This time of year, it's easy to walk around Abu Dhabi without really being able to tell it's nearly Christmas. No wreaths on doors, nativity scenes on lawns, or pageant advertisements on marquees are visible from the street. Add in the balmy weather, and it's hard enough remembering it's December!
However, if you go to the right "expat-friendly" venues, Christmas smacks you in the face as squarely as it would in any American city at this time of year. Muslim country or not, it seems that hotels, malls, and grocery stores alike aren't going to miss an opportunity for economic gain as golden as a commercialized Christmas.
Sam and I went in search of some holiday cheer this weekend, and found a quintessential example of "Christmas, Abu Dhabi-style" in none other than the Emirates Palace Hotel--
Sure, it's pretty, but it looks like any other Christmas tree, no?
But let's take a closer look--
Nope, that's not tinsel!
To quote the placard in front of the display: "Emirates Palace is proud to present another Guinness World Breaking Record for World's Most Expensively Dressed Tree.. bejeweled with precious gems valued at over 11 Million US Dollars."
11 Million Dollars! And evidently, about 10 percent of that amount is owed to this little beauty--
Nothing recalls the birth of our savior like a tree full of bling! (Perhaps if we imagine these as gifts of the Magi.)
That's hysterical, and it made the news here, too, as you know. How do they keep sticky fingers from lifting the "ornaments?"
ReplyDeleteHaving been in the lobby, I can picture the entire scene perfectly with all of its opulence.