How families are celebrating Christmas at home this year in UAE

Dubai: Christmas in the UAE doesn't come with snow-covered rooftops or freezing winter nights, but for many families here, the heart of the celebration is exactly the same as it would be anywhere else: good food, familiar traditions, and precious time spent together.

This year, families across the country are bringing their own cultural Christmas rituals into their homes, blending old-world traditions with life in the Emirates. From classic European comfort food to thoughtfully decorated dining tables, the festive spirit is thriving indoors.

German traditions in the UAE

For several German families in the UAE, Christmas is all about honouring the traditions they grew up with, each bringing their own regional twist to the celebration.

Denise and her family from Leipzig are keeping things simple and traditional with potato salad and meats on Christmas Eve. "Potato salad and meat is the most eaten Christmas dish on Christmas Eve in Germany," Denise explained. "It's simple, comforting, and something almost everyone grows up eating."

Anja from Wolfsburg, is taking a slightly different approach. She's heading to a restaurant for Christmas Eve, then celebrating with duck at her in-laws' home the following day. It's a perfect example of how families blend convenience with tradition during the busy festive period.

Meanwhile, Sabrina and Max from Western Germany are going a bit more elaborate with their daughters Lotte and Fine. Their Christmas dinner features goose with dumplings, pretzel dumplings, and red cabbage which is a proper festive feast that's traditional in many German households.

Caro, also from Western Germany, is sticking with the same classic combination for her Christmas Eve meal. It's that humble, familiar dish that connects so many German families to home during the festive season.

Back in Germany, Christmas isn't just a single day but a proper three-day celebration. Christmas Eve is the main event, followed by the first and second Christmas Days, all traditionally spent with family. Even though these families are far from home, they've recreated that sense of togetherness through food, sitting down to meals that would feel right at home in Leipzig, Wolfsburg, or Western Germany.

These spreads, whether humble or elaborate, prove that Christmas doesn't need to be complicated to feel special. Sometimes, it's those familiar flavours that make the season feel like home, no matter where you are.

An Indian family's fresh take

In another UAE home, an Indian family marked Christmas with festive decorations and a fresh, colourful salad that became the centrepiece of their celebration. Their approach focused less on traditional Western Christmas dishes and more on creating a joyful atmosphere with twinkling lights, carefully chosen decorations, and a meal meant to be savoured slowly.

For them, Christmas is about warmth and gratitude rather than following a strict menu. The salad, light and vibrant, reflected a celebration that balances indulgence with freshness, fitting perfectly into a UAE winter where the pleasant weather invites relaxed, at-home gatherings.

What it all means

Together, these homes tell a larger story about how wonderfully diverse Christmas in the UAE has become. It's not about one kind of feast or one prescribed way to celebrate. It's about adapting traditions, honouring where you come from, and creating moments that feel meaningful, whether that's a plate of potato salad and sausages, a beautifully dressed table, or simply sitting together and enjoying the day.

In a country where so many cultures live side by side, Christmas becomes less about location and more about intention. And for these families, that intention is clear: to celebrate, remember, and feel connected, no matter where they are in the world.

That's the beauty of Christmas in the UAE. It doesn't look like a postcard from the Swiss Alps or feel like a traditional English winter, but it carries the same warmth, the same love, and the same spirit. Just with perhaps a bit more sunshine and a wonderfully international twist.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.