Abu Dhabi, 1955 — a small town consisting of a stone fort and palm-frond huts on the shores of the Arabian Gulf.
For foreign residents of the emirate, Christmas traditions such as carols and trees seemed very far away.
But on December 25 that year, a carol service and a speech from Britain's Queen Elizabeth II crackled through the wireless from London to the Abu Dhabi desert, bringing Christmas cheer and a sense of home to the handful of British residents listening in from very far away.
“I have spent … many a strange Christmas overseas,” wrote Roderic Owen in his book, The Golden Bubble, about the 1955 celebration. “But … nothing would compare with Christmastide in Abu Dhabi.”
Almost 70 years on, the festive season is in full effect across the UAE. Decorations light up malls and roads and people enjoy glitzy Christmas markets, tree-lighting ceremonies and lavish festive brunches. But it wasn’t always like this.
Swapping snow for sand
Some of the first proper Christmas celebrations in the modern-day UAE took place the home of Tim Hillyard, a representative of BP in Abu Dhabi who was overseeing the search for oil.
Hillyard moved to Abu Dhabi in 1954 and was joined with his wife and daughter in one of the few stone houses at the time.
Owen was a guest of Hillyard's in 1955 and he wrote they intended on making it a “real Christmas with turkey and plum pudding, a Christmas tree and all the accessories”.
“Christmas Day in Abu Dhabi dawned, clear and sunny,” Owen wrote. “By half-closing one’s eyes, the sand stretching away towards the town looked like snow, rutted with wheel tracks, powdery and sparkling.”
A special festive guest
Sheikh Shakhbout, Ruler of Abu Dhabi at the time, paid courtesy calls to Hillyard’s house. That Christmas morning in 1955, Owen recorded Sheikh Shakhbout commenting that they must be missing their church and he was sorry there wasn’t one in Abu Dhabi for them to attend.
When they replied, asking whether he would disapprove of a church, he answered: “Of course not. You need your religion as we need ours.”
Sheikh Shakhbout made several visits to the house over the next few years and listened to carols sung there. He paid increasing attention to spiritual needs, granted land for Christian churches and the first Christmas services were held by the mid-1960s.
A yearning for Yuletide over the years
Celebrating Christmas at the was largely private. Celebrations took place in people’s homes, military bases such as RAF Sharjah and facilities such as Abu Dhabi’s The Club and Dubai Country Club.
During the 1970s, expatriate communities were still small enough that UAE leaders often visited homes personally to say happy Christmas, and the courtesy was returned at Eid. Christian services began to take place across the UAE.
“My recollection is Christmas Day was not a holiday, although Dubai's merchants liked Christmas for obvious reasons,” said Len Chapman, who arrived in Dubai in 1971. “Shops were appropriately decorated — not all but many.”
A typical Christmas was going to services, followed by dinner at home. A familiar sight at schools and clubs was Santa arriving to dispense presents and Christmas cheer at schools across the country.
“We would decorate our villa, spray the windows with fake snow, crank up the AC, play Christmas tunes and cook a traditional Christmas dinner, all purchased from Spinneys in Jumeirah,” said Sally Brocklebank, who lived in Dubai with husband Peter from 1979 to 1985.
“But most important of all was to invite friends of all nationalities to enjoy the feast, pull crackers wear paper crowns, read silly jokes and finish off with a game of charades.”
John Jacobs, who lived in Sharjah from 1976 to 1983, with his wife, three children and nanny, said there wasn't much for sale.
"No decorations, postcards or whatsoever," said Mr Jacobs, who is from The Netherlands. Mr Jacobs brought his own decorations from home and managed to source a real tree though contacts in the aviation industry.
"Every year we managed to create a real Christmas ambiance in our house with a real Christmas tree, decorations and lights," he said. "Nice and sweet memories for us, the three children and the nanny."
By the 1980s in Abu Dhabi, artificial trees could be purchased locally and staff could even be hired to decorate it.
“The following year, we got out the same tree which, of course, needed decorating again,” said Harry Bonning, a British citizen who lived in Abu Dhabi from 1988 to 1999. “This was solved by a phone call to the shop where we bought it and they sent one of their staff to decorate it. Try that in England.”
By the 1980s, the Christmas spirit had been embraced by major hotels such as the Sheraton Dubai Creek and the now demolished Metropolitan Hotel. What had been a largely private affair was becoming more visible and commercialised.
“Christmas was behind closed doors until the hotels got involved,” said Michelle Brown, a singer who performed at 1980s festive concerts in Dubai. “I believe these hotels were entrusted with trying out Christmas events appropriately, which were enthusiastically received by the public at that time.”
But it was still hard to get decorations. Ms Brown, who performed as a duo with Mark Lloyd, recounted one episode in 1987 where they could not find decorations for a Christmas-themed photo shoot. One supermarket, however, had a display inside the shop.
“So we went down in taxi, climbed into the display while a friend took picture of us from outside. We left before they realised what we were up to,” she recalls with a chuckle.
A more sobering Christmas took place several years later in 1990 during the Gulf War. Dubai was filled with troops from the US, France, UK, the Netherlands and more as Desert Storm — the operation to drive Iraqi forces from Kuwait — was weeks away. Tension was high. No one knew what was to come.
“That year was emotional as we all knew why the troops were building up in the area and we had no idea who would make it home afterwards,” said Ms Brown, who performed at the Hilton by the Trade Centre that year.
“It was very poignant. Young men lined up in their dozens snaking across the lobby waiting for five-minute call. People were in tears after it.”
By the mid-1990s, Christmas became a much more visible celebration, particularly in Dubai. Although not a public holiday, Christmas today has grown to a lengthy affair that caps a month of celebrations that also include the UAE’s National Day and Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
Christmas songs were even played in some Dubai malls in October this year, a far cry from that small, quiet celebration in Abu Dhabi in 1955.
A version of this article was first published in December 2022.
The Christmas season in the UAE — in pictures
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Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Dubai Rugby Sevens
November 30-December 2, at The Sevens, Dubai
Gulf Under 19
Pool A – Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Jumeirah College Tigers, Dubai English Speaking School 1, Gems World Academy
Pool B – British School Al Khubairat, Bahrain Colts, Jumeirah College Lions, Dubai English Speaking School 2
Pool C - Dubai College A, Dubai Sharks, Jumeirah English Speaking School, Al Yasmina
Pool D – Dubai Exiles, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Ain Amblers, Deira International School
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
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- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
Representing%20UAE%20overseas
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Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
Brief scores:
Southampton 2
Armstrong 13', Soares 20'
Manchester United 2
Lukaku 33', Herrera 39'
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Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
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Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
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The years Ramadan fell in May
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Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Important questions to consider
1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?
There are different types of travel available for pets:
- Manifest cargo
- Excess luggage in the hold
- Excess luggage in the cabin
Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.
2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?
If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.
If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.
3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?
As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.
If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty.
If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport.
4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?
This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.
In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.
5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?
Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.
Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.
Source: Pawsome Pets UAE
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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