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So tis the season to be jolly! What's everyone upto?

I'm in the throws of moving, couldn't be a worse time 'what to do'. Looking forward to Crimbo at the irish Village and fun Christmas Eve party at a mates.

No idea for New Years, determined not to get sucked ito the paying a fortune for something I can do any night o the week trap.

Merry Christmas! xxxxx

IV sounds good Christmas eve.
At mates on xmas day and villa party new year. When did new year get so expensive???

For the second year running The Doc (and Mrs Strangeglove) will be staying in the good ol' UA of E. Whilst I miss family and friends back in blighty at these times of year, there's nothing like a christmas day stroll on the beach.

Is Irish Village good for Christmas day? Do they do anything special?

Did the village one christmas day and I must say it was a bit sad.
Xmas day doesn't feel right going out IMO

smoggie wrote:Did the village one christmas day and I must say it was a bit sad.
Xmas day doesn't feel right going out IMO

Noooooo don't say that! Well mind you with the group of mates we have getting together, we could have a good time at a funeral!

erm IV is 140Dhs, drinks on top, we'll just order a few nice bottles over from the Cellar.

In all honesty we couldn't be bothered with all the cooking and stuff like we did last year, just wanted something cheap and cheerful.

Chocoholic wrote:

smoggie wrote:Did the village one christmas day and I must say it was a bit sad.
Xmas day doesn't feel right going out IMO

Noooooo don't say that! Well mind you with the group of mates we have getting together, we could have a good time at a funeral!

erm IV is 140Dhs, drinks on top, we'll just order a few nice bottles over from the Cellar.

In all honesty we couldn't be bothered with all the cooking and stuff like we did last year, just wanted something cheap and cheerful.

does getting drunk and a one night stand rings a bell

uaekid wrote:does getting drunk and a one night stand rings a bell

Is that an invitation? Sounds fab, I can't wait for you to ring my bell

Merry Christmas everyone .

^^^lol

bonk wrote:

uaekid wrote:does getting drunk and a one night stand rings a bell

Is that an invitation? Sounds fab, I can't wait for you to ring my bell

Merry Christmas everyone .

LOL I can find something better than a monkey

Sob...I'm stuck here for Christmas, my first ever in the ME and I'm not the least bit pleased.

No Carols, no cribs, no home baked sweets, no misteltoes........

So I guess I'll team up with some mates, do the whole midnght Church thingy and probably go partyin later....but this year as far as I'm concerned the season has definately lost it's charm.

Any suggestions anyone?

here again or Crimbo. Mates house for Xmas day troughing and generally getting smashed. NYE - no idea, but New Years Day - brunch at Al Qsar (sp)

uaekid wrote:LOL I can find something better than a monkey

Oh surely not. What could be better than spanking the monkey

I'm going to be spending the 25th carving the Turkey and serving my Grandkids who we are bringing over for the season's holidays. It's going to be a great Christmas with lot's of family & friends all around.

I'll be home for Christmas - hope it snows. For NYE going to a friend's place for a black tie party (been doing it for some years - cool to dress up for a party at someone's house). Last NYE's shenanigans was that someone swallowed a live fish out of the fish tank.

sage & onion wrote:I'm going to be spending the 25th carving the Turkey and serving my Grandkids who we are bringing over for the season's holidays. It's going to be a great Christmas with lot's of family & friends all around.

Ahhhh that's lovely, I miss a good family Christmas.

hmm, we don't have christmas here, but some Armenian friends invited me to the dinner party at their place, looking forward to see their traditions...

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed christmas celebrations are more low-key than in, what I refer to as a the peak, 2007?

Anyway, here are a few of my favourites:
Santa: Wafi. Santa is flown in from Lapland (don't pull his beard, its real). They may have been challenged for the biggest tree title, but I've heard that Charlies Chocolate factory is the theme and this year.
Christmas Market: The Madinat was very good in 2007, not as good in 2008, hope for an improvement this year. The nutcracker ballet is normally on also at the Madinat Theatre.
Carols: Unfortunately all of the old expat clubs have now been closed down. Some of the schools have carols this week. Le Meridien Choir.
Mass: Where else but Jebel Ali.
Christmas Eve: Irish Village.
Christmas Dinner: Tried everything else. Nothing beats home cooked meal with mates/family.

head back to uk this week till after new year, going to miss the good weather, no crime, etc, though looking forward to a break of flashy flashy 'get outta my way yani' driving!

i like the xmas decoration here, its kinda ironic as in Uk they have to minimse all the xmas decorations in case they offend muslims etc.

