This is actually my 2nd holiday season in Dubai, buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut the 1st one was when I literally just got here, didn't know anyone, and was in that newbee fog or cloud, so honestly, it just kind of came and went. And last year I went back HOME to USA and celebrated with my family in Colorado, sniff sniff (who, by the way are there now and I miss it and them!).
Sooo... here we are over 2 years of being in Dubai, I'm settled, have good friends, have a good life, so ah ha! Time to experience "Holidays in Dubai!"
Hmm.... what can I say? When I was at home I was one of those people that complained about how over-done and how commercial Xmas is. It is EVERYWHERE! Music, red and green, and people ARE spirited, yes, but also very stressed at the same time. Then I come here, especially my 1st year when it was the exact opposite problem, there was NO spirit and it was just like any other month. So that was when I made my executive decision to come home that next year and get some holiday spirit. I will admit I missed Xmas music. There, I said it. :-)
Soo... now, I would still say the "spirit" here is like 1/23942034823948230984230th of what it is in some countries (which I think is overdone anyway), BUT Dubai has put in a bit more of an effort (I thought they would be smarter with seeing money making opportunities!). Many of the hotels put up nice Christmas trees and decorations and even some of the malls and probably 1/4th of the stores here put in some effort. The other thing it is still bizarre for me to be in a warmer climate during the winter, so no snowy Xmas for me this year! I won't complain though and actually, it was a bit chilly for Dubai standards, in the upper 50's! (gasp!).
I think it kind of came and went because life has been so busy!!! Work has been busy, then this marathon training is almost like a 2nd job, then there were a lot of social events, and THEN... I had to work both Xmas Eve and Xmas Day! :-( Well, actually, I had the option of taking a vacation day, but #1. my vacation days are precious and #2. This isn't even my Xmas anyway, I celebrate on the 7th and #3. If i had it off, I wouldn't be doing anything anyway, so why not? It ended up being an okay day, not too busy and not too sloow. That evening I went to a really nice spirited Xmas dinner with my closest friends here in Dubai, and I have to mention because I think this is awesome - when we were planning this Xmas dinner, some emails went around about maybe doing a Secret Santa type thing. But then someone (I forgot who) said since Xmas is a time of giving, and we are all fortunate to have so much in our lives, that instead we would do a Secret Donation and donate money to a charity to help the recent natural disasters that happened in the Philippines. It was soo great! And among the 7 of us, we actually raised more than $2000USD! (we think one of our friends in the oil business donated a big chunk of that, but still). Isn't that great?? I was sooo happy we did that!!!
Also, the fun part was that my running group did a Xmas run, and we all (mostly) ran in Xmas gear (like Santa hats) and part of the 'social' run was to stop for Mince Pies, which I am learning a LOT about as I guess it's a super Xmas'y thing they do in the UK. Do we even have Mince Pies in USA? Who knows!
Here's a couple of snaps of the run;
There's me waving on the right (and yes, it's Dec 25th and we are wearing shorts and t-shirts, he eh)
Here's my awesome Dubai Creek Striders running group, I'm the 3rd person in on the top left
All and all, I would say a 'somewhat' festive Holiday Season in Dubai! Considering it's a Muslim country, I admit, and people say, every year they are getting more and more involved in it, and even though I was in a daze the 1st year, there was a bit more of spirit than what I remember :-)
Sooo... here we are, last day of 2013 and wanted to write one last blog. Not an exciting one at that, but hey, what to do? The next one will recap my 2013 and intro my 2014. To all, HAPPY NEW YEAR and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!
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