Christmas in Dubai | ExpatWoman.com
 

Christmas in Dubai

99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:20

My husband & I have only been here since the end of August, and won't be going home this Christmas...it's going to be tough as a lot of our friends here will be away visiting their home countries, and we're going to really miss being back in the UK for a real wintery Christmas, so are there any suggestions on what to do here for the two weeks we have off? Anywhere that does a really good Christmas dinner on Christmas day? Do the malls put Christmas trees up closer to the time? TIA...I'm a huge lover of Christmas festivities, twinkling fairy lights, mince pies.... :(

29
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 12 November 2011 - 12:32
Last year we went to ski Dubai as it opened at 9am and played in the snow park. By the time family woke up in the UK, we had snowy Dubai Christmas pictures for them and it was lots of fun - not that busy either! Mall of The Emirates also had carol concerts in their Dutac theatre in December, and we did the panto at Madinat on Christmas eve followed by the Christmas markets. There's def plenty of christmas activities here! plus M&S Sell mince pies!!
2383
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 17:49
Call the hotel or golf club's main number and they will tell you. The hotels usually have a festive brochure with all the details of turkey prices, sizes, etc. and all their other Christmas goodies. You can just buy the turkey from some places and do you own veggies. I prefer to have fresh roasties, etc.
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 14:11
websites here are not what they could be! i'd try calling up one of the restaurants within the hotel and asking them...
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 14:06
How do you book a Christmas dinner for delivery from a hotel? I've been on a few websites but there's nothing showing about it :(
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 11:44
Al Qasr is meant to be fab for Christmas , but I heard it is already fully booked ?
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 10:55
Thank you!
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 10:50
I have always found the food nicer at Al Qasr :-)
232
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 10:38
Can anyone advise which is best for Christmas lunch - Mina A Salam or Al Qasr? Thank you.
2725
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 10 November 2011 - 08:39
For many years as a family we had our annual holiday at Christmas, now we live here, its like a free holiday. Love the warm weather especially in the winter months. I used to suffer the SAD when I lived at home.
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 23:20
I have really grown to love Christmas in Dubai. I am Canadian so very used to a snowy Christmas - and yes, it is gorgeous. Lived for 9 years in the UK before coming here and it never felt Christmassy to me there! Never once had snow on Christmas Day and was always grey and drizzly! So never thought I would get used to a warm, sunny Christmas either. But now I love it. The weather doesn't matter to me these days. We have a tree, decorate the house, spend time with friends, do all the fun things with our son - visit Santa at Wafi, go to the Madinat Christmas Market, enjoy the decorations in the shops etc. Usually order in a turkey from a hotel - Habtoor Grand does a nice one. Also all the Jumeirah hotels to them to take away too and they are great. This year we are going to a hotel for the first time with friends, which I am looking forward too. I will be hugely pregnant by then, so the thought of cooking does not interest me this time!! It's true - it rarely snows on Christmas day, but it's still home, so maybe that's why I'm so attached to it this particular time of year. Will definitely look at ordering a hotel turkey in :)
2262
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 19:45
Christmas in Dubai :)....this is our Christmas :).....we start on the 1st of December decorating the outside...trees, railings, if it can take lights, it gets lights. The inside is decorated, new ideas, old things and music...people over for dinner, tree by the end of the 1st week....we dont do real because it is too hot and they have to travel so far..so we have done fake, which we manage to make beautiful every year :)...we throw a large party most years or small gatherings of friends...we have to make an effort I admit, it is harder here, but.....if we start early, haul out the Christmas gear, plan, invite, music.. it can be done....never like home, but it can be done :)....'room service'deliver a full Christmas dinner and it is great....or do you're own..and invite lots of people who are in the same boat as you :)....don't think of what you are missing, make these Dubai Christmases special and meaningful...and how jealous your friend will be with Christmas cards with the family with Santa Hats in the Sea lol..... We are so blessed that for the 1st time in 9 years we are, as a family and friends, able to go home to Canada for Christmas, to our home we are preparing for our retirement and spending it with our family in the east coast. I am going home early to find lights and make our Christmas so special for all but still have 4 or 5 more Christmases here in Dubai...Christmas is what you make it....you can take from the past but you must make your Christmas your future here if only for a short time......so....Merry Christmas to all...early but heartfelt
169
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 19:43
I have really grown to love Christmas in Dubai. I am Canadian so very used to a snowy Christmas - and yes, it is gorgeous. Lived for 9 years in the UK before coming here and it never felt Christmassy to me there! Never once had snow on Christmas Day and was always grey and drizzly! So never thought I would get used to a warm, sunny Christmas either. But now I love it. The weather doesn't matter to me these days. We have a tree, decorate the house, spend time with friends, do all the fun things with our son - visit Santa at Wafi, go to the Madinat Christmas Market, enjoy the decorations in the shops etc. Usually order in a turkey from a hotel - Habtoor Grand does a nice one. Also all the Jumeirah hotels to them to take away too and they are great. This year we are going to a hotel for the first time with friends, which I am looking forward too. I will be hugely pregnant by then, so the thought of cooking does not interest me this time!!
