Christmas in United Arab Emirates (UAE) 2024: Festive Things To Do in UAE

Author- Rose Mary
Publish Date- 23-12-2023

For those who long to celebrate the perfect Christmas fun, there might be better places than UAE. Although, with so many people from different nationalities who visit the country during that period, you may find some companions to enjoy your Christmas in UAE. Read this article until the end to learn more about celebrating Christmas in the Emirates. From pre-Christmas to enjoying a turkey for dinner, UAE has it all. This now means you need not have to worry about the Visa needs, and you will have Emirates Visa Online handling it all for you!

What is Christmas?

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, which falls primarily on the 25th of December every year. Millions of people worldwide celebrate this joyous festival and participate in several fun and entertaining activities to make the day more memorable. Christmas is celebrated in unique ways in different parts of the world. Even those countries with small Christian populations celebrate this festival with the same level of excitement in the air.

Christmas is celebrated by spending time with family and friends, decorating the whole house, buying a Christmas tree and decorating it with all sorts of lights and presents. Also, children love to receive gifts from Santa Claus on this day. In many places, impressions of Santa are made; people dress like Santa Claus to entertain the children and give them several goodies and gifts to enjoy.

Also, the year's most fabulous feast is served on Christmas Day. It starts with drinks and music, followed by a whole load of delicious food. People sit together and enjoy the feast; after the meal comes the dessert, and the night ends with some drinks and dance. Signature Christmas feast foods include cakes, tarts, turkey, beef, and plum cakes.

The Christmas Eve celebration starts on the 24th of December; the Christmas tree and other decorations are decorated on that day. The pope does midnight masses at midnight.

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What To Do During Christmas in United Arab Emirates

If you are in Dubai, there will be numerous such activities that you can enjoy during Christmas. Take a look at the list below to find out what you can do on Christmas in this massively modern city:

1. Christmas on the Beach

You may not experience the white snow during Christmas in the Emirates. Still, you can surely enjoy the beautiful white sandy beach, and have fun along the waves, sit back, relax, eat, and soak up vitamin D. The Jumeirah beach has several bean bags, and you can sit on them.

Also, the beach is surrounded by numerous restaurants and cafes where you can munch while enjoying your time on the beach. Pick up your favourites, and enjoy the Arabian Shisha there.

2. Ski Dubai

If you are in the Emirates during Christmas, it is evident that you are going to Miss Snow, skiing and all the other cold activities. But don't worry; Dubai has the first indoor skiing area in the Middle East. Enjoy the crazy -5 degree temperature there. There is real snow there, boasted by the Alpine-themed resorts where you can enjoy skiing.

What's more interesting? There are toboggan rides, and you can meet penguins!

I know it is fantastic. Enjoy the slopes during the day and the beach in the evening.

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3. Events and Functions

Dubai hits differently just as December starts. You can feel the change in ambience, with glitzy decorations starting all over and several events lining up.

You can enjoy your favourite wine, turkey; in short, you can enjoy Christmas dinner in Dubai listening to your favourite singer.

You can enjoy the vast lights and other decorations lit up at the Christmas events in Dubai, fireworks, and your favourite event surrounded by your favourite people.

4. Winter Wonderland

The Madinat Jumeirah transforms into a complete winter wonderland, with a German-style Christmas market, a North Pole train ride, an enormous snowball zone and Santa appearances.

While the outside temperature is hot during Christmas, Maryah Island does the winter wonderland theme justice. They have a themed maze and a Candyland activity area for the art and craft zone; you can enjoy the magical stage shows and click a photo with beloved Santa, which would cost you around AED25.

You can also visit global villages which showcase different countries in its 30 pavilions. Enjoy shopping, food and much more there.

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5. Go Shopping

As the festive season arrives, great deals on shops come in handy. Also, during Christmas, hours are extended for a very long time giving you extra time to buy what you need.

If you want to enjoy the Emirates culture and buy something traditional, you can visit Old Dubai, The Souks. Walk through the aromas of different spices, and try on different golds, perfumes and whatnot.

You can also visit the Westin festive market in Abu Dhabi and enjoy school choirs, dance performances, cookie decorations, and more to make your shopping experience more entertaining.

6. Enjoy the Food

Dubai is known for the luxury it provides. With so many luxurious restaurants and hotels all over the city, choosing one would take a lot of work. Christmas dining offers more than just turkey and wine. You can taste the seasonal classic Dubai brunch, free-flowing bubbles, and numerous buffet stations. If you want to enjoy your dinner time the most, enjoy the underwater dinner experience at Ossiano, Atlantis the Palm. Go through their seafood menu along with several sea animals besides you. The underwater view from there is breathtaking.

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As it was celebrated a decade back in the UAE, Christmas was bland, with almost no life. But with each passing year, Christmas is becoming significant in the Emirates.

To sum it all up, Dubai at Christmas weather is no fun, but if you know the right place, you can enjoy Christmas in Dubai wildly.

Also, because the city is lit up, visit the "At the top" view of Burj Khalifa on Christmas. The panoramic view of the whole city is marvellous, especially with so many decorations. You can also take the big bus tours, adding to the festival cheers and making your Christmas celebration in the Emirates more cheerful and fun.

So celebrating Christmas in the Emirates is fun, but you get to experience much more, especially with your family!