The Source Family Issue 259 November 2022

FESTIVE GUIDE

Fam ly

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Mohammed Al Neyadi

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Wendy Peach

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr Arif Khan

Kerry Lynch

Niranjan Gidwani

Alison Soltani

Chef Vanessa Bayma

Tom Crombie

Maša Karleuša Valkanou

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JOIN OUR EARLY YEARS STAY & PLAY ADMISSION SESSIONS

Brighton College Al Ain is hosting fun, interactive ‘Stay & Play’ sessions in January and February, for FS1 and FS2 admissions for September 2023. Join us to meet our vibrant, family-orientated community, learn about our innovative Curiosity Approach in the Early Years, see our stimulating facilities and discover how we ensure the best possible start for our pupils.

At Brighton College Al Ain, we nurture education centred on kindness, curiosity and confidence. We celebrate the uniqueness of every individual, fostering a respect for diversity and recognition of the efforts and achievements of all. We encourage pupils to be true to themselves and kind to one another.

Our innovative British Early Years Curriculum is taught in ways that build on a child’s curiosity and interests. Our world-class educators create stimulating, challenging and inspiring learning environments where children's passions are unearthed. They learn by playing and exploring through a mixture of planned and open-ended play activities in our creative, nature-inspired learning spaces both indoors and outdoors.

Brighton College Al Ain is part of one of the most academically successful school groups in the UAE, together with its sister s Dhabi and Dubai.

brightoncollegealain.ae

The only school in Al Ain rated ‘Outstanding’ by ADEK

How to empower your kids to build confidence

The miniature minds are the big gest explorers and observers. Kids are curious to experience everything they see. Right from birth, babies develop some new skills each day. Their mind and body are growing at electric speed. Along with other mental and physical skills, one important skill is self-confidence.

Confidence is crucial for building a strong and positive personality. They must believe in themselves

to try new things and attempt new techniques in life. Fortu nately, you don’t need to teach them that.

Babies don›t know about fear, failure, or disappointment. It is we who incorporate such emo tions in them. To raise empow ered and confident kids, we must modify our parenting methods. Self-confidence is vital for their independent life and in the pro fessional arena. It also helps them to be content, and happy

and deal better with difficulties in life.

To make them self-confident, motivated and believe in them selves, here are some practices we can follow:

Lead by example

Children absorb all feelings and emotions from us. Instead of telling them to be confident, we must show them what con

Dr. Arif Khan, Pediatric Neurologist & founder of NEUROPEDIA, the first comprehensive children’s neuroscience center in the region

fidence means. How you deal with a problematic situation and react when you face setbacks, becomes a mirror for your kid’s behavior to be established. Show them that no matter what happens, you should believe in yourself and never stop exper imenting; your kids will do the same.

Don’t over-praise

Praising your kid’s effort is an ex cellent way to encourage them, but over-praising and making them dependent on it is not. They shouldn›t feel that some one must validate their effort, and then they will feel happy. Appreciate them often for any task they complete, like finish ing their dinner or brushing their teeth. But don›t over-praise them so that their performance and consistently becomes de pendent on that praise.

Let them be on their own for a bit

Parents, especially mothers, are anxious all the time about their kids getting hurt or someone bullying them. But this over protectiveness may lead them to become fearful and shy. Let them deal with the problems themselves. They will learn to fight their battles on their own, whether to get a role in a class play or to stand for themselves against the kids teasing them.

Love them unconditionally

One thing that empowers young minds is the unconditional love of their parents. Make them feel you are always the same whether they fail or win. It will give them the confidence to try new things while trusting you to always have their back. Children who feel they don›t have to be perfect or anything special to

win their parents› hearts grow into empowered and resilient adults.

Encourage them to fail and retry

Pull them up when they fall and empathize with their failure. Tell them it doesn›t matter that they failed and should try again and again until they get it. Ap preciating the effort and their hard work and encouraging them to be persistent in what they are doing is the key.

Freedom to explore their strengths

Never pick passions for your kids. To be confident, they must do what they are best at. It doesn’t matter that your elder one is good at math; the young er one can still pursue arts. So, allow them to explore all are nas and choose their strength. Celebrate their small achieve ments and efforts so that they gain the trust in them to go big ger.

Set small goals

Another great activity to build confidence in your kids is to promote a habit of writing dai ly, monthly or annual goals. Ask them to revisit them and see how much they have succeed ed. This exercise will give a do pamine dose to their brains and a sense of achievement when they reach the small goals they have set.

Allow them to take decisions

Whether choosing what they want to wear to a party or the bedtime story they want to lis ten to, let your kids make their

decisions on their own. This way, they will get the confidence to make choices in life, whether good or bad. Their confidence won’t shatter when they face a setback or experience a difficult situation.