Roadtester wrote:head back to uk this week till after new year, going to miss the good weather, no crime, etc, though looking forward to a break of flashy flashy 'get outta my way yani' driving!

i like the xmas decoration here, its kinda ironic as in Uk they have to minimse all the xmas decorations in case they offend muslims etc.

Do you really believe that is a reason to cut back on xmas decorations, come on give us a break.

I did say "muslims etc"- ok 'other faiths' In the UK political correctness is very very strong. We have had several years of removal of xmas decorations etc since 2005/6.

Thats how it is sage in UK, in the UAE it was cool with you all flying your flags on national day, and also everyday people proud of the UAE stickers on cars etc. You prob wont believe this but-
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/2 ... be_racist/

In the UK you put up a flag and your accused of racism and have to take it down.

Roadtester wrote:I did say "muslims etc"- ok 'other faiths' In the UK political correctness is very very strong. We have had several years of removal of xmas decorations etc since 2005/6.

Thats how it is sage in UK, in the UAE it was cool with you all flying your flags on national day, and also everyday people proud of the UAE stickers on cars etc. You prob wont believe this but-
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/2 ... be_racist/

In the UK you put up a flag and your accused of racism and have to take it down.

It is a rather obscure publication, it certainly hasn't had an effect on the forllowing;

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/whatson/oxf ... e-403.html

Roadtester wrote:I did say "muslims etc"- ok 'other faiths' In the UK political correctness is very very strong. We have had several years of removal of xmas decorations etc since 2005/6.

Thats how it is sage in UK, in the UAE it was cool with you all flying your flags on national day, and also everyday people proud of the UAE stickers on cars etc. You prob wont believe this but-
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/2 ... be_racist/

In the UK you put up a flag and your accused of racism and have to take it down.

That's not being politically correct - that's being damn stupid - catering to the sensitivities of immigrants at the expense of citizens. That has to go right on the top of the list of "most ridiculous things". What country are the immigrants living in - I'm assuming the UK. Now, as a citizen, you have to be mindful of displaying your country's flag??

Well then, I guess the national anthem is going to have to go also. Might be there are immigrants who will take offense by using "God" in the anthem because they don't believe in God or because they have another word for a higher power or worship an idol or an animal and therefore find the word "God" offensive. And maybe the don't want God to save the Queen.

And why not have everyone BORN in the UK whose first language should be English, learn about 50 languages so that they can be polite and "communicate" with immigrants who can't or refuse to learn English.

Aren't these immigrants in the UK because they are looking for the UK passport/citizenship?? Don't they take an oath when becoming citizens of their new country with the country's flag displayed?? Something is wrong when the sensitivities of immigrants are more important than a citizen's pride and alligence to his country.

Do to economic reasons, I won't get a goose this year but will instead opt for a pheasant....maybe a cornish hen too. Anyway it will only be 3 of us so a pheasant is big enough.

Do you think I was out of line on this matter? My agnostic Indian friend raised Hindu asked if we could spend Christmas together but said he would buy the food (not cook but buy) because he didn't want to wait for me to finish cooking (I had to work on Thanksgiving so he had to wait an extra hour for the bird to finish cooking. Also he had vegetarian friends come and I think he thought because I'm an omnivore I don't cook vegetarian dishes. Anyway his vegetarian friend gushed over my mashed potatoes, my salad, and my sweet potato pie but not his dishes. Maybe he's jealous too).

Anyway I'm not working Christmas Eve or Christmas. I told him Christmas is a holy day too and part of my culture and traditions. I told him cooking and eating specific foods is an important part of that day and couldn't spend it with him if I were "forbidden" to cook by someone Hindu-raised and not even American-raised. He was raised Hindu in India.

I was also hurt that he implied he was upset that I cooked for Thanksgiving and would have been happier to have eaten store-bought ready-made food.

