Letter from Abu Dhabi
We wish you a Merry Christmas, Eid, Diwali…
By the time you read this column I will be in Canada for a Christmas break.
My mother-in-law (MIL) came to visit us in early December and one of our trips around the city included a visit to the shopping complex that houses Marks and Spencer. Partly this was because they sell such lovely chocolate and cookies (my MIL’s weakness) but mostly it was because I wanted to show her the biggest Christmas tree I had ever seen.
I had come across the tree in very late October when it was being assembled, and I had not had a chance to see it complete. It stands about three storeys high and when we saw it, it was engorged with decorations and dusted with faux snow. At the bottom was a lovely sleigh, life size, a few reindeer and a full-size Father Christmas. Snow covered the ground and presents were strewn everywhere.
Yes, believe it or not, Christmas is celebrated here in the United Arab Emirates. And when I say Christmas, I mean Christmas and not Happy Holidays. They also celebrate Eid al-Adha (the Muslim festival honouring the obedience of Moses in agreeing to sacrifice his son), Diwali (the Hindu Festival of Lights) and any other festivals those who live here choose to celebrate.
This is a country filled with people from all over the world. In fact, as the Emirati only make up about 15 to 20 percent of the population, the vast majority of the people here are from elsewhere in the world. In many ways, it is similar to the French of Canada — a constant struggle to maintain your culture when you are vastly outnumbered. And while there are many rules in place in an attempt to protect the local heritage and culture of the people of this country (again, much like the French in Canada), there is also a great acceptance of those who have come to help build their country.
Despite the fact that Christmas is certainly not as over the top here as it is at home, I have seen stars and snowmen and penguins and snow and Christmas trees and even the occasional Nativity scene. You can buy fake Christmas trees (though the quality isn’t great), lights and every kind of Christmas tree decoration imaginable. I have even seen a few dancing Santas and stockings, and believe it or not, there are a few real trees available, if you have enough money and your own tree stand.
Staff in the stores here all say Merry Christmas as they pack up your purchases. And those companies that are western-based give their employees time off during the Christmas holidays. In fact, at my daughter’s school, everyone has the entire month of December off, due to the fact that Eid al-Adha, National Day (the United Arab Emirates turned 37 on Dec. 2) and Christmas all happened to occur close together this year.
Ironically, while we at home struggle to not offend anyone by neutralizing any and all religious holidays, here each group celebrates its own, while those around not only respect it, but join in the joy of it. During Diwali this year, a friend of mine passed around the traditional sweets baked for the occasion. And they were delicious!
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