Our First Christmas in Dubai

When we realized that we would be spending our 2017 Christmas in Dubai, I began preparing the kids for a low-key holiday. I warned them not to expect major gifts. This year, I told them, we wouldn't be exchanging presents, we weren't going to have a Christmas tree, and we wouldn't be hanging stockings. Instead, we were going to focus on adventures in our new city and celebrating the REAL meaning of Christmas: the birth of our Savior!

Upon our arrival in Dubai, Kaitlynn immediately began talking about our Christmas elf, Jexan. She wondered if Jexan would be coming to visit this year, and she was worried about how he could find us. Since we don't have a fireplace in our new villa, she informed us that Santa would have to come through the front door. So it was there, at the front door, that Kaitlynn decided to leave a special note for Jexan. She wrote the letter on very special paper from her Burj Khalifa journal.

Much to Kaitlynn's delight, her special note did the trick! The very next morning, Jexan had indeed arrived. He even wrote her a response on the back of her letter. Kaitlynn was so happy to have him back!

Jexan arrived a little later than usual, and only managed a few good hiding spots this year (much to Kaitlynn's disappointment, ha!). Can you spot him?

Celebrating Christmas in a Muslim country is a little different in some ways and a lot different in others. I wasn't expecting to see much hoopla about the holidays, but in fact, there were signs of Christmas all over Dubai. Christmas trees, holiday sales, festive decorations, and even familiar Christmas tunes were all around us. Lots of neighbors and folks around would say "Merry Christmas" which was comforting to hear. Christmas Day is even a company holiday for many companies here in UAE.

As far as the differences here versus back in the States, the biggest one I noticed was the lack of frenzy. You know what I mean. The Christmas rush at the malls and shopping centers... Never being able to find a parking spot, lines and lines of people buying last-minute gifts, and frantic shoppers trying to get those final things on their lists. There was none of that here, and it was so refreshing! On the days leading up to Christmas, I would get texts from friends and family and you could just sense the STRESS they were under to try to complete the preparations for holiday traditions and visitors. I have to admit, I did not miss that part of Christmas AT ALL. It was so nice to be able to focus on just a few small things for our family Christmas.

On Christmas Eve, we decided to enjoy a nice family dinner including grilled chicken and steaks. It was our first home-cooked meal here at our villa and it was delicious!

After our yummy lunch, we were excited to attend a city-wide church service hosted by the church we are attending, Fellowship of the Emirates. The celebration was held at the World Trade Center in Dubai, so we were able to visit a new part of the city. It was a wonderful service full of Christmas carols and celebration of the birth of Jesus. A perfect way to welcome the Christmas holiday as a family!

Also on Christmas Eve, I came across an amazing throwback photo of the kids and couldn't help posting it on Facebook. It has always been one of my favorites from the holidays over the years, so I think it's worth including here too! Oh, these kiddos!!

Like I mentioned earlier, we had prepared the kids for months in advance so that they wouldn't expect a big Christmas. But of course, Santa always comes through for the ones on the Nice list. (I admit, "nice" might be pushing it a little?!) Connor and Kaitlynn woke up on Christmas morning and were indeed surprised that Santa was more generous than they anticipated. They were both gifted with lots of treats, toys, and even the cool Plasma cars that they'd been seeing around town.

I have to elaborate on these Plasma cars. They are the coolest things! I had seen them occasionally back in the States but they are super popular here in Dubai. My guess is that they are more popular here because most homes are covered in tile flooring as opposed to hardwood or carpet. The cars can hold up to 200 lbs and can be self-propelling by just moving the steering wheel from side to side. They are FUN! I may or may not have enjoyed these myself a time or two! :)

Another popular gift this year was the board game Dubai Billionaire. It's just like Monopoly except with Dubai properties and UAE terminology. We have had so much fun playing this game, especially as we've gotten to know the areas and properties around the city!

One of our Christmas traditions over the years has been to enjoy a yummy breakfast as a family. Favorite dishes and familiar flavors go a long way towards curing homesickness, in my opinion! I was thrilled to find the necessary ingredients to make some Courtright breakfast staples -- pigs in a blanket and awesome rolls! We enjoyed these treats along with eggs, bacon, and toast for the perfect Christmas breakfast.

After our Christmas breakfast, we loaded up to head out on another Dubai adventure! We wanted to spend the day as a family doing something fun and unique, so we landed on IMG World Dubai, the largest indoor themed entertainment park in the world. With theme rides, roller coasters, restaurants, and more, it was such a cool way to celebrate the holiday together.

We felt incredibly blessed to have such a wonderful Christmas holiday as a family. Of course, we greatly missed Collin and Kevin and our entire families back home in the States. It will never truly feel like Christmas without all of our loved ones being together. But we are savoring our adventures overseas and feel so lucky to have the unique opportunity to see new things and experience different cultures. Merry Christmas from the Courtrights!