Take their input

Try to take your kids› point of view in any discussion. Listen and ap preciate their opinion, so they feel respected and confident to share their thoughts with you always.

Teach self-love

Teach your kids to embrace their weaknesses and imperfections. Self-love is the key to self-confi dence. They should be confident in themselves and never hesitate to try anything because they don›t fit the set «standard» of society.

Loving themselves and being con fident in their skills is the best gift you can give your child. Nurture their little minds from the start to make them grow into confident and empowered adults. Give them the courage to take on any negativ ity around them and use it for pos itive growth!

ABOUT DR ARIF

Dr. Arif Khan founder of NEUROPEDIA, the first comprehensive children’s neuroscience center in the region. Arif is a British Board-certified Con sultant Pediatric Neurologist, who has experi ence working at University Hospitals of Leicester, where he was the lead clinician for complex ep ilepsies, Vagal nerve stimulation and ketogenic diet in the region. He moved to the middle east in the year 2015 and was appointed as the Head of Children’s services at the American Center for Psychiatric and Neurology. He helped developed a children’s neuroscience team at the American Center and worked as a Pediatric neurologist in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Dr. Arif Khan is an avid writer, authoring more than 40 peer-reviewed and public health publications.

He has extensive experience in the management of various childhood neurological conditions such as epilepsy and seizure disorders, head aches and migraines, sleep disorders, neuro muscular conditions, movement disorders, neo natal neurology, cerebrovascular stroke, cerebral palsy, neurometabolic conditions, neurogenetic conditions, neurobehavioural conditions, autism and ADHD.’

Oasis in the Desert

A B O U T K A N A D H O S P I T A L

C e l e b r a t e d a s t h e " b i r t h p l a c e o f t h e n a t i o n ' s l e a d e r s , " K a n a d ( f o r m e r l y k n o w n a s O a s i s ) H o s p i t a l b e a r s a h i s t o r y a n d a l e g a c y t h a t c o n t i n u e s t o m a k e i t s p e o p l e p r o u d . K a n a d w a s t h e f i r s t h o s p i t a l e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e A b u D h a b i E m i r a t e , a n d t h e f i r s t h o s p i t a l t o b r i n g m o d e r n m e d i c a l c a r e t o t h e U n i t e d A r a b E m i r a t e s I t w a s f o u n d e d i n 1 9 6 0 , c h a n g i n g t h e c o u r s e o f h i s t o r y i n t h e n a t i o n f r o m t h a t p o i n t f o r w a r d

K a n a d H o s p i t a l w a s s t a r t e d b y D r s . P a t a n d M a r i a n K e n n e d y a t t h e i n v i t a t i o n o f H i s H i g h n e s s S h e i k h Z a y e d b i n S u l t a n A l N a h y a n . T h e U A E w a s f a c i n g a d i r e s i t u a t i o n a t t h e t i m e , w i t h a p p r o x i m a t e l y 5 0 % i n f a n t

m o r t a l i t y a n d 3 3 % m a t e r n a l m o r t a l i t y H a v i n g l e a r n e d o f A m e r i c a n d o c t o r s i n B a h r a i n a n d O m a n w h o w e r e t r e a t i n g t e n s o f t h o u s a n d s o f p a t i e n t s a n n u a l l y a n d s a v i n g c o u n t l e s s l i v e s , S h e i k h S h a k h b u t a n d h i s b r o t h e r S h e i k h Z a y e d p u t o u t a c a l l t o b r i n g a s i m i l a r m e d i c a l e s t a b l i s h m e n t t o A l A i n . T h e K e n n e d y s a n s w e r e d t h a t c a l l , a n d , a f t e r a c o u p l e o f p r e p a r a t o r y v i s i t s , D r s . P a t a n d M a r i a n c a m e w i t h t h e i r f o u r y o u n g c h i l d r e n i n t o w .

T h e h o s p i t a l b o a s t s m a n y f i r s t s i n t h e A l A i n c o m m u n i t y f i r s t c o n t a c t b e t w e e n M u s l i m s a n d C h r i s t i a n s , f i r s t b l o o d b a n k , f i r s t X r a y m a c h i n e , f i r s t m u d b l o c k a n d c e m e n t b u i l d i n g s . H o w e v e r ,

t h e r e i s m o r e t h a t s e t s t h i s h o s p i t a l a p a r t t h a n a l l t h e " f i r s t s " a n d t h e w o r l d c l a s s h e a l t h c a r e i t p r o v i d e s T h e m o s t s t r i k i n g t h i n g t h a t h a s a l w a y s b e e n t r u e o f K a n a d i s t h e g e n u i n e n e s s o f t h e l o v e a n d c o m p a s s i o n t h a t p a t i e n t s e x p e r i e n c e t h e r e

