Briefly New Year in the Arab Emirates. UAE for the New Year. Eastern New Year in Nizhny Novgorod is Chinese New Year

Even at the stage of preparing for the trip, I tried long and hard to find at least some reliable information about how residents of the United Arab Emirates celebrate the New Year, whether any events are held on the holiday night, what leisure options our tour operators offer on this wonderful holiday , but didn't find anything!

Miracles, and that’s all... It would seem that so many people go to the UAE in winter, and no one bothered to write anything about it. I even asked the corresponding question on Tourist in the “Questions and Answers” section, but no one answered it. We had to turn to the travel agency through which we organized the tour for help. But they also couldn’t tell me or advise me anything. Even a call to the TezTour representative did not add clarity. Everyone had the same answer - in the UAE, the New Year is not celebrated en masse, except for the fact that hotels organize festive tables and entertaining animation. This all somewhat discouraged us, but since there was no other information, we believed it, but in vain - in fact, everything turned out to be completely wrong!

Moreover, I still can’t shake the feeling of some kind of conspiracy among our tour operators, who are deliberately trying to deceive Russian-speaking tourists and are doing everything so that they stay to celebrate New Year in their hotels, at events organized by these companies themselves. I have never seen anything like this before - all the representatives of travel agencies, guides, drivers will shamelessly lie to you, thereby trying by any means to drag you to their festive banquet, describing how wonderful the performances, delicious food and wonderful festive atmosphere will be there. They will unanimously claim that there will be nothing interesting in Dubai on the holiday night. The maximum is some feeble, unremarkable fireworks display. Do not trust them under any circumstances!!! Everyone who succumbed to these persuasion was then extremely disappointed! We were told a lot of “horrible” stories when people, having paid very decent money, received inedible Buffet, which was enough for a maximum of 40 minutes of celebration, and then people sat all night without food or drinks. I’m not talking about alcohol at all... they say that on a table for six people the maximum that was available was a couple of bottles of cheap champagne and a bottle of vodka. Friends complained about disgusting animation or its complete absence. In general, do not agree to this option under any circumstances, or your vacation will be completely ruined! The only exceptions are those luxury hotels like Parus or Atlantis.

“What should we do then? Where to celebrate?”, you ask. Well, I’ll try to offer you several options, and also tell you about the difficulties that you may encounter along the way...
The first, and perhaps the most advantageous option, in my opinion, is to celebrate the New Year in the very center of Dubai at the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper. Here, in New Year's Eve, the city authorities are organizing a fantastically beautiful fireworks display!

But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance... If you live near the center of Dubai, then there will be no special problems, but if somewhere in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, or other emirates, then everything is much more complicated. The fact is that starting from the middle of the day on December 31st, hundreds of thousands of tourists and expats are trying to get to Dubai. Huge traffic jams form in which you can stand for several hours and still not get to the place you need. It often happens that after leaving at about six in the evening, tourists still do not reach the Burj Khalifa by midnight and they have to celebrate the New Year somewhere on the road because all the highways are tightly clogged.
Therefore, if you live in Sharjah, it is better to do this - go on a morning excursion to Abu Dhabi that day, and on the way back get off in Dubai, walk around it, and in the evening go to take seats closer to the place of the future show. But remember, the later you come here, the less comfortable places borrow. Still, each of the million people gathered there will try to take the most advantageous position for viewing. It's going to be a crazy crowd!
You can get to Burj Khalifa in another way - for example, by metro. There will also be a lot of people here, but at least you will be sure that you will get to the city center on time. Another problem will be that if you haven’t booked a table in some restaurant nearby for several months, then you will have nowhere to hang out for the rest of the night, and it will be difficult to leave the city. Theoretically, you can of course take the metro, but the nearest station is usually closed on New Year's Eve and you will have to walk to the one located in the financial center of Dubai. But no one knows how long you will stand in line there, since there will be a lot of other people trying to leave the center. Therefore, think about your cultural program after the end of the evening's main event.

