We're always told that Christmas is about giving, not receiving. This may be your festive mantra, or you might be someone who finds endless shopping trips and fretting over the "perfect" present a downright bore. But with the gift-giving season now well and truly upon us, many will still be scratching their heads, attempting to decide upon those final stocking fillers. DVDs, music, books and other pop culture ephemera can usually be relied upon to bring smiles and, in the internet age, tend to be easy to track down. Here's a guide to some of the best entertainment on offer this year.
DVDs
The release of the eighth and final Harry Potter film this summer was followed by a period of mourning by thousands of fans around the world, many of whom had grown-up with the adventures of the boy wizard. But now, the biggest-grossing film franchise yet is available on DVD (Dh147) and Blu-ray (Dh186). You'll have to act quickly, though - just a month after it was released, the Harry Potter - The Complete 8-Film Collection box set will be discontinued on December 31.
The world's second highest-grossing film franchise is also making its Blu-ray debut this season: Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Episodes I-VI (Dh276). Many fans have complained about creator George Lucas's incessant tinkering with the original trilogy (with further revisions made here), but the box set offers hours of deleted scenes and never-before-seen extras, which may go some way towards repairing the rift.
More discerning cinephiles may want to track down the Criterion Collection's beautifully repackaged and restored version of Polish filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colours Trilogy on DVD (Dh189). Meanwhile, Bollywood-lovers may find internationally released box sets are a little thin on the ground, but for a single DVD you can't go wrong with the mistaken-identity comedy Ready (Dh86). Starring Salman Khan, it was the highest grossing Indian film of 2011.
For devotees of the TV box set, the Emmy award-winning UK period drama Downton Abbey is likely to prove a popular choice. Downton Abbey - Series 1 and 2 collects every episode of the sumptuous Edwardian drama that has been broadcast to date. Those in search of an extended fix of US drama couldn't do much better than Friday Night Lights: The Complete Series (Dh275). A brilliantly insightful look at the characters and events surrounding a Texan high school football team, it ran for five gripping seasons.
Music
It may only exist to capitalise on the tragic event of the summer, but the Amy Winehouse Lioness: Hidden Treasures (Dh52) album has already been warmly received by fans of the late singer. The 12-track Island Records collection of rare and unreleased material went straight to the top of the UK album chart and is expected to be a hugely popular stocking filler this Christmas.
Music fans of any age, but particularly those of an obsessive disposition, are likely to enjoy The Smile Sessions Box Set (Dh713). It's not a cheap gift, but the collection does feature five CDs, two vinyl LPs, two seven-inch singles and a book, dedicated to the most famous "lost" album ever. Recorded in 1966, Brian Wilson's masterpiece finally arrived this year.
Another of the classic bands who've been busy sifting through their archives for deluxe reissues are rockers Queen, who celebrate their 40th anniversary with the Limited Edition Collector's Box Set (Dh184). Featuring remastered versions of the band's first five albums, as well as a huge selection of rarities, there's more music here than the Smile box and at a fraction of the price.
The singer-songwriter Elvis Costello recently made headlines by urging fans not to buy his latest musical box set, The Return of the Spectacular Spinning Songbook (Dh1,226), claiming that the price tag must be "either a misprint or a satire". Instead, he urged fans to buy the recently assembled Louis Armstrong collection Ambassador of Jazz Box, available at an only slightly more modest price (Dh656).
If bygone rockers and jazz trumpeters aren't your thing, The Muppets Original Soundtrack might be (Dh40). Accompanying the beloved characters' much-heralded big-screen return, the 30-track album includes old and new tunes and even a cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit by The Muppets Barbershop Quartet.
Books
Stephen King has been the most popular writer of adult fiction at Christmas for some years, and things aren't likely to change this yuletide. His latest hardback, 11/22/63 (Dh47) topped The New York Times bestsellers list last month and has been lauded as one of the finest works of the exceedingly prolific author's career. His latest flight of fancy sees a time traveller attempting to prevent the assassination of JFK, with the book's title being the date on which the 35th president was shot.
Biographies are always popular gifts and this year's biggest seller is expected to be Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography, written by US media bigwig Walter Isaacson (Dh69). The book has won praise for its warts-and-all portrayal of the Apple visionary, who died in October and was apparently prone to angry outbursts and control-freakery. It even includes a passage in which the chief executive, hallucinating after an operation, complained to doctors that he disliked the breathing mask he was made to wear and that they shouldn't return without bringing five alternative designs from which he would choose.