T h e K e n n e d y s w e r e C h r i s t i a n m i s s i o n a r i e s i n a M u s l i m c o u n t r y , b u t t h e y u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e y w e r e n o t i n A r a b i a t o “ c o n v e r t ” t h e M u s l i m p o p u l a t i o n t o t h e C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n . R a t h e r , t h e i r p u r p o s e w a s t o s e r v e a n d h o n o r G o d b y l o v i n g a n d c a r i n g f o r p e o p l e i n t h e w a y t h a t J e s u s d i d i n h i s t i m e o n E a r t h t h r o u g h s e l f s a c r i f i c e a n d u n c o n d i t i o n a l l o v e .

SHARE ABU DHABI WITH THE WORLD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON WITH LIMITED-EDITION POSTCARDS AND FREE POSTAGE AT 8 LOCATIONS

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in collaboration with Emirates Post Group, has launched today, 2 De cember 2022, a range of limited-edition Experi ence Abu Dhabi postcards and post box kiosks as part of its new ‘From Abu Dhabi to the World’ initiative that aims to help residents and visitors share Abu Dhabi with the world and celebrate the holiday period.

Launching on the UAE’s 51st National Day, the postcards depict iconic attractions and land scapes from across the emirate, featuring the Experience Abu Dhabi logo. Celebrating UAE Na tional Day, Christmas, New Year and other fes tivities, the postcards encourage residents and

tourists to greet their loved ones around the world and welcome them to discover the di verse range of experiences in Abu Dhabi that inspire, excite and restore.

The postcards are available for free and can be dispatched internationally at no cost through the dedicated Experience Abu Dhabi post-box es located at eight pop-up sites, including Lou vre Abu Dhabi, Yas Bay Waterfront, the Cultural Foundation, Al Qana, Mamsha Al Saadiyat, Hu dayriat Island, Qasr Al Muwaiji and Al Ain Oa sis—with more to be installed soon at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the MOTN Festival at the Abu Dhabi Corniche.

As part of our outstanding academ ic education offering, Brighton Col lege Al Ain supports the growth and development of our pupils holisti cally through a range of child-cen tred learning activities.

To encourage our pupils to be imag inative learners, we look for inspi ration from proven concepts such as the Scandinavian Forest School, a learning process that provides endless opportunities for holistic growth through regular sessions, for children as young as 3 years old.

This concept is rooted in the be lief that children will vastly benefit from learning outdoors in the fresh air, and we inspire our children to play, explore and take risks through hands-on outdoor experiences so they can develop confidence and self-esteem.

Desert Discovery

Building on the Scandinavian For est School concept, we began to create a Desert Discovery site at Brighton College Al Ain in 2018 and it has as gone from strength to strength since its inception. We regularly encourage our pupils to explore, play and learn in our De sert Discovery as we believe it to be extremely beneficial for them to be connected to nature and an essential part of their social devel opment.

I grew up surrounded by nature and playing in the woods which is where I learnt so much about the world around me. This makes me extremely passionate about encouraging our children to play outdoors so they can exercise their imagination and feel connected to the earth.

DESERT DISCOVERY Supporting children’s holistic growth

Mrs Kerry Lynch - Head of Early Years, Brighton College Al Ain

Every year as Winter approach es, there is a real sense of antic ipation amongst the children and teaching team for the opening of our Desert Discovery site which shows just how much the children enjoy experiential learning.

The 5 Key Benefits of Desert Discovery

HEALTH & WELL BEING

Desert Discovery is a very active space which is full of excitement and non-stop action. The chil dren are constantly on the move whether it is climbing up the sand dune - which they genuinely think is as high as Jabel Hafeet - rolling

tyres, digging for fossils, den making or mixing up in the mud kitchen. We always end the Desert Discovery activity in a discussion circle where we encourage the children to talk about their experience, their favourite parts of the session, and also the challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome them. We do this to encour age the children to feel in control and to encourage them to have confidence in their own abilities.

It is proven that being in nature active ly reduces stress and promotes a feel ing of calm, as well as helping to build emotional resilience. When the chil dren have an obstacle or a problem, we encourage them to think about how they can solve it and then reflect upon their experiences.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The children work in a collabora tive manner in Desert Discovery and they discuss how to take on challenges, plan ideas and share their own experiences to help oth ers. We have recreated a desert camping set up in the Desert Dis covery with a tent and BBQ and it is amazing to see the children with lots of desert camping experience pass on their knowledge to help others who haven’t been camping. These sessions also promote the development of new vocabulary and the depth of the dialogue be tween the children never ceases to amaze me.