17
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 19:06
We're staying in Dubai this Christmas because DH could only get 3 days off work (seems everyone else pipped him to the post in booking days off-typical!) and it's killing me! I watched the M&S advert and the waitrose one too and it made me soooo sad :( It's our first xmas here so can ayone also advise me on where I could order a decent turkey from? And how soon do I need to do it? I want to cook at home because we have a christmas table cloth, just a plain white one which we bought last year as it was DS first christmas....... every year we write with a marker pen where we are, who was there, favourite xmas pressies that year and we will draw round DS hand so that throughout the years we will have a keepsake of our christmas. I guess it will be pretty cool to look back at a christmas spent in the sunshine!
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 17:19
Was also going to suggest Ski Dubai... perhaps one of the restaurants overlooking the slope has a Chrissy lunch on? Then home for movies & deorations etc.... PPersonally I love the summer Christmas, being from Oz it's normal for us. We always have a big BBQ... everyone comes over in the morning, we prepare the food, then while everything is cooking watch movies or play games while eating some appetizers (antipasto and prawn cocktails usually) then lunch, then more veging with movies, champagne, then once we're hungry again the leftovers for dinner! it's brilliant!! But I would love to do the white Christmas once... can only hope that work might send me somewhere snowy for this Christmas since I don;t have any leave to go home. Last year I was in Bangkok- still warm!!! :D
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 16:48
We ordered 'take away' Christmas lunch from the J.Beach Hotel a couple of years ago. Turkey was very good but I didn't rate the roasties, veggies, etc. We had already decided to cook our own veg., so the ones from the hotel went in the bin ! Hopefully someone will recommend ordering from somewhere that can supply everything that is acceptable as lots of hotels, golf clubs, etc. have this service.
2362
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 13:40
amel123, i LOVE christmas here! WAY more than back in the uk. there's something very magical about a blue sky and sunshine (I know it might take a bit of getting used to...) for the last 4 christmasses i've been to the ritz and had lunch on the lawn - gorgeous food,location, lovely mix of people, everyone in a great mood. i've often wondered about getting lunch delivered and lots of people recommend it. you'll find trees in the malls, carol singers, tree lighting events....check out the timeout kids mag as it has lots of great stuf for adults (i'm unmarried with no kids as are all my girlfriends) i'm sure you'll really enjoy it once you find things to do!
