Dubai/ Fujairah/ Abu Dhabi: Travelling abroad for the five-day Eid break is a popular option for most residents who want to take advantage of the holidays, while others opt to unwind at home with friends and family.
With the holidays, parks beaches and recreation centres around the country are expecting a huge rush of holiday-makers.
Brett Smuts, 25, is eager to go home and see his family in Australia, and is delighted that Christmas and Eid fall so close to each other.
"I am taking two-and-a-half weeks off work so that I can spend Christmas with my family. I will definitely be having a barbecue and spending lots of time on the beach," he said.
Hayat Bangash, 53, a Pakistani administrative manager, will spend his Eid vacation with his mother in Iran, and said he would be going to a place called Mashad where he will visit the Tomb of Imam Raza, a holy place which is said to have cured hundreds of sick people.
Parties
"I have lived in the UAE for 30 years now. Since we have four days vacation over Eid, it is a chance to take my mother out and visit the Tomb in Iran because she loves it there. The minute I have any breaks I make sure I give all my attention to my mother," he said, adding that if you are good to your parents God will reward you.
Aiham Bouhamdan, a Syrian personal assistant, is looking forward to the holidays because he will be reunited with his fiancee in Syria.
"There's going to be lots of parties among the family, and I am happy that I have the opportunity to travel and see my loved ones."
Furqan Sheh, 32, will be with his wife and newly-born son Zahran all through Eid.
"In Pakistan, it is a tradition to have your wife well-rested for the first 40 days after pregnancy. So all through Eid I will make sure she's well-rested at home with our newborn."
Residents staying within the UAE said they had opted to celebrate the festivities by relaxing at the beach and participating in outdoor activities.
"I'll be staying in Dubai, but I'm planning to go on a desert safari with my friends and have fun outdoors," said Filipina Rosa Gacasan.
While he will be staying in Abu Dhabi, the Sheh family will be celebrating Eid by receiving friends and having a barbecue.
Ihab Abdul Salam, 25, will spend the first day of Eid swimming at the public beach in Abu Dhabi with his friends who will be visiting him from Al Ain.
"Eid is all about gathering together and my friends are coming to visit me, then we are off to Dubai on the second and third day of Eid, he said, adding he was preparing to extend the Eid break as his wife will be arriving immediately after Eid from Egypt.
Attractions
Ashraf Esmail, a 35-year-old Sudanese living in Fujairah, said he will visit his family in Abu Dhabi on the first day of Eid, and then go on to Al Ain.
"Eid here is very different to my home country Sudan and I really miss that, however, I try to make the most of Eid here by spending time with family and friends."
Aiman Salama Hajaj, from Palestine, said that the holiday season was difficult for bachelors who were away from their families.
"I plan to spend some of the first day in Dubai to see my sister, but then I'll be heading back to the East Coast to enjoy some of the costal areas here because out here it's a more relaxed scene. Of course, I'll be in touch with friends, but Eid is about spending time with the family."
Shirina Suhail, 27, who also lives on the East Coast, said that she is going to make the most of the holidays and may visit Dubai, hoping to see attractions such as the Global Village and some parks.
"Eid here is very different to what it's like in India but as usual, there will be many family members and friends, Muslim and non-Muslim, coming down this Eid and there will be lots of food and new clothes around."