Anyway back to the Christmas matter, I think it's the same as if I ask him to spend Diwali or some Hindu day with me but forbid him to do any of his traditions. Anyway to you think I was out of line with him? I don't but I just want your opinions.

puppypup wrote:Do to economic reasons, I won't get a goose this year but will instead opt for a pheasant....maybe a cornish hen too. Anyway it will only be 3 of us so a pheasant is big enough.

Do you think I was out of line on this matter? My agnostic Indian friend raised Hindu asked if we could spend Christmas together but said he would buy the food (not cook but buy) because he didn't want to wait for me to finish cooking (I had to work on Thanksgiving so he had to wait an extra hour for the bird to finish cooking. Also he had vegetarian friends come and I think he thought because I'm an omnivore I don't cook vegetarian dishes. Anyway his vegetarian friend gushed over my mashed potatoes, my salad, and my sweet potato pie but not his dishes. Maybe he's jealous too).

Anyway I'm not working Christmas Eve or Christmas. I told him Christmas is a holy day too and part of my culture and traditions. I told him cooking and eating specific foods is an important part of that day and couldn't spend it with him if I were "forbidden" to cook by someone Hindu-raised and not even American-raised. He was raised Hindu in India.

I was also hurt that he implied he was upset that I cooked for Thanksgiving and would have been happier to have eaten store-bought ready-made food.

Anyway back to the Christmas matter, I think it's the same as if I ask him to spend Diwali or some Hindu day with me but forbid him to do any of his traditions. Anyway to you think I was out of line with him? I don't but I just want your opinions.

If he is your friend (sounds to me more like a lover or lover- in-the- making) then he'll respect what you want to do for Christmas just as I imagine you would on Diwaly or any of his festivals.

Merry Christams.

Pfff I only asked what everyone was doing and to have a good time, not to turninto a political debate!

My post isn't political. And ewww....he's not a lover or lover-in-the-making. I have my eyes on someone else. I don't know if he likes me too. He's old enough to be my dad, has no fashion sense and a bit chubby but he shares a love for old films like I do. He challenges me. I've never met anyone who knew as much about old films as me. Furthermore I think he's traveled extensively in Latin America like I have. I'll take this over to the romance thread. Please help me guys.

Anyway Chocs, what do you think of my Christmas plans. I've been very good about not cheating on eating my chocolates from my Advent Calendar.

puppypup wrote:My post isn't political. And ewww....he's not a lover or lover-in-the-making. I have my eyes on someone else. I don't know if he likes me too. He's old enough to be my dad, has no fashion sense and a bit chubby but he shares a love for old films like I do. He challenges me. I've never met anyone who knew as much about old films as me. Furthermore I think he's traveled extensively in Latin America like I have. I'll take this over to the romance thread. Please help me guys.

Anyway Chocs, what do you think of my Christmas plans. I've been very good about not cheating on eating my chocolates from my Advent Calendar.

Bueno, entonces no hay problema. Feliz Navidad ha ambos.

Age differences make no difference (would not have properly translated )

Put up my nativity set today. Joseph is missing! Should I keep Mary a single mother or let one of the shepherd's be Joseph's proxy? Maybe Joseph will show up after a major cleaning. Also one of the 3 magi has a missing head. Argh!!!

puppypup wrote:Put up my nativity set today. Joseph is missing! Should I keep Mary a single mother

No problem. time to update the ntativity scene to reflects today's family structure anyway.

Roadtester wrote:I did say "muslims etc"- ok 'other faiths' In the UK political correctness is very very strong. We have had several years of removal of xmas decorations etc since 2005/6.

Thats how it is sage in UK, in the UAE it was cool with you all flying your flags on national day, and also everyday people proud of the UAE stickers on cars etc. You prob wont believe this but-
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/2 ... be_racist/

In the UK you put up a flag and your accused of racism and have to take it down.

lol wtf :S why has everything got to do with us bloody muslims!!!

first off all the police man who stopped the guy must have been dumb or something.

and secondly is there a law in UK which stops people from displaying the flag of england in their car?? If there is than the bloody UK government and law makers have lost their marbels

its just a flag, obviously if i go around driving a flag of the Nazis in UK that will offend some people.