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 12:21
I'm from down-south so a sunny Christmas is very normal for me. We usually do the home Christmas-thing as that is what we are used to. Why don't you start a 'new' Dubai Christmas tradition? Instead of wishing you were home or trying to recreate home, do something completely different. Then when you look back at it in a few years time you have good memories and stories to tell the children. Try a desert or beach picnic. Make a tree with local decorations - camels etc. Also if you are religious the churches usually have mass/ Christmas services in the mornings or on Christmas Eve - they are really nice, even if you are not very religious. You can even volunteer somewhere and spread the Christmas spirit. Make new memories. You are right Anna-panna, it's a good opportunity to create new memories, but for me Christmas should always be wintery in front of a roaring fire and preferably snow outside! But I will take your suggestions on board :) My husband is an even bigger lover of wintery Christmasses, as he spent one Christmas with some family out in Australia once and didn't enjoy it at all! May be harder to convince him we should spend it on the beach, hehe :)
64
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 12:16
This will also be our 3rd Christmas where we stay here. Last year it was lovely. We went out with friends for a few drinks Christmas Eve. Then on the day itself we cooked a roast dinner (most of which I prepared the day before), had a homemade dessert and then just watched Christmas films. We keep the curtains closed as well to keep the sun out and make it feel more wintry. I also tend to go a bit mad with the decorations! Hehe..."keep the curtains closed"...I don't blame you! I think we'd do the same to recreate the wintery feel we'd get back in the UK! Have to admit, with the last couple of days of overcast weather and rain here and there, it's felt more like home than ever and I've loved it! I must be mad wishing for British weather! Oh the curtains definitely help. I still miss a good ole dingy bit of sky and some rain. Although I don't miss feeling cold constantly! I think you will be (pleasantly) surprised with Christmas here. The shops tend to go all out with the decs and I saw a place in Karama the other day which was purely cheap Christmas tact. It was brilliant. With the high ceilings in most places its also plenty of room for a massive tree :D
105
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 12:13
I'm from down-south so a sunny Christmas is very normal for me. We usually do the home Christmas-thing as that is what we are used to. Why don't you start a 'new' Dubai Christmas tradition? Instead of wishing you were home or trying to recreate home, do something completely different. Then when you look back at it in a few years time you have good memories and stories to tell the children. Try a desert or beach picnic. Make a tree with local decorations - camels etc. Also if you are religious the churches usually have mass/ Christmas services in the mornings or on Christmas Eve - they are really nice, even if you are not very religious. You can even volunteer somewhere and spread the Christmas spirit. Make new memories.
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 12:02
We should get together and immerse ourselves in Christmas activities! By the way, don't watch the new M&S Christmas Advert online - I watched it this morning and it made me want to wish myself home! Uh oh...now you've mentioned that, I can see myself googling for it in a minute!! :-/
108
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 12:00
We should get together and immerse ourselves in Christmas activities! By the way, don't watch the new M&S Christmas Advert online - I watched it this morning and it made me want to wish myself home!
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:58
We have done 3 Christmas's here and the best were always the ones where we did our own Christmas dinner and festivities at home. We have done one Christmas dinner at a hotel and it didnt feel like Christmas at all but just another brunch on a weekend. Whereas the years where we bought and cooked our own Christmas dinner, had Christmas music, Christmas films on the TV, crackers etc, it really really felt like Christmas! I would highly suggest doing it at home and making an effort to get in all things Christmas! Thanks Lil - we'll definitely consider that. We just thought as it's only the two of us, our oven is AWFUL, and there might be mad rampage for the turkeys in the supermarkets, that we'd be better off going out for Christmas dinner. But perhaps we'll put it back on our options list :) You certainly can't beat Christmas at home. We were away on our honeymoon last Christmas, and as amazing as it was, Christmas day was quite sad actually! You could get christmas dinner delivered from a hotel? I haven't tried it myself but have heard that Jumeirah Beach Hotel will do a great turkey with all the trimmings - would probably be cheaper than going out and nicer! Christmas dinner from a hotel sounds brilliant - I'll look into it now, thank you :)
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:57
HI amel123, You sound like you're in a really similar position to us. This is our first Christmas in Dubai too - after getting married in UK last December in the snow (the PERFECT Christmas!) My DH needs to work on Boxing Day - so we are staying put. I'm 18 weeks pregnant - so we want to make sure that we can head back for Christmas in 2012 with the baby - so feel like this is the right time (and last opportunity) to have a Christmas on our own - but can't help feeling sad about it! We think we might go out on Christmas Day (I love the idea of Christmas at home - but like you, it will just be the 2 of us and we are used to busy christmas days, so it might be a bit depressing). I've been looking up brunches in Time Out (there is a whole page dedicated to Christmas festivities every week). Where abouts do you live? We're in the Marina and there are quite a few places round here. One thing I know is that I'm going to go made with decorations in the flat! And we're flying home on the 28th December for New Year - and I have demanded a second Christmas with family! Yes, we had a snowy winter wedding too last December! It was amazing, we really love winter time back home, so it is going to be hard this Christmas. Even now I'm really missing the autumn/winter weather I know they're all getting back home, and I really missed bonfire night :( Congrats on your soon-to-be first addition to your little family :) How exciting! We live in Downtown near Dubai Mall - I'm sure there are lots of brunches we could go to, but like another poster mentioned earlier, it could just end up feeling like another brunch. If we can have it at home, with all the decorations, and even a tree (is that possible?!) then we'd rather do that. That's great you're going back for New Year, that would soften the blow for me a bit I think, but we have to wait til next April for our first visit back home :( Arrrgghh this is harder than I thought it would be!
