I have been absent for a while and don’t really have a very good excuse as to why. I just let life get in the way. But something happened this weekend that has inspired me to wipe the dust off my blog and get started again.
As many of you know my family & I have been living in Abu Dhabi in the UAE (United Arab Emirates) for over 5 years now. This very small country of 32 sq miles – about the size of Maine- and sits in the center of the Middle East. It is also a very young country – having only just celebrated its 44th “birthday” on Dec 2nd. About 80% of the population of the UAE is actually not from the UAE. Like my family – 8 million of us hail from somewhere else, but call this amazing country home – albeit temporarily.
And an important detail for this blog entry – this is a muslim country.
This past weekend I attended the Dubai Christmas Festival with my daughter Sara & her friends. Yes – a full on Christmas Festival. They saw Santa, watched the lighting of the huge Christmas tree, sang along to the Christmas carols being piped through out, decorated gingerbread cookies, and made their way through stalls of shopkeepers selling their wares in the Christmas market. This included many Christmas themed items like ornaments, wrapping paper & holiday cards. All of this in the glamorous modern city of Dubai – in a Muslim country.
As I sat in the Festival with my friend and watched the hundreds of families wander through, I thought to myself – I have to share this. Who would believe this.
In Abu Dhabi, it’s no different. Every hotel has had a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and many are hosting Christmas markets. While maybe not offering the gluhwein and cold temperatures, the atmosphere would put anyone in the Christmas spirit! In addition as Christmas falls on a Friday this year – the traditional Friday brunch day – many restaurants are offering a special Christmas Friday Brunch, with carols and other special activities.
Just last weekend I attended a beautiful concert of Christmas music in the shadows of the Emirates Palace hotel. A guest artist performed an original piece that made reference to the birth of Jesus and the 3 Kings.
How is it that in a Muslim country in the center of the Middle East, I can say “Merry Christmas”, attend a Christmas Festival and sing along to Christmas carols, but I’m limited to “Happy Holidays” in the US?
How is it that Islam generates fear in others but in this amazing Muslim country we are welcomed with open arms and are actually encouraged to celebrate our Christian faith?
I just don’t understand.
But Merry Christmas from the UAE!
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