Expats in UAE celebrate Christmas with prayers, family, friends, food

Dubai: Expats in the UAE are celebrating Christmas with mass and carol singing at churches, get-togethers with family and friends, and traditional feasts as they blend their own cultural practices with the diverse environment of the Emirates.

Christmas, a festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, sees Christian expats attend church services. While St Mary’s Catholic Church in Dubai hold carol singing and midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, Abu Dhabi’s St Joseph’s Cathedral offers more than 20 Christmas day masses in several languages, including Arabic, English, Malayalam, Tamil, Urdu, Tagalog, Sinhala, French, Italian, Korean, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Polish, among others.

It is also a time when Christians decorate their homes with Christmas trees, stars and lights. Residents, including those in the UAE for the first time, shared their Christmas plans with Gulf News.

First Christmas in UAE

Erika Raquepo Olinares, a nurse, praised the UAE government’s tolerance for religious diversity, which allows expats like her to celebrate the festival just as they would back home.

“This is our first time celebrating Christmas here, but we’ve noticed the festive decorations, events, and holiday spirit all around,” said Olinares, a resident of Abu Dhabi.

Last weekend, she explored various festival activities taking place across shopping malls and plans to celebrate Christmas at home with her family.

“Christmas is all about gatherings. It’s a time for peace and unity, so we’ll be spending time together at home, cooking, enjoying good food, and singing karaoke.”

Week-long celebrations

Abu Dhabi resident Emelliane Kate Cainglet Rayala has attended the nine-night Simbang Gabi, a traditional Filipino series of nightly masses held at churches. She now plans to attend the Christmas Mass and celebrate the festival with a delicious feast at one of the restaurants in a shopping mall with her friends.

“I will go to church first, and then meet my friends at a mall for dinner. We plan to spend more time together, and I will also catch up with my family through a video call. For those friends who can’t join the dinner, we’re planning another gathering this weekend, so the Christmas celebrations will continue throughout the week.”

Rayala pointed out that over the years, the number of Christmas activities in Abu Dhabi has grown.

“The UAE and Abu Dhabi have given me a lot. The best part of being here is seeing the well-lit streets and buildings during Christmas. The festive vibes and activities at malls and different areas are really nice,” Rayala said.

Time for gatherings

Dubai resident Christopher Mabus, who is away from his family, is eagerly looking forward to catching up with friends on Christmas.

“I was planning to spend the day at my home in a simple and quiet way, but some of my friends have invited me to come over for a get-together. Christmas is a time for gatherings, to connect and relate to people, have some good food and enjoy the positive vibes. I will also call my family back home. It’s all about spreading love,” Mabus noted.

Prayers and feast

For long-time Indian expat Sumit Augustine, her Christmas plans have changed over the years.

“We would usually travel to India for the Christmas holidays to spend time with our extended family, until COVID hit. Back then, Christmas was always an elaborate affair. We would attend mass in the morning at our nearby church, then head home to prepare our traditional Christmas lunch and plum cake. Ever since COVID limited our travel, we have celebrated Christmas in Dubai,” said the Dubai resident for the past 30 years.

This year, she has been visiting various Christmas markets to soak in the festive atmosphere. With fewer family members in the city, she is planning a modest feast after attending the morning mass at St Francis of Assisi Church.

“We’ll be enjoying our Christmas roast with the family in the afternoon. We’ll have a pre-prepared roast turkey complete with all the traditional trimmings – potatoes, stuffing, and roasted vegetables. It’s a bit of a last-minute decision for us, but a convenient way to enjoy a festive meal without too much hassle.”