460
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:53
We have done 3 Christmas's here and the best were always the ones where we did our own Christmas dinner and festivities at home. We have done one Christmas dinner at a hotel and it didnt feel like Christmas at all but just another brunch on a weekend. Whereas the years where we bought and cooked our own Christmas dinner, had Christmas music, Christmas films on the TV, crackers etc, it really really felt like Christmas! I would highly suggest doing it at home and making an effort to get in all things Christmas! Thanks Lil - we'll definitely consider that. We just thought as it's only the two of us, our oven is AWFUL, and there might be mad rampage for the turkeys in the supermarkets, that we'd be better off going out for Christmas dinner. But perhaps we'll put it back on our options list :) You certainly can't beat Christmas at home. We were away on our honeymoon last Christmas, and as amazing as it was, Christmas day was quite sad actually! You could get christmas dinner delivered from a hotel? I haven't tried it myself but have heard that Jumeirah Beach Hotel will do a great turkey with all the trimmings - would probably be cheaper than going out and nicer!
108
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:51
HI amel123, You sound like you're in a really similar position to us. This is our first Christmas in Dubai too - after getting married in UK last December in the snow (the PERFECT Christmas!) My DH needs to work on Boxing Day - so we are staying put. I'm 18 weeks pregnant - so we want to make sure that we can head back for Christmas in 2012 with the baby - so feel like this is the right time (and last opportunity) to have a Christmas on our own - but can't help feeling sad about it! We think we might go out on Christmas Day (I love the idea of Christmas at home - but like you, it will just be the 2 of us and we are used to busy christmas days, so it might be a bit depressing). I've been looking up brunches in Time Out (there is a whole page dedicated to Christmas festivities every week). Where abouts do you live? We're in the Marina and there are quite a few places round here. One thing I know is that I'm going to go made with decorations in the flat! And we're flying home on the 28th December for New Year - and I have demanded a second Christmas with family!
99
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:47
This will also be our 3rd Christmas where we stay here. Last year it was lovely. We went out with friends for a few drinks Christmas Eve. Then on the day itself we cooked a roast dinner (most of which I prepared the day before), had a homemade dessert and then just watched Christmas films. We keep the curtains closed as well to keep the sun out and make it feel more wintry. I also tend to go a bit mad with the decorations! Hehe..."keep the curtains closed"...I don't blame you! I think we'd do the same to recreate the wintery feel we'd get back in the UK! Have to admit, with the last couple of days of overcast weather and rain here and there, it's felt more like home than ever and I've loved it! I must be mad wishing for British weather!
64
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:44
This will also be our 3rd Christmas where we stay here. Last year it was lovely. We went out with friends for a few drinks Christmas Eve. Then on the day itself we cooked a roast dinner (most of which I prepared the day before), had a homemade dessert and then just watched Christmas films. We keep the curtains closed as well to keep the sun out and make it feel more wintry. I also tend to go a bit mad with the decorations!
99
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:26
We have done 3 Christmas's here and the best were always the ones where we did our own Christmas dinner and festivities at home. We have done one Christmas dinner at a hotel and it didnt feel like Christmas at all but just another brunch on a weekend. Whereas the years where we bought and cooked our own Christmas dinner, had Christmas music, Christmas films on the TV, crackers etc, it really really felt like Christmas! I would highly suggest doing it at home and making an effort to get in all things Christmas! Thanks Lil - we'll definitely consider that. We just thought as it's only the two of us, our oven is AWFUL, and there might be mad rampage for the turkeys in the supermarkets, that we'd be better off going out for Christmas dinner. But perhaps we'll put it back on our options list :) You certainly can't beat Christmas at home. We were away on our honeymoon last Christmas, and as amazing as it was, Christmas day was quite sad actually!
141
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 November 2011 - 11:23
We have done 3 Christmas's here and the best were always the ones where we did our own Christmas dinner and festivities at home. We have done one Christmas dinner at a hotel and it didnt feel like Christmas at all but just another brunch on a weekend. Whereas the years where we bought and cooked our own Christmas dinner, had Christmas music, Christmas films on the TV, crackers etc, it really really felt like Christmas! I would highly suggest doing it at home and making an effort to get in all things Christmas!
 
 

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