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By Sherry Tenorio
When December comes, our lives are filled with activities that revolve around the word ‘celebrate.’ Back home, people have been busy shopping for the Christmas gifts, attending Christmas parties and thinking about sumptuous meals to whip up for Noche Buena. Here in far mid-east, we may not be able to feel exactly the same festive spirit, we know that we can still try to have a good time and enjoy the season. This month in Illustrado, we give you a lowdown on how to plan a merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year. Take note of our year-ender tips, and you’ll have the greatest month for sure.
As the old adage goes, Christmas is the day of giving. That is why we should still adhere to the tradition, and live up to it in our own ways. There is no need to buy expensive gifts – meaningful gifts that come out of thoughtfulness and sincerity are what we have to give away. Box of sweets for office colleagues, small mementos to housemates, greeting cards and charming favors for friends and loved ones would actually make the spirit of Christmas fill the air. The shopping malls all over the city coupled with outdoor souks in Global Village and The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence have tons of discount offerings in time for the season. And aside from giving gifts to those who are dear to us, we can also go and donate some of our blessings to the less fortunate through charity organizations.
There are only two areas in the whole of Dubai where we can attend to our religious obligations but that should not hinder us in any way from going. So, for us to really experience the meaning of Christmas and to ponder on the reason behind the merriment, we have to devote our time and effort to hear mass or service in the churches in Bur Dubai or Jebel Ali. We assure you that there is nothing more rejuvenating than seeing people flock to church to celebrate one of the most-awaited days in the Christian world. There is also a nine-day novena called “Simbang Gabi” in Tagalog that starts from the 16th December. The nightly mass, held usually at dawn, will be offered after working hours in order to encourage more people to join. Aside from doing it as a spiritual exercise, attending this pseudo-Simbang Gabi would somehow fill the missing gap of festive traditions we are accustomed to in the Philippines.
Although most companies and offices here do not hold Christmas parties, that should not mean that we can entirely forget about having one. We can always create the festive mood ourselves. So, think about organizing a Christmas party among your friends, housemates or even org-mates. It does not have to be in a fancy hotel or an expensive restaurant, the point is that you should all have a good time playing party games and exchanging gifts, along with some raffle draws and caroling, and everything will be really perfect. Then, come Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, catch up with your close friends in a fine dinner. We suggest that you opt for Filipino food in Barrio Fiesta and order its divine “puto bumbong,” or book in one of the great hotels in town which have interesting offerings this season. You can also go for a well-deserved Dhow cruise dinner, relishing Christmas moments with your loved ones while sailing through the Dubai creek and marveling the beauty of both old and new Dubai.
Since December is not all about Christmas, as it is also about the end of the year, we also have to use this month for retrospection and planning ahead. Whether it is a wonderful year filled with blessings or a year filled with challenges, we should all learn from the the experiences of 2014. So, while you’re jogging, walking by the beach, sitting at the park or watching the Dubai Fountain at Burj Khalifa, try to reflect on the year that was and extract from these the goals that have to be set for 2015. We believe that this is a good exercise in setting your New Year’s resolutions but also in raising the bar in terms of our personal objectives in life. And, if you want to be really into the mood, get some cute journals from Kinokuniya or Magrudy’s to write down your thoughts. You should also buy yourself a beautiful 2015 calendar planner to give you a good start the coming year.
As we move to the second decade of the 21st century, we believe that we should put some thoughts in embracing the New Year with a big bang. We recommend doing full moon desert drumming where you would welcome the strike of the New Year to the sound of African bongo beats and munching on Arabic fare in the middle of the desert. To do this one, you should check out Dubai Drums’ website. Or, you can party all night as clubs offer marvelous New Year treats especially for those who love dancing. If your time and pocket do not permit a lavish New Year party, there is no reason to frown as we believe that house parties, shared with close friends and loved ones, are the best ways of spending the countdown. Jazz up your house parties by asking the guests to wear masks, play some ice-breakers, and simply enjoy each other’s companies. Relish the rest of the year with love and peace, and welcome the next year with hope and prosperity.
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