PARKERSBURG - As diverse as the traditions of different cultures are, most share a common theme of unity when it comes to celebrating the new year.
Rizkallah Helou and Chams Ekelman, co-owners of Chams' Lebanese Cuisine on Market Street, celebrated New Year's Eve Wednesday with a party for their customers. The event featured belly dancers along with traditional Lebanese dancing, clothing and cuisine, Helou said.
"The New Year is a very important day for the Lebanese," he said.
Helou said New Years' celebrations are a time to be close to family. It is common for Lebanese people to make a dinner reservation at a favorite restaurant prior to ringing in the new year in a party atmosphere.
Another tradition in Lebanese villages involves children playing on rope swings as they pass the time on New Year's Eve.
"They just pass the day out having fun," Helou said.
The new year is also a time for a person to test their luck. Many Lebanese may gamble to see what kind of luck they're going to have in the coming year, Helou said.
Traditional food also is featured heavily in the Lebanese New Year's celebration, Helou said. He said tabouleh (a Lebanese salad), rowkehbbeh, humus and baba ghanouj are favorite dishes for Lebanese celebrations.
Kiki and Francis Angelos have strong Greek heritage and incorporate manyof the traditions of their homeland into their yearly celebration. Kiki said members of the Greek Orthodox faith celebrate the The Feast of Epiphany, or Ta Phota, on Jan. 6, which is when they believe Jesus was baptized.
"In big cities everywhere, the priest has the blessings of the water. A cross is thrown into the water or ocean and the youth dive to get the cross with the one coming up with it having good luck for the year," Kiki said. "This is also a time when the priests make personal visitations to the home to bless the home and family."
The Angeloses, their children, George, Niki and Sophia, and grandchildren, Franklin, Eleni, Nadia and Kiki, all keep various Greek traditions throughout the year.
"New Year's Day will end with the entire family together with a mega meal consisting of a roasted leg of lamb and all the trimmings before the cutting of the baked vasilopita, which is sweet bread baked with a coin hidden in the bread," she said. "That is followed by a traditional New Year's desert of loukoumades, which are small like donuts dipped with warm honey and cinnamon."