Another option for celebrating the New Year could be to book a table at one of the famous hotels in the United Arab Emirates. True, you will have to pay quite a lot of money for this pleasure. For example, our friends vacationed at the Atlantis Hotel on New Year's Eve. According to them, it was not bad at all, although they had great difficulties getting there. There was no way to get to the hotel itself by car and they had to walk to it on their own for quite a long time. The holiday show at this hotel includes not only a beautiful fireworks display, but also performances by various famous artists and DJs. To give you an idea of what's going on there, I found a couple of relevant videos on YouTube:

At the Burj Al Arab (Sail) hotel, they also say you can celebrate a holiday with pleasure, but according to rumors the prices there are exorbitant, although who knows, maybe this is not entirely true. I can’t say anything definite here because the only thing I heard were conversations between several people I didn’t know on this topic. In any case, they liked the New Year's show there:

Sometimes, when discussing the New Year, tourists also mention fireworks in Sharjah. But, to be honest, according to our friends, it is so poor that it is not worth considering as an alternative to the previously described fireworks at all. These are just a few volleys, which are hardly visible from anywhere. That's probably all I wanted to tell you. Happy New Year to you!!!

P.S.
All photographs and videos used in this part of the story are not my materials, but borrowed from the World Wide Web. I do not provide links to specific resources, because their original source is unknown to me. Photos were found using Google Images, and videos were taken from YouTube.

New Year in Dubai: bright photos and video, detailed description and reviews about the New Year event in Dubai in 2020.

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A popular option for New Year's Eve in Dubai is a cruise on the Persian Gulf. You can join a group voyage or rent a yacht yourself and celebrate the holiday in a small circle. One of the advantages of a cruise is that the fireworks are clearly visible from the water.

Already on January 1, the Shopping Festival begins in Dubai and continues throughout the month. Almost any product can be purchased with discounts of up to 90%, including Jewelry which are sold here in large quantities and a wide range. Sales are a pleasant addition to the New Year's Eve, as are numerous excursions and entertainment.

Dubai

Where to stay: In numerous and varied, but consistently high-quality hotels in the most “golden”, noisy and pompous emirate of Dubai. Having told yourself “to go for a walk, go for a walk!”, you can go straight to the islands of Dubai, in the elite Jumeirah area - local hotels jump over all the known “star” marks. For lovers of sightseeing and Arabian flavor, we recommend Bar Dubai with its abundance of attractions, but cosmopolitans will feel comfortable in Deira - there are a lot of modern skyscrapers here.
What to see: The most high building in the world, many mosques, ancient buildings of the Bastakiya region, wind and watchtowers, "sail" of the Borj al-Arab hotel, water parks, dancing fountains, shopping centers... in short, everything you can think of is in

The United Arab Emirates is one of the most amazing countries peace. Just 50 years ago, the grandfathers of the current citizens of the Emirates roamed the desert on camels and had never heard of not only mobile phones and the Internet, but even about the benefits of civilization familiar to Europeans, such as running water or public transport(except, perhaps, dromedaries).

Everything changed when bottomless deposits of gas and oil were discovered in that same notorious desert. Now the UAE is the richest, most stylish and luxurious state in the world, in which every citizen is provided with everything necessary for a comfortable life from birth.
In December-January, this destination is popular among “top-level” tourists, as both the vacation itself and admission ticket New Year's parties in the Emirates are not cheap. However, the quality of such a vacation is many times higher than that of vacations in budget countries, where, at first glance, everything still shines and shines, only the gilding has already worn out a little, and the service “sags” a little, and the animators turn out to be compatriots who came to earn money. Everything is impeccable in the UAE, and every guest feels like a sheikh.

New Year in Dubai – the most progressive and “Europeanized” emirate

Let us remember that the UAE is a Muslim country, and they have their own holidays, which have nothing to do with the Gregorian calendar. On the other hand, tourists are a solid source of income for the state, and elementary Eastern hospitality and cordiality should not be discounted, therefore the New Year and both Christmases (Catholic and Orthodox) are celebrated in the Emirates with considerable scope and pomp.

Most of all, tourists are attracted by the already traditional fireworks displays on Palm Jumeirah. The best pyrotechnicians in the world make the Burj Khalifa skyscraper shrouded in sparkling fire “paths” and create amazing flowers and patterns from fireworks. The 2014 New Year's extravaganza was even included in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest and longest show of its kind in the history of fireworks.

In addition, in the tourist capital of the UAE, on New Year's Eve, themed feasts are held in hotels, pubs, restaurants, everything is decorated with garlands, images of gifts, deer and other symbols of this winter holiday. Wealthier tourists can take part in beach parties - such events bring together all the “color” of Arab secular society, and world-famous stars often drop in there.

There are four points to pay attention to:

Banquet prices start at $100 per person - and this does not include food and drinks. The upper ceiling is unlimited and can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
Dubai is a progressive city, but still, drinking alcoholic beverages on the street is strictly prohibited. Most likely, strong alcohol will be included in the New Year's menu, but it is better to clarify this issue in advance.
As well as the end time of the event. Often the New Year's party ends at midnight. In the best case, the fun can last up to 3-4 hours, but it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to dance until the morning.
To fully enjoy the fireworks, it is better to book a trump spot in advance in some restaurant with panoramic view about two kilometers from the action itself.

