paris?

Living off my scholarship money and the small wage N is earning, doesn't allow for many Christmas festivities in a city where Christmas rhymes very well with its name. Ok perhaps I am pushing it too far here, but who wouldn't associate Christmas to Paris? Shopping at La Fayette (or Val d'Europe), drinking hot chocolate at La Jacobine, visiting the marche de noel at la defense, in addition to the hundred other activities one can do.

This year we are enjoying a different version of Christmas period, a leaner version. Where one doesn't eat foie gras but cheap Carrefour made Pâté. If you go to the cinema, you opt for the 2D version instead of the 3D cause it saves you 3.56 euros per ticket. You keep on spreading yourself too thin, until the bank finally approves your 10,000 euros student loan, and then… just then you decide to make it all up! You go and buy your partner those 300 euros eye glasses, just to give yourself an excuse to buy in iPad, two cycling kits, four books, and brand new pair of camper shoes!

This year, santa (or my drying bank account) has brought us two return tickets to Beirut J with the same amount santa could've gotten us a 3 days trip to Amsterdam and an iPad 2… One can always argue that spending Christmas with family and friends as well as drinking coffee at Starbucks Sassine are priceless, while a fine joint in Amsterdam costs around 10 euros. Don't get me wrong I am psyched by the fact that I will be visiting Lebanon I am just presenting a constructive alternative.