IMPROVED PROBLEM-SOLVING

SKILLS

Hands-on learning experiences are a great way for children to learn how to assess problems and make their own decisions about how to solve them.

For example, one time the chil dren wanted to create a waterfall on the sand dune, so we encour aged them to think about how they could do this with the mate rials available to them. Between themselves they explored digging a channel, using bamboo channel ling and using a hose pipe and the way the children came together

and collaborated on this project was spectacular, every single child was in volved in some aspect of building the waterfall.

AN INCREASE IN MOTIVATION AND CONCENTRATION

Young children often find concentrat ing for sustained periods of time a real challenge. Desert Discovery is de signed to be interesting and exciting and allows the youngest of children to become deeply engaged. Learning through play and their own child-initi ated experiences results in high levels of fascination and engagement which in turn, improves concentration and motivation. I will never forget when my class wanted to build a pirate ship. For weeks, the children looked for materials to create the ship and we even brought the activity into the classroom where they designed the structure, made maps and made dif ferent flags. They even created their own pirate names and learnt a poem about pirates and it was truly magical to watch the experience unfold.

PROMOTES EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, PERSONAL AND SOCIAL SKILLS

Desert Discovery allows children to experience the emotions that go with challenging oneself, taking risks, achieving something and also how it feels to fail at something. Providing a safe environment for the children to experience these emotions helps them learn how to manage them suc cessfully in the future. We allow chil dren to fully take control of the Desert Discovery sessions and we give them the freedom to choose what they want to explore each time to help them develop their confidence and decision-making.

The benefits of our Desert Discovery sessions really are innumerable. They help children in all aspects of their de velopment by getting them out of the classroom, reintroducing them to na

ture, and allowing them the freedom to explore and experience a new setting while controlling their own learning without restraints.

Seeing truly is believing, and we encourage all families considering Brighton College Al Ain for their children to visit us. We conduct personalised tours as well as ‘Stay and Play’ admissions sessions which offer the opportunity to explore our campus, meet our lead ership team and experience first-hand why we are considered one of the leading schools in the UAE.

To book your visit please contact our admissions team:

Call: 03 713 3999 Email: admissions@brightoncollegealain.ae Visit: www.brightoncollegealain.ae

“Hands-on learning experiences are a great way for chil dren to learn how to assess problems and make their own decisions about how to solve them.”

Al Ain Fan Zone the Ultimate Venue for Watching FIFA World Cup Action in the Garden City

The Al Ain Fan Zone at Al Ain Square has become the ultimate football hub for resi dents and visitors looking to catch the unmissable moments of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in a euphoric atmosphere.

Spanning an area of 6,000 square metres, the Al Ain Fan Zone is the largest dedicated football viewing venue in the Garden City with a capacity to host up to 500 guests daily. As well as the main viewing area, vis itors can also enjoy family entertainment, interactive football-themed games, rides and dining outlets.

The World Cup Viewing Experience Area features ample mixed lounge and casual seating, all in full view of a 10 x 6 metres LED screen and four 65-inch relay screens showing the football tournament live. At the Kids & Family Area, visitors can enjoy live entertainment, DJ artists and fami ly-fun activities including bouncy castles, football shootout games, trampolines and bumper cars, as well as six food trucks and beverage stations set up to refresh and re fuel guests.

Tickets for the Al Ain Fan Zone, which has been created in partnership with Coca Cola, can be purchased onsite or online through Platinumlist with adult tickets available for AED 20 and children tickets at AED 10. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit https://al-ain. platinumlist.net/fanzone-al-ain.

Publishing houses participating in the Al Ain Book Festival 2022 stated that modern technologies are the biggest revolution in their industry since the printer entered commercial service in the early 16th century, expressing optimism that technology will open up new opportunities for development.

In their view, the use of modern technologies in publishing, printing, and distribution has already taken hold to varying degrees, starting with audiobooks, and then e-books. Even though new technological breakthroughs are looming on the horizon, they have yet to gain sufficient traction in this field, and are still mainly used in the advertising and healthcare sectors.

Issa Al-Awadi, [designation?] at Madar Publishing and Distribution predicted that as a result of the spread of social networking sites, intellectual property rights for books and magazines in the future will be registered on the blockchain, ensuring authors› and publishers› rights in the digital world.

Meanwhile, Hessa Al-Jaroudi, [designation?] at Madar Publishing and Distribution, noted that the adoption of ‘print on demand’ can save a lot on shipping costs and ensure the publication of the right quantity without requiring a lot of storage space. In addition to augmented reality and virtual reality, other applications of technology in publishing include metaverses and virtual reality books, which make books more attractive, especially among young people fascinated by digital technology.

