Dubai: Everybody in the family sitting around the tree, anxiously waiting to open presents seems to be the ideal setting for a traditional Christmas day. But let's face it, it does not always work out that way.
With families living abroad and having a busy lifestyle, Gulf News readers have created their own Christmas traditions and make sure they stick to it every year.
Ralph Melis, a contracts manager, and his family live in different countries so coming together is their holiday tradition.
He said: "My parents are retired in Spain, my brother lives in Holland and I live with my wife and son in Dubai."
Although it might not work out every year, due to money and travel difficulties, the Melis family always makes an effort to spend the holiday together.
Melis, a Dutchman, said: "Christmas has always been a time when our family meets in one place and spends it eating, giving each other presents and eating some more."
For some residents travelling during the holiday season is not an option so they make the most out of what they have in the UAE.
Benjie Soriano, a Filipino lifeguard, said: "I would love to spend Christmas with my family but they live in the Philippines. So I celebrate it with my loved ones in the UAE — my friends."
Soriano's longest running tradition is attending midnight mass — church service held on Christmas eve.
This is followed by a dinner at one of his friends' place, for which everyone cooks a meal and shares it with the rest.
Soriano, an Abu Dhabi resident, said: "If everyone still has energy then we take out our karaoke microphones and show off our talent!"
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While some people's Christmas revolves around spending time with family and friends, for others it is all about the presents.
Hiba Al Rubaie and her friends spend their Christmas time shopping for gifts for each other.
Al Rubaie, a British national residing in Dubai, said: "My friends and I make it a point to do our ‘secret Santa' tradition every year." The way it works is each of Al Rubaie's friends picks up a piece of paper with a name written on it from a jar. Whoever's name is picked would receive a gift on Christmas day. She said: "We set a limit of Dh50 so we have to find a creative and fun present that the person would like."
As fun as it is to receive presents, Ashlesha Rao, an Indian national residing in Dubai, spends Christmas bonding with her parents.
When Rao was a child her parents used to decorate a Christmas tree every year, as she was fascinated by the holiday spirit.
She said: "As I grew older this practice became a tradition and now not a year goes by without us putting up the tree."
The Rao family also uses this time to try out different recipes that they would not usually think of cooking.
Last year they made a roast chicken and baked a plum cake. Rao said: "We know that no matter what happens during the year, Christmas day is always booked as "family day".
