In homes throughout the UAE, Christmas trees are evolving beyond being mere festive decorations. They are becoming symbols of personal traditions, family journeys, and the shared joy of creating something meaningful.
From repurposed decorations and outdoor carport cinemas to trees with global origins, Christmas in the UAE is celebrated in imaginative ways, with each family adding its own unique touch to the season.
For many, it’s the small rituals—unpacking cherished ornaments, involving the kids, or welcoming traveling family members—that truly illuminate their celebrations.
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Carport transforms into a festive outdoor theatre
“This Christmas, my focus is on warmth, simplicity, and togetherness,” said Polish expat Ewa Ledeboer from Damac Hills 2. Instead of buying new decorations, she refreshed her old favorites. “I reused my homemade Christmas stars from last year and even brought a few to my office. Everything this year is crafted from last Christmas’s decorations.”
Inside her home, Ewa has maintained a traditional and cozy ambiance. “We decorated the Christmas tree inside and adorned the stair railing,” she said, adding that her outdoor plans involve something more meaningful.
Rather than covering the exterior with lights and ornaments, she’s creating an experience for the neighborhood kids. “For us, Christmas is more about the inside, but outside I’m planning something special for the children as Christmas approaches.”
Benches for kids
Her main project, which excites her the most, is turning her carport into a festive open-air theatre. She explained that her idea came from wanting to create an interactive experience for the children. “Instead of a full decoration, I’m planning home-movie projections. I’ll use my projector—the one I use for Halloween—to show Christmas movies. Kids can watch them in the carport.”
Makeshift cinema setup
To make the area welcoming, she’s setting up a makeshift cinema. “I’m creating a screen, arranging benches, adding extra tables, and more seating. The kids can snuggle up with cozy blankets. I’ve even got a popcorn machine for the occasion,” she laughed. For her children, aged 12 and 14, and their friends, film nights will feature movies like The Grinch, A Christmas Story, Christmas Chronicles, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
For Ewa, the goal extends beyond entertainment. “It’s about fostering community spirit,” she said. “We’re organizing potlucks to bring neighbors together. Later, I plan to host Christmas karaoke—I’m a professional singer—for families staying in town.”
Trees that travel, traditions that remain
Across the city, Natalia Miranda shares her story, which started with a shipping mishap. Her 118cm Christmas tree traveled all the way from Kenya. “Our Christmas journey began with a shipping container delay and a batch of frozen trees that never arrived,” she said.
Decorated Christmas Tree
With family flying in from California, she searched the city for a live tree. “When the delivery team arrived wearing small Santa hats, it felt like Dubai, in all its grandeur, had turned into a small village for a moment. The branches are settling, the scent of pine fills the rooms, and we’ll decorate together once our loved ones land on Thursday. In the true spirit of Christmas, the city came through, and the magic is unmistakably in the air,” she added.
Natalia Miranda with her son
Families crafting new traditions in new homes
Filipino expat Felizze Faye Flores-Navarro shares that in her new home, their Christmas decor reflects the family’s new chapter. “We use the same tree but switch up the ornament colors,” she explained.
Their once vibrant tree has transitioned to a softer palette. “We used to have a very colorful Christmas tree, but now we’ve chosen earth tone colors—brownish, with hints of pink and golden flowers.”
With two toddlers at home, decorating has become a slow, joy-filled process. “We add to the decorations little by little, whenever we find something nice to add to our home,” she said, noting that their six-foot IKEA tree has been a staple in their celebrations for years. Now that the children understand the season’s meaning, “they get excited when we start building the Christmas tree,” making the celebration “more fun now than before.”