For her part, Aisha Al-Ghais, [designation?] at Al-Dhahabi for Publishing and Distribution, said that audiobooks have become a parallel path to the printed book, so those who want to stay ahead of their competitors must embrace video books, and add them as new line of products along with their publications. According to Dar Al-Dhahabi, electronic platforms have already been partnered for distribution and marketing.

Al-Ghais went on to note that modern technologies represent a great leap forward in publishing, comparable to that brought

about by the invention of the printing press and the subsequent dissemination of knowledge.

Genius Publishing and Distribution›s Samer Asaad explained that social media platforms have become essential for announcing new products, and readers follow social media accounts to read comments and reviews on books before purchasing them. Authors can promote their books in Twitter spaces, similar to a book signing party, where they discuss their literary works.

As a result of the increased popularity of augmented reality and virtual reality applications within the publishing and distribution industry, the use of QR codes has become prevalent through advertising portals, and interactive screens are increasingly popular with children, indicating that publishers can have a positive impact on the industry through the content they share.

Publishers at Al Ain Book Festival say the industry is ready for change and the opportunities are endless

Al Ain GAA Round Up

This year’s GAA season has seen Al Ain Gaa compete across both codes; Gaelic football and camogie. Our Men’s team are competing at Junior A level while our Ladies’ teams are competing at Junior C and Interme diate levels in football and Junior in camogie.

Our Camogie team were the first rep resentatives for the club this season competing in Zayed Sports City on a hot and humid night early in Sep tember. This was an inaugural tour nament for many of our players who are both new to the middle east and to the small ball! The girls tried their hand at the fast-paced and physical sport having relative success reaching a semi-final on the night.

The team built upon this success, training hard between September and October to be ready for the first home tournament of the year. Al Ain Gaa hosted Round 2 of the Hurling and Camogie league on November 4th in the Al Ain Amblers Rugby club. The tournament was a resounding

success with over 300 players from 24 teams competing at the highest level of hurling and camogie in the Middle East. Excellent facilities, pitches, of ficials and a great atmosphere lent itself to a brilliant night for all travelling clubs. Our ladies suffered a loss ear ly in the first game when an experienced Claire Coyne suc cumbed to a nasty ankle injury that ruled her out for the rest of the tournament. The girls bat tled on throughout their group games and performed well enough to place them into a sec ond consecutive semi-final. Un fortunately, they were narrowly beaten by a single point against a confident Dubai Celts side and were subsequently knocked out. We extend our thanks to our fellow clubs for making it a successful night and staying on to celebrate their wins. A big

mention must also go to our own club volunteers, medical staff, Al Ain Amblers staff and of course our sponsors for the year Vogue Fitness and Aloft Al Ain.

We hope to continue our success in hosting when we have our second tournament of the season; Men’s and Ladies Junior Football, January 27th/28th.

Next, we move to Gaelic football. Our Ladies intermediate team trav elled to Bahrain early in the season to participate in Round 1 of the Arab Irish Chamber of Commerce Middle East league. Teams proved too strong for us on this occasion but there were positives to be tak en from the weekend, including an all-night bonding session at Bahrain Rugby Football club. Big thanks to Arabian Celts for hosting that week end.

Our Intermediate ladies also com peted in the Sharjah Gaels football tournament where they battled bravely against teams from across

the Gulf. On this occasion, they were knocked out of the com petition. They’ve set their sights on January and their next bat tle in Qatar. Our girls have been training hard and putting in a big effort to improve on skills and fitness levels. They hope Qatar can be a successful weekend with an aim to score some big points for the club.

The Junior C ladies enjoyed early success this season when they travelled to the capital and took part in Al Reem Shamrocks tournament. A very green team gelled together from the start and only improved game by game. Hard work, determination and a want for silverware drove the team forward culminating in a first cup victory for this team in the 2022/23 season! Special mention to Saoirse Long who won the in-house vote for Player of the Tournament.

Al Ain Gaa’s men travelled north for their first tournament in Ras Al Khaimah in October, competing in the Junior A league. The men proved to be a well-oiled machine in RAK, showing other clubs just what we’re made of in the Garden City. They walked

away with a cup final victory after both fulltime and extra time needing a golden score to push them over the line! A special men tion must go to Cillian Fitzgerald who was awarded the Player of the Tournament for his fine display of Gaelic football on the day.

Overall a very busy and intense start to the year for all of our club members with two teams being rewarded with silverware for their efforts. All of our members are look ing forward to the Christmas break and we

Research shows that over a quarter of people go into debt over the December holidays. Approximately 1 in 5 people will likely carry a credit card balance into the new year. Do you often start out with good intentions then before you know it, your budget has spi ralled out of control? Between gifts, parties, travel, school hol idays, decorations etc., expens es can add up quickly.

