Festive spirit was evident across the country on Friday as many expatriates enjoyed the novelty of a sunny Christmas by taking to the beach.
Tourists and residents alike were out in force for Christmas breakfast on the sand at Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai, while others were enjoying the long weekend afforded by the celebration of the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday.
Wearing red-and-white Santa hats, some tucked into mini mince pies during impromptu picnics, with The Palm Jumeirah as the backdrop.
“This makes a much nicer change than the rain and the cold we usually get at this time of year back home,” said Cathy Holmes, 30, from Ireland.
“The plan is to have a relaxing morning here and then go for Christmas dinner at a friend’s place a bit later.”
Ms Holmes decided to spend Christmas in Dubai and visit her family.
“My sister and her husband invited me over, and I thought it would be nice to see them and my two little nieces in Dubai,” she said.
“I’ve been wanting to visit for a long time so I booked a couple of weeks off and will go back [home] in the New Year.”
It was a similar picture in the capital, as families took to the Corniche to enjoy food and festive fun.
Maria Inglis was enjoying a leisurly stroll. “This year, me and my husband decided to spend quality time with each other, so we decided to spend the day at the Corniche along with our four dogs,” said the 38-year-old Briton, who runs a fitness business.
Ms Inglis added that Christmas in the UAE is always special, thanks to the great weather. “What else do you need on this special day when you have lovely weather to spend hours on the beach, enjoying every bit of it?” she said.
However, Marry Brown, 22, from the Philippines, was missing her family. The Abu Dhabi housemaid said: “The family I work for have gone out for the whole weekend, so I am alone in the house.
“My friends will be coming in the evening and we will spend some time together. The rest of the day, I will be waiting for my family to come on Skype so that we can chat.”
Ms Brown is marking her third Christmas in the capital and, despite being a little lonely, she is happy that she has been able to send money back home for her parents and three siblings to do Christmas shopping.
“I may also go to mall with my friends in the evening and buy something for myself. I deserve this Christmas treat for myself,” she said.
Ms Holmes was pleasantly surprised at seeing so many decorations around Dubai.
“I went to Dubai Mall a couple of days ago and almost all the shops have Christmas decorations and they were playing Christmas music, which was nice.”
However, it is not only Dubai Mall that embraces the festive spirit. Around Dubai there were activities to keep people entertained.
Emirates Golf Club hosted a Santa’s Village, where families had the chance to meet the man himself while taking in a tree-lighting ceremony and enjoying a festive-themed bazaar.
At Ski Dubai, children met Santa in the snow, while religious services took place at churches across the emirate, including at Holy Trinity Church, Umm Hurair, and at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Bur Dubai.
Elsewhere on Christmas Day, Al Dhafra Camel Festival, at Madinat Zayed, in the Western Region, was continuing to draw crowds. The festival, which ends on Wednesday, has 1,500 camels competing in 72 rounds, with Emirati heritage at its heart.
For Andrea Jones, 27, from Australia, the stay in Dubai over Christmas has become something of a tradition.
“I’ve been in Dubai for five years now and, for the last few, I’ve had my parents as well as my brother and his family spend some time with me,” she said.
“The weather here now is really nice and I find it so much more relaxing to spend time with the family here.”
Restaurants and coffee shops at Mall of the Emirates were doing brisk business as even non-Christians got into the spirit.
“We’re having a Christmas brunch with some friends from work,” said Abdul Khalid, 25, a data systems analyst from India.
“We weren’t able to arrange a proper work Christmas party because a lot of people were travelling so we thought this would be a nice thing to do for those of our colleagues who stayed in Dubai.
“I don’t celebrate Christmas but it’s still nice to see people wearing the Santa hats and the atmosphere is really nice.”
Abu Dhabi resident Adnan X Khan and his family were happy to take advantage of the long weekend to go on a road trip to the Northern Emirates.
“We got a long weekend so that’s why we have planned a big family road trip, to enjoy fantastic weather,” said the 33-year-old Pakistani, who is a director of photography and has lived in the UAE most of his life.
“Celebrating Christmas in the UAE is a unique experience. I do not think it can be compared to anything else. The festive spirit can be experienced and freely enjoyed by all.”
* Additional reporting by Amna Ehtesham Khaishgi
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450
Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000
Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km
How they line up for Sunday's Australian Grand Prix
1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
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RESULTS
6.30pm: Meydan Sprint Group 2 US$175,000 1,000m
Winner: Ertijaal, Jim Crowley (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap $60,000 1,400m
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7.40pm: Handicap $160,000 1,400m
Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.15pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group 3 $200,000 2,000m
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8.50pm: Zabeel Mile Group 2 $250,000 1,600m
Winner: Janoobi, Jim Crowley, Mike de Kock
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Winner: Capezzano, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
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.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
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Key facilities
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- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
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- 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