For those in search of a lighter read, I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan (Dh52) could be an appropriate. The fake autobiography of Steve Coogan's hapless and egotistical British talk show host, Alan Partridge, has been called the funniest book of the year.
Loved by young readers around the world, the sixth book in Jeff Kinney's series Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever (Dh34) is likely to be on thousands of Santa wish lists this year. Following middle schooler Greg Heffley as he attempts to fit in and deal with his brothers Manny and Rodrick, the latest story became the fastest-selling book of 2011 when it was released last month.
Swag
Headphones make great gifts because they appeal to both music lovers and techies (the two often go hand in hand). Among this year's most sought-after audio equipment are the Skullcandy Aviator Headphones (Dh517-632). A collaboration between the trendy tech company and rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation brand, the headphones are inspired by the design of the classic Aviator sunglasses and have been seen worn by the likes of Charlize Theron, Jennifer Hudson and Rihanna.
Staying with gizmos, the ION iCade Arcade Gaming Cabinet for iPad (Dh402) is perhaps the year's coolest retro-inspired gift. It allows iPad owners to simulate arcade gaming, by slotting their tablet into the tabletop machine and control classic Atari games using a joystick and buttons.
For film fans who've grown tired of having to watch new releases in 3D, salvation could be at the bottom of a stocking. The makers of 2D Glasses (Dh46) promise users will experience no more headaches or discomfort during their next trip to the multiplex - their specks turn stereoscopic movies back into two dimensions. Be warned, though: wearing the glasses won't get you a discount at the box office.
The breathtaking beauty of hand-painted Bollywood film posters is the focus of this year's must-have coffee table book for fans of world cinema. The Art of Bollywood (Dh88), published by Taschen, is a lovingly curated compendium of the kaleidoscopic images, collected from throughout India's nearly 100 years of filmmaking.
All prices are taken from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk on December 11 and do not include postage and packaging costs
artslife@thenational.ae
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
City's slump
L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1
More coverage from the Future Forum
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
Brief scores:
Liverpool 3
Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'
Manchester United 1
Lingard 33'
Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Dubai World Cup nominations
UAE: Thunder Snow/Saeed bin Suroor (trainer), North America/Satish Seemar, Drafted/Doug Watson, New Trails/Ahmad bin Harmash, Capezzano, Gronkowski, Axelrod, all trained by Salem bin Ghadayer
USA: Seeking The Soul/Dallas Stewart, Imperial Hunt/Luis Carvajal Jr, Audible/Todd Pletcher, Roy H/Peter Miller, Yoshida/William Mott, Promises Fulfilled/Dale Romans, Gunnevera/Antonio Sano, XY Jet/Jorge Navarro, Pavel/Doug O’Neill, Switzerland/Steve Asmussen.
Japan: Matera Sky/Hideyuki Mori, KT Brace/Haruki Sugiyama. Bahrain: Nine Below Zero/Fawzi Nass. Ireland: Tato Key/David Marnane. Hong Kong: Fight Hero/Me Tsui. South Korea: Dolkong/Simon Foster.
Company%C2%A0profile
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Emiratisation at work
Emiratisation was introduced in the UAE more than 10 years ago
It aims to boost the number of citizens in the workforce particularly in the private sector.
Growing the number of Emiratis in the workplace will help the UAE reduce dependence on overseas workers
The Cabinet in December last year, approved a national fund for Emirati jobseekers and guaranteed citizens working in the private sector a comparable pension
President Sheikh Khalifa has described Emiratisation as “a true measure for success”.
During the UAE’s 48th National Day, Sheikh Khalifa named education, entrepreneurship, Emiratisation and space travel among cornerstones of national development
More than 80 per cent of Emiratis work in the federal or local government as per 2017 statistics
The Emiratisation programme includes the creation of 20,000 new jobs for UAE citizens
UAE citizens will be given priority in managerial positions in the government sphere
The purpose is to raise the contribution of UAE nationals in the job market and create a diverse workforce of citizens
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
The specs: 2018 Infiniti QX80
Price: base / as tested: Dh335,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.1L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
