# Christmas 2010 - only 75 days to go...



## UKJ (Nov 12, 2009)

It's mid-October and I haven't seen a single Christmas advert on TV yet. Very strange. 

I was hoping for some tips for people actually staying in Dubai for Christmas this year, based on previous expereince. I appreciate we're in a Muslim country, but with all the expats here, I guess there must be some festivities.


Can you actually buy a real Christmas tree here, if so where? 
Are there any carol concerts? 
Where is good for Christmas Eve, will any of the bars/clubs have a night of endless Christmas cheese? 
Where is good to go for a Christmas Day lunch, do you need to book in advance? 
Any tips for something fun for Christmas day? Does anywhere BBQ turkey on the beach or is there carol singing in the snow dome or anything?

Any tips would be very much appreciated! Only 75 days to go...


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

UKJ said:


> It's mid-October and I haven't seen a single Christmas advert on TV yet. Very strange.
> 
> I was hoping for some tips for people actually staying in Dubai for Christmas this year, based on previous expereince. I appreciate we're in a Muslim country, but with all the expats here, I guess there must be some festivities.
> 
> ...


See my answers about in red. It is still a bit early for most places to put up any kind of decorations though they do decorate all the malls and a lot of the shops also make an effort to decorate their window display. Give it a couple of weeks and Time Out will bring out its annual list of all the hotels and restaurants that have special Xmas dinner. Most of the hotels have something so there will be plenty to choose from. On the other hand, if you like to hang out a particular place, you can always call them up and ask them about what they have on for Xmas.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

UKJ said:


> It's mid-October and I haven't seen a single Christmas advert on TV yet. Very strange.
> 
> I was hoping for some tips for people actually staying in Dubai for Christmas this year, based on previous expereince. I appreciate we're in a Muslim country, but with all the expats here, I guess there must be some festivities.
> 
> ...




Check the British Embassy for a carol concert.. we have on every year in the embassy gardens.
My tip for a great Christmas.. if you can go home do so..


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> My tip for a great Christmas.. if you can go home do so..


My thoughts exactly! Christmas in the UAE is very disappointing when you compare it to the UK and unless you have family and friends to celebrate it with, it can be a very lonely affair.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Maz25 said:


> My thoughts exactly! Christmas in the UAE is very disappointing when you compare it to the UK and unless you have family and friends to celebrate it with, it can be a very lonely affair.




Every Christmas I have spent in Cairo I have spent crying.
There is no atmosphere, no sense of urgency to buy last minute presents.
No Slade.. and although you get sick hearing it in the U.K I would give my right arm to hear it playing in the mall. No telling the children to count the Christmas trees in the windows when you are driving along.
Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas day in January... so we haven't even got the local Christians joining in on the 25th.

I am depressing myself thinking about it


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> Every Christmas I have spent in Cairo I have spent crying.
> There is no atmosphere, no sense of urgency to buy last minute presents.
> No Slade.. and although you get sick hearing it in the U.K I would give my right arm to hear it playing in the mall. No telling the children to count the Christmas trees in the windows when you are driving along.
> Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas day in January... so we haven't even got the local Christians joining in on the 25th.
> ...


Same here, I'll be spending Xmas on my own this year as my family have decided to stay away and celebrate Xmas at home properly - can't really blame them! Got a few single colleagues so we're already making plans to go out and drink ourselves silly - can't be that depressing if I can't remember it!


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

And of course it isn't an official holiday..

No midnight mass
No waking up on Christmas morning and looking out to see if it has snowed... come on I bet you all do it.
No nice walk to get your dinner down and see all the kids out on their new bikes.
No Boxing day cold turkey with pickles and mash
No hunting for me,

It is just as well I don't have a beam to go with this rope,lol


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

aawww  

I totally agree with you guys, I really can't imagine Christmas without my family, I am looking forward to it so much and I am counting the weekends til I see them (I like counting weekends better than days, somehow it feels shorter!). As much as I like and enjoy my life in Dubai, I don't think I'd be able to do this whole expat thing unless I knew I am going home for Christmas (and preferably for summer holidays too)


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Wow! You guys really did a number on me now! I opened up this thread thinking it'll be all cheery and good Lord what a big mistake! 
My son is going to be spending Christmas with his dad in Thailand and so I'm going to be all alone at home. I have lots of family and friends out here, but the thought of not having my son around is just too depressing to even think about! I think I'm going to have to gate crash Maz's party and get drunk too!


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> No waking up on Christmas morning and looking out to see if it has snowed... come on I bet you all do it.


Lol I wish.. I am from the wrong hemisphere to do that! 

I think we will be following Maz's lead. Though I might spend some of the lead up making some of the usual treats our family has..


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

ahhh  This is a sad thread. 

What I cant imagine is going to some restaurant for Christmas dinner???? Its the oddest thing I think I could EVER imagine doing. Even here, in a place with no family, I think if I had off from work, I could manage to find a few friends to have a Christmas dinner at 'home'. But alas... I work thanksgiving, christmas, and new years. Shall be a sad holiday year once again.