This is all on top of ‘normal’ life – if one of your tyres blows out or the washing machine breaks,

are you prepared to cover the bill? This anxiety, even if you keep it at bay with the endless festive distrac tions, will bubble under the surface and make you feel out of control.

However, there is a way to enjoy the festivities, spend without regret and not break your budget… how, you ask? The fol lowing are quick and easy ideas to save yourself up to $1000 or Dh3500 this holiday season and ac company the free 30-day holiday savings challenge from leapsavvysavers.com/ freebies.

Seasons Savings

Most people have the prob lem of overspending at this

Dh3500

time of year, so let’s start with saving tips.

• Keep yourself accountable with a holiday savings chal lenge, making saving fun and manageable.

• Make a list of people you

Alison Soltani

want to buy gifts for and check it twice (!) – are they all necessary? Could you chat with friends and family about gifting time or having a spending limit for gifts? Possibly arrange a day out with each other, which surely would be so much more memorable than yet another pair of socks! You might find that people are relieved to cross you off their list.

• For those people you do want to purchase gifts for, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to buy and shop around for the best deal. Check apps such as Groupon and Smiles to ensure you’re not overspending.

• Have a gift rule for chil dren – stick to 4 gifts for example – one to read, one to wear, one they need and one for flair! Shop around for gently used children’s stuff – it is new for them on Christ mas morning, even if it isn’t newly purchased.

• Prepare beforehand by cutting back on spending categories in September, October, November and even the first few weeks of December. You could try a meat-free week or cooking from your pantry for a week.

Blessed Budgeting

Creating an additional budget for this season is imperative for your financial success as there will be so many ‘extras’ not usually covered in your budget.

• Start by writing down your values and goals for the holiday season – what is important for you to do and achieve this year? Is it spending time with peo ple? Hosting a memora ble Christmas day at your house? Making sure you treat your best friends? If you write down exactly what you want to achieve this season, the budgeting will be easier and smooth er.

• Next, review your finances - debt, savings and income - and decide on a hard lim it. What is the number you absolutely can’t surpass? Everyone will be different here… you have to make the call along with your spouse or family if appli cable.

• Once you’ve got your hard limit, plug it into the top of your holiday budget spreadsheet. Then create categories – write them in order of importance to you; for example, if lavish gifts are your priority, list them first, or alternative ly, if you want the finest food, start with your food categories.

• Now it’s time to allocate money to each category. Ensure you leave a buffer to account for unexpected expenses.

• Finally, start spending and enjoying yourself! There are two methods for tracking – the first is to use a credit card for your expenses (if you aren’t tempted to go over budget and can use a credit card responsibly and pay it off in full at the

end of the month) and re cord them on your budget spreadsheet as you go. The second is to withdraw the cash and stuff enve lopes with your budgeted amounts.

My present to you: planning and preparation tips

Like with most things in life, some careful and considered planning can help avoid major catastrophes and curb a lot of impulsive behaviours.

• Firstly, go to your internet banking and open a sav ings account if you hav en’t already. Look at your total hard spend, add 5%, and divide that number by 12. Set up an automatic transfer into this account for that amount every pay day. You have now bought yourself a stress-free hol iday season for next year by setting up a sinking fund.

• Take a calendar and start planning in activities and events. Aim to include as many free and frugal activ ities as you can – for exam ple, could you visit people or have them visit you for drinks rather than go out? It works out cheaper and you’ll probably enjoy it more anyway.

• Plan some frugal self-care activities. We all know the holidays can be stressful – all that forced festive fun and visiting can ac tually be exhausting. To

avoid spending when you feel stress, plan ahead for a night in alone to have a bubble bath and do a ped icure or go for a long walk on your own or with your other half, just to decom press. It doesn’t have to be go, go, go all the time – it is called ‘holidays’ after all.

• Declutter and sell before you buy. Take some time (preferably around Black Friday and Cyber Monday time when you may be tempted to make unnec essary purchases) to go through what you already have and make room for the new year.

• Set a splurge date! It shouldn’t be all restrictive; decide on something you really want to spend on and plan to indulge guiltfree. Just make sure you work it into the budget, it’s something you truly value and brings you joy, and it doesn’t compromise your ‘hard limit’. It could be an item of clothing, a meal out, anything that you love.

Enjoy extra earning

You may think of the ‘holidays’ as a time to wind down and re lax, but this isn’t the case for a lot of people.

