For many Christmas time conjures up snow, caroling, colorful lights, festive meals and Christmas gifts. But when you are somewhere in the East, in the desert or somewhere warm and sunny, Christmas appears to loose some of its atmosphere. Instead of complaining about it, you would rather make some good of it. Let the desert and the sun be part of your Christmas celebrations this year.
One of the most exciting places to celebrate a warm Christmas is the Arabian Gulf. Dubai is the perfect place if you want fabulous hotels, huge shopping malls and all other kinds of entertainment. There is no snow, but you can still make a sandman on the beach. Decorate him with sunglasses, beach hat and bikini. You can buy an artificial Christmas tree, because real ones are almost impossible to find and very expensive.
But keeping the tradition with a plastic tree is not keeping it at all. Instead of evergreen tree you can decorate a palm tree. There are many kinds – if you need something for an indoor celebration you will find a palm tree small enough. Then put some lights and tinsel and surround the pot with beautifully wrapped gifts. This will make Christmas funny and extraordinary.
Next thing you can do is bake a cake and Christmas puddings. Of course, this is a tradition, but change it a bit by using other shapes – camels or palm trees. Buy camel shaped cookie cutters and you can have Gingerbread camel cookies. They are a wonderful present as well – use chocolate, cream or icing to decorate them, and you will astonish all your friends. Well, if you are not a great baker, just order some custom-made cookies.
Another originally altered tradition are the candy canes in the colors of the UAE flag. They are easy to find, unless you make them on your own. Simply ask in the supermarket for Chocolate Mint Candy Canes if you can’t find it on your own.
For a real, warm and unforgettable Christmas in the desert, a fireplace can be replaced by a camp fire outside. Gather your family and friends and take the festive food with you. Sing Christmas carols around the fire you built on your own.
You can try singing carols in Arabic, sending greeting cards from the desert, or spending the Christmas Eve on the beach. What matter is the people you will be with and the atmosphere you will create. You might not notice the absence of snow or Santa Claus even. And you will enjoy a fulfilling Christmas in the desert as anywhere else.