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

Well i loved Christmas here last year! NO horrible wet snow, no need to defrost the car, no overhyped commercial pressure to buy last minute presents, no dishes to do. Of course its completely different but it was really relaxing and thanks to Al Qasr it was one of the best Chrimbo lunches that I ever had. 
Guess it depends on your attitude to life in general and life in Dubai in particular, you just have to make the best of it otherwise you won`t enjoy it.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

Felixtoo2 said:


> Well i loved Christmas here last year! NO horrible wet snow, no need to defrost the car, no overhyped commercial pressure to buy last minute presents, no dishes to do. Of course its completely different but it was really relaxing and thanks to Al Qasr it was one of the best Chrimbo lunches that I ever had.
> Guess it depends on your attitude to life in general and life in Dubai in particular, you just have to make the best of it otherwise you won`t enjoy it.


Agree to a certain extent Felix, but to me personally it's family and loved ones who actually make up the whole spirit of Christmas. So, if I have my family around, I don't care if we're in a tent somewhere having bread and butter sandwiches, we're still celebrating together and that is what matters in the end. 
Still, I've never let anything put a damper on Christmas before so I'm not going to this year as well. Time to start making some Christmas sweets!


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## newbie913 (Aug 31, 2010)

Its going to be the first time for 6 years I am not in the UK during Christmas. Going to be strange


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

UKJ said:


> [*]Can you actually buy a real Christmas tree here, if so where?


IKEA have sold them in the past, but they run out quick. Ace and probably the big garden centre on SZR



UKJ said:


> [*]Are there any carol concerts?


Irish Village have a nice big tree, when they switch on the lights they have a choir and free mulled wine.



UKJ said:


> [*]Where is good for Christmas Eve, will any of the bars/clubs have a night of endless Christmas cheese?


Probably only that cheese and wine bar in Wafi (forget the name)



UKJ said:


> [*]Where is good to go for a Christmas Day lunch, do you need to book in advance?


Everywhere is open as it's a normal working day for the rest of Dubai, however most place do get busier so book ahead.


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

geeeeeeeeeeeee i'm really depressed now... didn't know xmas was so bad here until i read some posts...


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

Lol I am looking forward to it...  I didn't come to Dubai for things to be the same as New Zealand!!


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## UKJ (Nov 12, 2009)

Rochelle said:


> Lol I am looking forward to it...  I didn't come to Dubai for things to be the same as New Zealand!!


What a depressing thread! I didn't mean to start something like this, I was hoping to get a few tips for making the most of/embracing being in a foreign land at Christmas (which some people have done, so thank you for your pointers). 

I'm with Rochelle on this. Along with others who can't get home, we'll be spending Christmas 2010 looking for some fun, goodwill and festive spirit - I'm sure we'll find it somewhere! 

An early Merry Christmas/Bah Humbug (depending on your persuasion) to you all...


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

bah humbug? How do you know my grandfather?! 

well I for one will definitely be going to the irish village for the free mulled wine.. FREE ALCOHOL IN DUBAI!?  

In true NZ style I will be going somewhere near a beach (beach at xmas is a NZ tradition!)  

I will be enjoying the chance to have a xmas dinner without having to wash up!

and I will be listening to cheesy carols.. even if only on my ipod!


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## UKJ (Nov 12, 2009)

Rochelle said:


> I for one will definitely be going to the irish village for the free mulled wine..
> 
> In true NZ style I will be going somewhere near a beach (beach at xmas is a NZ tradition!)


Free mulled wine sounds like a great idea! 

As does the beach - it's obviously not a tradition in England, more of a dream!


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## HannuK (Sep 17, 2010)

Do they decorate the winter thingy in mall of the emirates? you know the winter wonderland they have there. Being from Sweden it will be very strange to wake up on xmas and open the blinds to be greeted by the middle eastern sun.

Will probably send the family home and come drink myself silly with you guys gurgling swedish xmas carols and other songs


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## UKJ (Nov 12, 2009)

HannuK said:


> Do they decorate the winter thingy in mall of the emirates? you know the winter wonderland they have there.


I don't know, but I reckon that there must be something going on there on Christmas Eve - there must be thousands of people wanting a white Christmas!


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

Lol and we dream of snow.. our entire family is heading to switzerland next year for a (hopefully) white christmas.. all the way from Nz !!! 

Sweidsh xmas carols?!  now this I have to hear!!


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## HannuK (Sep 17, 2010)

Rochelle said:


> Lol and we dream of snow.. our entire family is heading to switzerland next year for a (hopefully) white christmas.. all the way from Nz !!!
> 
> Sweidsh xmas carols?!  now this I have to hear!!







here you go, a little sample of Swedish xmas singedy dingy


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## saima1215 (May 31, 2010)

I don't celebrate Christmas but thank god I will be on vacation to NY around that time. I grew up seeing a white snowy Christmas morning all my life and can't imagine missing that. Christmas is amazing in NYC.