Many don’t get time off for school holidays and some peo ple don’t love or celebrate Christmas. If you have some time on your hands, you could consider earning some extra cash. Here are some ideas to consider:

• Pet or house sitting. Many people go away over Christ

mas and need someone to look after their houses, pets and plants. This could be the perfect opportuni ty to make money and en joy the company of a furry companion. Make your intentions clear on Face book and spread the word around friends, neigh bours, and colleagues.

• Give people lifts to the airport and events. With many people travelling, if you offer slightly less than taxis, you will get loads of work.

• Run Christmas-themed activities for children or adults. People love Christ mas events, especially reasonably priced ones. You could offer a kids’ arts and crafts morning during the holidays or an adults’ wreath-making morning. Whatever interests you –just plan out your event, purchase some materi als, make sure you have a location (could be your house/garden), spread the word and you’re set! If you charge each person Dh70 and you cater for 25 peo ple, you’ve made Dh1750 (before overheads) for a couple of hours of work. Once you have your event planned, you could repeat it several times for in creased revenue.

• Tutor for exam subjects. A lot of parents pause tu toring over the holidays, but many GCSE, A-level and University students will continue studying. If you could offer tutoring or proofing essays, this could be a healthy earner for the holidays. Even offering to babysit children for work

ing parents can be useful to so many during school holidays.

• Create holiday-themed crafts or gifts. People love personalised, handmade gifts and crafts at this time of year. A lot of peo ple are forgoing large cor porations for small busi nesses for their choice of holiday décor and gifts. If you have a penchant for creative pursuits, put it to good use – Christmas tree decorations sell well, as well as UAE-themed trinkets for people to take back to gift in their home country.

Finally, after all that hard work, enjoy the holiday sea son. The best way to do that is to do more of what you val ue and less of what the me dia tells you to do.

It sounds cliché, but the true value of Christmas is spend ing time with loved ones, and it doesn’t have to cost a for tune. Don’t feel pressured to carry debt into next year if it doesn’t sit right with you. Write a gratitude journal in December and look back at it next year when you begin the planning process again –you will quickly see what tru ly brought you joy during this season.

Happy holidays!

SEPARATION ANXIETY IN CHILDREN

What You Can Do As A Parent, and What Traps To Avoid

Most people find saying good bye very difficult, and we learn to cope in different ways. How ever, once we become par ents, we might experience the fear of separation as we again relive the symbiotic bond spe cific to the infant-parent rela tionship. Although separation anxiety in children between nine months and four years old is expectable, parents’ un resolved separation struggles

can complicate a child’s devel opmental stage. This can lead to serious separation anxiety issues that could take a less fa vourable path in a child’s psy chological development.

Most parents, especially mothers, will find it difficult to leave their babies for more than a few hours. Behind this feeling is a biological function, as babies are not meant to

be left without their prima ry caregiver. Human offspring cannot survive on its own, and the biology of the parent-in fant relationship is in tune to increase the chances of infant survival.

In the first year of babies’ lives, the primal caregiver, usually the mother, and the baby are connected to symbiotic sys tems with shared functions.

MAŠA KARLEUŠA VALKANOU: is a CDA-licensed psychologist in Dubai. As a certified Systemic Family psychotherapist, she works with individual clients, adults or children

Anxiety is a natural response to separation from the moth er-figure and is a function of age. Human offspring is not different from other species; primates and birds especially. The child will be attached to an adult and to only one fa vourite adult that cannot be replaced.

What does separation anxiety look like?

A psychologically healthy child (one - four y.o) that has a good relationship with their mother (or a caregiver) will commonly show a predict able sequence of behaviour when their mother is waving goodbye (going to work, get ting them to the day care, etc.). This sequence has three phases – protest, despair, and detachment.

In the protest phase, the child will cry loudly, ask for their mother, throw themselves around, show anger and rejec tion of other people, or cling desperately to the person who is present. In this phase, the child expects the moth er to return (last from a few hours to a week or more). In prolonged separation (more than a week approximately), the next phase is despair; the child is hopeless, physically inactive, may cry monoto nously, be withdrawn, and in a state of deep mourning.

The third phase is detach ment, which looks like a child has recovered, accepts other people’s care, food, toys, and interaction, and may even smile and be sociable. If in

this phase, when the mother returns, the child will often ig nore her at the beginning and not act as loving and warm as usual. If the separation con tinues, the small child may suffer irreversible damage, becoming just superficially attached to adults that sur round them, and human con tact will lose significance.

It is vital to understand here that too little and too much give the same result - devel opmental disorder. You have to imagine you are walking on a tightrope; the answer to healthy parenting is a del icate balance. An attachment disorder will be manifested in children in two ways, either through a child that is with drawn, not communicating openly, and appearing as if he/she don’t need anything from their caregivers, or as a child who is over-emotion al and showing separation anxiety. The reluctance to frustrate the child is proba bly the most harmful factor of the Millennials and Gen Zs’ parenting style, resulting in more developmental dis orders than ever known in world history.

