It’s that time of the year when festive decorations are flying off the shelves faster than Santa’s reindeers.
But, for those looking to deck the halls with something that pays tribute to the region, there's a new limited-edition collection at Crate & Barrel.
To celebrate the spirit of the season, the furniture and decor company has collaborated with four local artists to create UAE-themed Christmas baubles.
Each of the decorations champion the region in some way – whether by celebrating Emirati textiles or the UAE’s national dress – and all profit from sales will go to Al Noor Training Centre for Persons of Disabilities, a school for people of determination in Dubai.
For the collection, Crate & Barrel teamed up with Abdulla Lutfi, who specialises in quirky black and white creations. The Emirati artist has autism spectrum disorder and says he knows he has "reached this far because of education”.
“I would like to support the students of Al Noor get ahead in life and become independent members of society,” he says of his involvement with the initiative.
Amreen Wahid, the henna artist behind @Girly.Henna on Instagram, has recreated her intricate henna designs in black and white for the baubles, while multidisciplinary artist Muna Amareen has taken inspiration from traditional Emirati embroidery and textiles – known as talli – to create colourful, floral pieces.
Finally, Emirati fashion designer Budoor Abdulqader has gone all out with baubles featuring traditional clothing, with some featuring an added face mask in tribute to 2020.
“Being Emirati and having a background in fashion design, I really wanted to highlight the UAE’s national dress and create unique baubles that add an element of playfulness and fun,” she says. “Bringing cultures together to raise money for Al Noor is an initiative that I am very honoured to participate in and support.”
The baubles are priced at Dh80 each. The limited collection will be available in stores in Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif and The Dubai Mall