What is a Ramadan calendar and where can you get one?

For centuries, Advent calendars have helped people count down to Christmas.

More recently, the same experience has been created for those observing Ramadan, which is expected to fall on March 23 in the UAE.

On each of day of the holy month, the calendars will reveal a riddle, story or a gift, from chocolates to small beauty products. The Advent calendar-style countdown to Eid Al Fitr can make for great seasonal gift ideas, or as an engaging activity for children.

Here, The National rounds up some of the Ramadan calendars you can check out.

Bateel

The Saudi brand's Noor Calendar features 30 drawers filled with a selection of Bateel sweets.

Best as a gifting option, you can customise the calendar and choose from a variety of wrapped plain dates, or khidri dates with candied lemon and orange peel or khidri dates with almonds.

Dh395; available on bateel.com

L'Occitane

The French cosmetics brand tapped Jordanian illustrator Aya Mobaydeen to design its Ramadan calendar, which has boxes in different sizes, each housing a small beauty product.

Once opened and flipped, the boxes reveal parts of an illustration of a village. Aside from the products, the boxes also have questions, as an ode to Ramadan fawazeer (riddles) traditions. The riddles are part of a digital game where customers have the chance to get more treats from L'Occitane.

Products include an almond soap, facial serum, pillow mist and shower gel tucked randomly inside the cardboard boxes.

Dh349; available on ae.loccitane.com

Ferrero Rocher

The Italian chocolatier has a Ferrero Collection in the style of a Ramadan calendar, with 30 pieces of its signature hazelnut treats for each day of the holy month.

Dh99.75; available on spinneys.com

Myriam K

Founded by UAE resident Myriam Keramane, the cosmetic brand is known for its hair care products, from oils to supplements. Some of its most famous items will be featured in the seven-day Ramadan calendar gift set, including hair perfume, vegan hair supplement, hair mask and beard oil.

Dh725; available on ounass.ae

Kinder

Specifically created for children, the chocolate brand's Ramadan range includes a house-shaped calendar. Flipping a window open reveals a sweet treat, accompanied by a suggestion of a good deed based on Ramadan values.

Dh36.25; available on carrefouruae.com

Candylicious

The pink and green sweet box from the candy chain opens with a pop-up Ramadan village and an illustration of the Dubai skyline as the backdrop. Thirty chocolates and candies are included in the limited-edition calendar, suggested to be taken every day after iftar.

Dh149; available at all Candylicious stores

2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups

Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.

Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.

Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.

Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.

Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.

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Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.

Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.

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How Apple's credit card works

The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.

What does it cost?

Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.

What will the interest rate be?

The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts

What about security?

The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.

Is it easy to use?

Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.

* Associated Press

Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68

Company profile

Name: Fruitful Day

Founders: Marie-Christine Luijckx, Lyla Dalal AlRawi, Lindsey Fournie

Based: Dubai, UAE

Founded: 2015

Number of employees: 30

Sector: F&B

Funding so far: Dh3 million

Future funding plans: None at present

Future markets: Saudi Arabia, potentially Kuwait and other GCC countries