One of the unexpectedly great things about being in the Middle East over the Christmas holidays is that you miss most of the commercial hype over Santa and his presents that starts after Halloween in the US. Instead, you have to, or, I should say, you GET to decide exactly how you will celebrate the season for yourself. It takes a bit more planning than you may be used to, but, in the end, I think it makes the holiday more thoughtful and less frenzied, which I quite enjoy. Some folks take a Christmas trip to somewhere else with snow and/or other Christians, but we have decided to stay in Qatar instead.
Which is not to say that Christmas is completely missing here in Doha. Many of the hotels have one or two holiday events and lots of seasonal decorations; there are many holiday markets that pop up selling handicrafts; most restaurants have a special Christmas Eve dinner or brunch on Christmas Day; and Ikea just announced that they are now selling, in addition to their plentiful Christmas decorations, live Christmas trees to be delivered right to your door, Doha-style. So there are festivities and twinkling lights to be had, if you want to find them.
A few years ago, we started doing an activity advent in addition to our usual habit of unwrapping and reading a Christmas book (or two) every night until Christmas. We've got a big felt tree with numbered pockets we fill with slips of paper telling us what we will do that day, and the boys take turns pulling the slips out. Last year, sadly, since we were busy moving until right before Christmas, we didn't do the activity advent and contented ourselves with the (light and portable) Lego advent instead. This year, we're doing it all: books, Lego, and an activity per day! However, as I was plotting out the activities this month, I made an alarming realization. After I had put in all the already scheduled events I knew about, like a holiday concert and the ward Christmas activity at the singing sand dunes, I still had many, many more days than usual to fill up! This is the other thing that happens when you spend the Christmas season in a Muslim country, my friends! You DO need to get a bit more creative when it comes to holiday celebrations.
So, without further ado, here is our list of Christmas advent activities for the month of December:
Which is not to say that Christmas is completely missing here in Doha. Many of the hotels have one or two holiday events and lots of seasonal decorations; there are many holiday markets that pop up selling handicrafts; most restaurants have a special Christmas Eve dinner or brunch on Christmas Day; and Ikea just announced that they are now selling, in addition to their plentiful Christmas decorations, live Christmas trees to be delivered right to your door, Doha-style. So there are festivities and twinkling lights to be had, if you want to find them.
A few years ago, we started doing an activity advent in addition to our usual habit of unwrapping and reading a Christmas book (or two) every night until Christmas. We've got a big felt tree with numbered pockets we fill with slips of paper telling us what we will do that day, and the boys take turns pulling the slips out. Last year, sadly, since we were busy moving until right before Christmas, we didn't do the activity advent and contented ourselves with the (light and portable) Lego advent instead. This year, we're doing it all: books, Lego, and an activity per day! However, as I was plotting out the activities this month, I made an alarming realization. After I had put in all the already scheduled events I knew about, like a holiday concert and the ward Christmas activity at the singing sand dunes, I still had many, many more days than usual to fill up! This is the other thing that happens when you spend the Christmas season in a Muslim country, my friends! You DO need to get a bit more creative when it comes to holiday celebrations.
So, without further ado, here is our list of Christmas advent activities for the month of December:
- Decorate the tree
- Set up the nativities
- Make Christmas pictures/cards for the grandparents
- Pajama party (maybe)
- Gingerbread house making (this is at the Doha Marriott)
- Christmas pancakes for dinner
- Christmas movie party
- Make paper snowflakes
- Go through toys and find some to donate to church
- Buy/make Christmas gifts for Daddy
- Doha Singers/Orchestra concert
- Singing sand dunes ward activity
- Eat dinner by candlelight
- Family game night
- Make a Christmas craft
- Christmas songs dance party
- Qatar National Day parade
- Christmas carols (another event at the Marriott)
- Make s'mores outside
- Pictures with Santa (at another hotel)
- Visit the beach
- Make peppermint bark or fudge
- Go Christmas caroling
- Read the Christmas story and open one present
- Skype family
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