Almost everything the same can be found in the emirate, only a little quieter: cheaper parties, and more modest fireworks - despite the fact that the capital of the entire UAE. Other emirates are less popular among European tourists, and therefore do not celebrate the New Year on such a grand scale.

Get out of town

Lovers of maximum exoticism can celebrate the coming year on a festive safari in the heart of the desert in a Bedouin camp. Also on New Year's Eve, local dhows, luxury liners and private yachts ply along Dubai Creek - you can also order an entrance ticket to any of these ships and spend the holiday surrounded by luxury and gourmet dishes.

New Year's shopping

This is what attracts fashionistas from all over the world to the UAE between December 2 and the end of January! The air temperature is 23-28, the warm Persian Gulf is quite suitable for swimming, exoticism and color from all sides - all this pales in comparison with the grandiose shopping festival that lasts until February 2. During this unprecedented attraction of generosity, discounts can reach 70%, and on New Year's days in all shopping centers Santa Claus grottoes work, just like in American movies.
New Year in the United Arab Emirates is a subtle and expensive pleasure, but, as practice shows, there are plenty of connoisseurs of such non-standard holidays: all tickets for the best parties and hotel rooms run out a month before the holiday. Therefore, we highly recommend that you do not delay: otherwise, even our expert managers will only be able to sigh sadly and throw up their hands when asked to choose a tour to the UAE.

In the United Arab Emirates, the New Year is celebrated according to two calendars: secular and Muslim. The secular New Year is celebrated along with the rest of the world on January 1, but the Muslim New Year, Al-Hijara, in accordance with the calendar based on lunar cycles, “floats” throughout the year. In 2016 it fell on October 3, and in 2017 – on September 22.

“Hijara” translated from Arabic means “relocation”. In the meaning of this word lies the central event that marked the beginning of the Muslim calendar. According to Islamic historical sources, on July 16, 622 according to the Julian calendar, the Muslim community of the city of Mecca, fleeing from opponents of the faith, was forced to abandon all their property and move to Yathrib, later renamed Medina. It was from this place that Islam spread throughout the world. The symbolic meaning of the Al-Hijjar holiday lies in the voluntary renunciation of material values in favor of serving Allah. The Muslim New Year is not celebrated magnificently and wildly in the United Arab Emirates, The first day of the first month of the year - Muharram - is dedicated to prayer, going to the mosque, good deeds and family meetings. Recently, it has become customary to congratulate relatives and friends, give cards and symbolic gifts. The first ten days of Muharram, one of the four holy months of the year, are a very important time in which it is customary to enter into marriages and begin new significant affairs.

Secular New Year, celebrated on the night of January 1st, in the UAE they celebrate mainly to please the numerous tourists and expats living in the country. One of the most popular offers of the tourism sector, which is thriving in the country, is New Year's tours. Hotels are preparing banquets with their own performances and fireworks, discounts are starting in stores, and if you stay a little longer, you can visit a shopping festival. But the opinion is that, in addition to a holiday in a hotel, finding a decent activity on New Year’s night is impossible - wrong.

In the center of the largest and most luxurious city of the United Arab Emirates, Dubai, near the famous Burj Khalifa skyscraper, The city authorities annually organize a fantastic fireworks display. The only thing you should not forget when gathering for this magnificent celebration, for example, from neighboring emirates, is that at the same time about a million people can flood the city center and flock there The flow of people will begin already in the afternoon of the 31st, forming many kilometers of traffic jams. Another equally colorful spectacle is the enchanting Jumana show, which takes place in the middle of the desert. These are laser and pyrotechnic special effects and a mesmerizing performance of actors, dancers, acrobats, trained horses and camels.

The Arabian winter for a European or Russian is distinguished by a very comfortable temperature: +23-+28 degrees Celsius. Water in Persian Gulf most often it also stays around 23-25 degrees.

So, in the absence of stormy weather, New Year's days can be safely spent on the beach. Among other cultural features of the way of life of the United Arab Emirates, which a foreigner simply needs to know about, are a special dress code that does not imply revealing and provocative clothing, the presence of prohibition in some emirates, the need to definitely agree to an invitation to visit, and many others. As you know, The UAE is a country that always wants to be No. 1

in everything and constantly surprises with its luxury and scope.

What was it like in 2015? Attention!!!

What you see may leave you speechless for a short time!