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## illawarrior (Aug 16, 2010)

UKJ said:


> It's mid-October and I haven't seen a single Christmas advert on TV yet. Very strange.
> 
> I was hoping for some tips for people actually staying in Dubai for Christmas this year, based on previous expereince. I appreciate we're in a Muslim country, but with all the expats here, I guess there must be some festivities.
> 
> ...


presumably you relocated to Dubai to experience a different culture .... give Xmas a miss for a change


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

WOOOHOOOOO..... I am hopefully going to get to work the opposite schedule, will get christmas off, and then get six days off in a row, 30th thru the 4th of Jan. Off I go to a winter wonderland in germany... Ahh, its going to be beautiful


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## nat_c (Mar 7, 2010)

Having lived in the UK all my life, I've only spent one Xmas in the UK that I can remember and that was last year and I have to admit it was one of the worst Xmas' I can remember! I've always gone abroad and the first time I visited Dubai was for Xmas.

Everyone seems to rave about Xmas until it's actually here and then the few days afterwards are full of people moaning about how cold it was, rushing around at last minute to buy crap presents for people you probably hardly ever see, having to listen to old aunt Mavis' incontinence problems.... call me bah humbug but most people I know just complain about the whole thing, and don't get me started on New Year.

When I came here for Xmas we had an amazing gala dinner on xmas and new year (it was probably a brunch kind of thing), the hotel was decorated festively, they had santa for the kids with presents, the malls had decorations up and I enjoyed it

It's all about making the most of it and if you want to be miserable then go ahead but just make the most of it, you've come to another country for a reason, just go along with it! Appreciate I don't have a big family but if family is so important there's almost always a way to be with them although it might be a tad expensive!

Here's to getting rat arsed on Xmas day in typical british style!


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## Rochelle (Sep 20, 2010)

Why do they always presume adults don't want santa and presents?!  

beatiful xmas carol... even if I have no idea whats going on..  I take it that it isn't a translation of Rudolph the red nosed reindeer?


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

illawarrior said:


> presumably you relocated to Dubai to experience a different culture .... give Xmas a miss for a change




Well I am not in Dubai but I can tell you as an expat I relocated for money.. not for the experience.

Give Christmas a miss??? Lol wonder if you would tell a Muslim to give Ide a miss if he was elsewhere.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

nat_c said:


> Having lived in the UK all my life, I've only spent one Xmas in the UK that I can remember and that was last year and I have to admit it was one of the worst Xmas' I can remember! I've always gone abroad and the first time I visited Dubai was for Xmas.
> 
> Everyone seems to rave about Xmas until it's actually here and then the few days afterwards are full of people moaning about how cold it was, rushing around at last minute to buy crap presents for people you probably hardly ever see, having to listen to old aunt Mavis' incontinence problems.... call me bah humbug but most people I know just complain about the whole thing, and don't get me started on New Year.
> 
> ...


I would give my right arm to spend Christmas with my family but so would everyone in my department, which is why some of us will end up staying here to man the fort! I was planning on calling in sick on Boxing Day but my boss just reminded me that I would be the only one on my team working so will only be drinking moderately on Christmas Day or else, get absolutely hammered on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas Day sleeping it off - should be all over by the time I'm up!!! 

P.S Not having a go at you - just ranting about my bad luck & having to work over the festive season!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

MaidenScotland said:


> Well I am not in Dubai but I can tell you as an expat I relocated for money.. not for the experience.
> 
> Give Christmas a miss??? Lol wonder if you would tell a Muslim to give Ide a miss if he was elsewhere.


Agree with you...Christmas was the last thing on my mind when I decided to move here! It's always been about the money - take that away and I'll be out of here like a shot! Or in my case, put an offer on the table, in the country that I want to move to next, and it will be bye bye so long farewell Dubai! 

I'm used to having the whole week off work in the UK so it is a shock to the mind and body that I have to work on Christmas day or that we can't all have the day off. Will quite happily forfeit Eid holidays if I could have Christmas holidays instead!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

A whole 75 days to go. It's ages away!  I am really pleased that Christmas doesn't go on for endless months here.

There is plenty of Christmas cheer:

Carol concerts - many churches, plus usually the Lakes Club & many years Wafi have school choirs singing carols, as do many of the schools.

Visit Father Christmas at Wafi Mall, They always decorate with a theme. In previous years it has been Narnia & Alice in Wonderland.

Christmas music in just about every mall & shop.

Real trees from Ace, Dubai Garden centre, the plant souk & many of the nurseries by the mosques

Decorations sold in numerous places although the best are in Falcon Gallery Al Quoz), which also supplies the major hotels.

Frankly, you can be as festive as you want to be...
-


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## pmac34 (Jan 4, 2010)

At last some positivity!

I will be glad to here in Dubai for Christmas this year. Normally by the 25th of December in Dublin you have been bombarded with so many Christmas adverts on TV, radio and in the shops (since the middle of October) that come the big day itself you have already had enough. 

Yes I will miss family at home but will enjoy sharing Christmas day with another Irish family and friends. Won't miss the usual rain though.

Great that you can get a real tree here - that's a big one for me at Christmas and I have to agree with Nat C like most things it is what you make of it that counts.

Looking forward to a trip to the Irish Village- pity it's not free Guinness they give out!


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