Christmas in Middle East

There is no such thing as exclusivity when it comes to Christmas. It is not only for Christians to enjoy and celebrate, but for everyone around the world. The Middle East, as the birthplace of Jesus, never fails to put on a decent Christmas party or two. Christmas in Dubai may not sound like the snow-covered fantasy that the holiday season is known for, but it can be a lot of fun along with grandiose celebration, with colossal trees in every mall, limitless shopping, and a plethora of fairy lights.

Christmas is not an official holiday in the United Arab Emirates because it is largely an Islamic country. Only about 13% of the population professes to be Christian. The majority of those come from non-native Emiratis who live and work in the UAE. As a luxury shopping destination, Dubai has a number of competitive advantages, and it has created unique shopping places and events to capitalize on the importance of shopping. Dubai has built a unique distinction in integrating shopping and entertainment alternatives in order to attract and connect consumers to a diverse shopping experience. For example, Dubai may be the only place in the world where travelers may shop at some of the world's most prestigious stores, swim with sharks, then take a break from shopping by skiing down a snowy mountain. It is a key feature in tourism destination selection, an important part of the overall travel experience, and sometimes the primary reason for postmodern visitors to travel over the holiday season (Upadhya & Kumar, 2017).

With the increasing number of foreign visitors and expats visiting Saudi Arabia, there is a tendency toward increased openness and tolerance throughout the festive season. Saudis and their government have long played hide-and-seek about behaviors that are officially prohibited but often practiced informally. Christmas, on the other hand, is now openly celebrated among foreign workers and a few Saudis with Western connections. Christmas in Saudi Arabia is markedly different from previous years. A gift shop in Riyadh sells Christmas trees and decorations. People buying Santa Claus suits, tinsel, baubles, and other ornaments from a shop in Saudi Arabia's capital are a clear indicator of increasing tolerance for other religions and faiths. Not only to create a welcome atmosphere, but also to celebrate the importance of variety and diversity, the Kingdom is eager to promote a culture of tolerance for different ideas and ways of doing things. Because Christmas is not a national holiday in Qatar, Christians celebrate it privately.

Since 2018, Christmas has been recognized as a national holiday in Iraq, but the status was up for renewal this year. It's now permanent. This is a rare occurrence in the Middle East. Only four other countries in Iraq's vicinity — Sudan, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon — acknowledge Christmas officially, despite the fact that they may celebrate it in some fashion. All of the countries have a larger Christian population than Iraq (Schaer, 2021)

Many of Doha's hotels host unique festivities that include a 'Christmas Tree Lighting.' Christmas Eve dinners are available in most hotels and restaurants in Qatar. Some even provide classic Christmas foods like turkey to their guests. Aside from that, five-star hotels also serve brunch and lunch on Christmas Day. Several services are held over the month of December including Christmas Day itself at Doha's religious complex on the outskirts of the city. The majority of Qataris and Muslims are tolerant of their Christian brothers and sisters enjoying Christmas. When they want to have a good time with their international pals, some of them even attend New Year's parties.

Bahrain is well-known for its opulent hotels, which provide spectacular Christmas celebrations and festivities. You'll find all the kinds of celebrations you're looking for in the Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, and a slew of other hotels. The Christmas spirit is alive and well in Lebanon. Houses are decked out, streets and malls are lit up with Christmas trees, and stores pull out all the stops for their "Christmas deals." These can be found in both Muslim and Christian neighborhoods.

In many countries throughout the world, Christmas is traditionally a high selling season for retailers. What began as a religious festival has taken on commercial significance, from gift wrapping to Christmas trees, department store Santas, and beyond.

References

Schaer, C. (2021). In Iraq, Christmas is becoming many Muslims' favorite new holiday | DW | 23.12.2021. DW.COM. Retrieved 29 December 2021, from https://www.dw.com/en/in-iraq-christmas-is-many-muslims-favorite-new-holiday/a-60239353.

Upadhya, A., & Kumar, M. (2017). Night Shopping as a Tourist Attraction: A Study of Night Shopping in Dubai: Upadhya, A., Kumar, M.(2017). Night Shopping as a Tourist Attraction: A Study of Night Shopping in Dubai. Journal of Tourism and Services 9 (16): 7-18. Journal of Tourism and Services, 8(15), 7-18.