UAE holidays in 2017: The year of long weekends

Dubai - January 1, 2017 fell on a Sunday, and the UAE started the new year with a three-day weekend.

This is the year of long weekends in the UAE, and we all got our first long weekend on January 1, which fell on a Sunday.

Now, schoolchildren in Dubai are on a short break, and the holy month of Ramadan is round the corner.

After January 1, the next holiday will be the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, scheduled to fall on May 27, a Saturday, subject to moon sighting.

The next month will see another holiday, with Eid Al Fitr falling on June 24, a Saturday, again subject to sighting of the moon.

Two months later, on August 31, will be Arafat (Haj) Day, which falls on a Thursday.

The following month, on September 21, a Thursday, will be the Hijri New Year's Day, subject to moon sighting.

Commemoration Day, which is observed on November 30, will also fall on a Thursday. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday (PBUH) is likely to fall on the same day, subject to moon sighting.

Bonus: December 31, 2017 will fall on a Sunday, and January 1, 2018 is a Monday. So if you take the Sunday off, you can enjoy a four-day-long weekend.

Here's the list of UAE's expected public holidays in 2017:

*Islamic holiday exact dates are subject to moon sighting and may differ from the date given.

• UAE