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Following traditions, families gear up for Christmas

Dubai - There are a few 100 nationalities that will be celebrating the annual Christian festival in Dubai this year, yet, all of them have one thing in common - Christmas is strictly a family-only moment.

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For some, the best memories of Christmas include ripping open Christmas gifts, while for many others it's the aroma of home- cooked duck roast that follows grandma's recipe to the tee.
Culturally diverse, UAE is home to an eclectic mix of people of various faiths, many of who do not approach the Christmas season the same way as several others do. There are a few 100 nationalities that will be celebrating the annual Christian festival in Dubai this year, yet, all of them have one thing in common - Christmas is strictly a family-only moment. 
Khaleej Times caught up with a few families on Christmas Eve, and all families are set to turn off their work phones and laptops for the day and spend time making merry with their loved ones.

Many stay back to avoid expenses

Given the high costs of flying back home and also given that the weather in the UAE this time of the year is perfect, several families now prefer to celebrate in UAE. British national Nicole Majdalany, mother of three sons and fashion blogger (@nicoleontrend) is celebrating her 11th year in Dubai this year. Her sons are Max (16), Morgan (15), and Miles (9).
"We moved to Dubai on January 1, 2007. For the first year or so we used to travel back home to London for Christmas so the boys could see family and friends and soak up the vibe of Christmas at 'home'," she said. However, for the past several years, Nicole and her family have been here in Dubai for the holiday season owing it to great weather this time of the year.
"Our home here is much bigger than the one we have in the UK, so the boys have a lot more space to decorate. One year we even had fake snow sprayed from the roof our house," said Nicole.
For Alfie Gesta and Caryl Gesta, and their almost two-year-old daughter Anechka, travelling back to the Philippines every year for Christmas is an expensive affair. "I do miss being home, but the way we celebrate is exactly the same. All of my cousins, family friends, and several guests come home, we exchange presents, and we spend time with each other," said Alfie.
Alfie has been here for 11 years, and his Christmas morning usually starts with Christmas Mass. "We play a lot of different games for Christmas. different kind of games, especially with the kids," added Alfie.

Mandatory family affair 

For Indian nationals' Dr CI Joseph and Bina Joseph, Christmas is a 'mandatory family affair'. Since their children Bindia and Binith now live separately with their own families, the family makes it a point to get together every Christmas. 
Bindia said: "My brother lives in London with his wife Cian, who is Chinese, and I live in India with my husband Arjun, who also happens to be a vegetarian." Bina Joseph goes the extra length by preparing appropriate meals for everyone, including eggless cakes and vegetarian food. "Christmas has always been a very big deal at our house, especially more so now since our family has become bigger. As kids, we would open our gifts on Christmas Eve and now our kids have started doing the same.," she added.
Food forms the backbone for most Christmas celebrations. From traditional turkey, stuffing and gravy to Indian delicacies, it is at the dinner table that the families bond the most. 
Alfie said: "The main dishes we eat are spaghetti, roast chicken, fried chicken, and Shanghai rolls. And for dessert, we eat mangusago, a delicacy made from mango sticky balls and coconut, cooked in condensed milk." Meanwhile, at the Joseph's, the family enjoys duck roast and goose on occasions, and Christmas cake and chocolate eclairs for dessert.
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com