Don't miss your chance to see this live.

Eastern traditions, oriental art, oriental practices are gaining increasing popularity in our country, in our city, and in the Western world as a whole. And eastern holidays are no exception.

But, just getting carried away by all this, we sometimes forget that, as the unforgettable comrade Sukhov said, the east is a delicate matter. And there is no need to generalize all the cultural traditions of the East into one whole. For example, we mistakenly believe that all eastern world

- from the Middle East to the countries of the rising sun - celebrates the Eastern New Year on February 19. But this is far from true.

Nizhny Novgorod artists helped us understand all the intricacies of the East, who through their creativity reveal to the people of Nizhny Novgorod the beautiful and amazing eastern culture.

Eastern New Year in Nizhny Novgorod is Chinese New Year Eastern New Year, which is celebrated on February 19, is the Chinese New Year. lunar calendar

, which means that this is only a Chinese, Buddhist tradition, which, for example, has nothing to do with the Arab East.

Chinese New Year is one of the main holidays of the year, which the Chinese celebrate for 15 days. In this they are somewhat similar to us, we also celebrate the New Year “from the first to the thirteenth”!

From the Chinese New Year we also inherited the tradition of assigning a symbol to each year. According to Chinese beliefs, the Dragon, Tiger, or, as this year, the Goat or Sheep are the lords of the next year. They cannot be met in an uncleaned house, and therefore one of the main Chinese New Year traditions is cleaning.

Well, a rich New Year's table is also an obligatory part of the Chinese New Year program.

In general, we and the Chinese have a lot in common in our approach to the New Year!

But the East is not only China, and the Eastern New Year is celebrated not only on February 19, and sometimes not at all like we do with the Chinese...

Eastern New Year in Nizhny Novgorod: as celebrated in other countries of the eastern world

Arab countries

Katerina Sitnova, director of the show ballet “Izumrud”, says:

“The Eastern New Year is in many ways a truly Chinese tradition. And I do oriental dances and these are Arabic dances. And the Arabs celebrate the New Year in a completely different way than the Chinese did at that time.

New Year according to the Islamic calendar is celebrated on the first day of the month of Muharram. In 2015 it will be October 14th. But in the Arab world, New Year is not a widespread holiday.

There are two main holidays - Kurban Bayram and the day after Ramadan - both of them are religious and are celebrated very widely. And for the New Year itself, they only prepare the table and read the prayer not as usual.”

Margarita Daryina, head of the Arabic dance school "MarMar" continues:

"Yes, the Arab New Year is more of a religious holiday. Therefore, Arab countries All entertainment venues are closed at this time. And the biggest entertainment these days is considered to be zakat, i.e. Every self-respecting Muslim is simply obliged to give alms and perform other pious deeds.

New Year in the Arab world is a day off, a day for the whole family when they eat a lot and do not work. And all New Year traditions are connected with Islam and family."

Tatyana Lyulina, artistic director of the oriental dance studio "Angels of the East":

“As for the celebration of the Eastern Arab New Year or the New Year according to the Islamic calendar in our city, it is, of course, celebrated by our Muslim diaspora, but still rather closed, as part of a religious holiday.

As for me personally, I don’t celebrate the Eastern New Year. There were attempts, of course, but without any memorable details.

I think this is too exotic for our Central Russian region!”

India

Veronica Kurashina, head of the Indian dance studio "Kamala" says:

"There are many different peoples and religions in India. And each cultural tradition has its own calendar. Therefore, in India, New Year can be celebrated almost all year round!

So, February 19 will be the new year according to the Buddhist calendar. More precisely, even in Tibetan. By the way, some states where this calendar is common also celebrate January 1 as the beginning of the year.

The New Year according to the Zoroastrian calendar will be celebrated on August 18. The famous Indian holiday Holi (Festival of Colors) is also sometimes considered the New Year. with it spring begins in March-April.

The Festival of Lights - Diwali (October-November) is also considered New Year's. This is a new beginning financial year for businessmen in western India, when old books are closed and new ones are started.

Finally, celebrated in India and Catholic Christmas, according to the attributes we perceive as a New Year's holiday...

Of course, I would like the holidays different cultures were more common in our city. It broadens one's horizons and draws attention to national traditions and helps their preservation and development, unites people, promotes mutual understanding.

Eastern New Year can be one of these unifying moments!”

Well, as they say, everything is in our hands. And the portal site - your guide to the world of holidays, has already taken one step in the right direction - we hope that thanks to this article, you will clearly understand what the Eastern New Year is and what it is like!

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