Trap number oneyour child is too detached

In this case, you have to ask yourself - are you there enough for your child, wheth er you are emotionally availa ble to your child, and wheth er you are warm enough for them to feel safe with you and to feel loved? If you think you can’t emotionally con nect to your child, you need to start therapy, as emotional neglect could be detrimental to your child’s psychological development.

Trap number two - your child is showing separation anxiety

This common mistake in newage parenting is leading to in creased developmental disor ders and separation anxiety being very common. A child who has an overprotective mother, running to their every need, and never leaves them alone will suf fer similarly to a neglected child. The child becomes excessively clingy, and the mother, subcon sciously, communicates to the child her desire that she should not leave her. This is common in cases of so-called “school pho bia”. If given too much attention, the parent prolongs the phase of dependence and promotes increased separation anxiety.

When does separation anxiety step out of the “usual range,” and when do you need professional help?

If you feel your child’s separa tion anxiety is extreme, it is best to ask for professional help. You have to be committed to the process in which treatment is given to both child and parent. Still, prevention and interven tion when a child is small will prevent severe disturbances that may manifest later. If you or your child are experiencing se vere sadness or anxiety and can not cope, it is essential to reach out and get help. At Thrive Well being Centre, Maša Karleuša Valkanou, a systemic family psy chotherapist who works with adults and children experiencing this, can offer assistance.

For more information and sup port, please visit www.thrive.ae

Why do healthy children feel separation anxiety?

The du Ultimate Fanzone by McGettigan’s has Officially Kicked Off along with WINTERFEST

Sunday saw the grand open ing of the du Ultimate Fanzone by McGettigan’s at Dubai Me dia City Amphitheatre with thousands attending. It was everything the fans imagined, then some! If you missed it, then check this out!

The crowds descended on the region’s biggest fan zone to im merse themselves in all the FIFA action and they were not dis appointed. The facilities are in credible, even boasting a huge 200sqm HD screen so every fan will feel like they’re part of the action!

England in Dubai Fan Club, as well as many more fan clubs calling the Fan Zone home dur ing the tournament.

The bar is run by McGettigan’s, who are seasoned F&B pros. You can expect the same stellar ser vice and pours that you get in their bars, because who wants to queue for ages!

The Football Village plays host to all your finger-licking fa vorites like KFC, Pickl, Freedom Pizza, Potaters, Wingstop, Pizza Express, and McGettigan’s Food Truck. If you want to get your hands on quality merch, then Number 10 will be selling new and vintage kits.

There will be plenty of Football Activities for all the family to en joy, think target practice, inflata ble 5-a-side and so much more, run by ISM Sports.

General access starts at AED 50, with plenty of brilliant packages available. The Fan Zone Deck is a premium reserved area with dedicated service points for F&B, cocktail-style tables for 4, from AED 800 and a picnic table for 6, from AED 1200, with all upfront costs fully redeemable on F&B!

Private VIP Boxes can accommo date up to 30 guests with their own dedicated service staff. 4 hours unlimited F&B packages starting at AED 10,000.

Secure your spot by pre-book ing at www.mcgettigans.com/ fanzonetickets

WINTERFEST

The only thing that can rival the vigor a football fan is a festive fan and the du Fanzone by McGetti gan’s also brings an incredible Winter Wonderland Experience to Dubai. Conveniently located within the Fan Zone, encased by over 100 trees to create an enclave of festive awesomeness for just AED 50 entry. There will be no better way to get into the festive mood and that’s snow joke!

Winterfest will transport you to another world of festive delight with a huge, twinkling Christ mas tree, tube slides, festive themed Roll DXB roller rink, and snow park, to name just a few of the attractions.

The fantastical Festive Market includes a decorated Christmas Street, selling all your Christ mas stocking fillers and trinkets. You’ll also find Early Learning Centre, lots of children’s toys, handmade decorations and much more. Plus, for anyone with a sweet-tooth you find Krispy Kreme festive themed doughnuts and Baskin-Robbins ice cream selection,

No Winter Wonderland would be complete without a visit to Santa’s Grotto. You’ll be delight ed to hear that we got our hands on the real Santa and his elves, we hear they love the Dubai weather at this time of year, it’s a welcome break from the North Pole freeze! Each child will get a souvenir picture and selection box for AED75 for 1 child and AED 50 for an additional child (max 3 kids per visit).

Expect plenty of al fresco dining, with mulled wines, mince pies, festive Krispy Kreme doughnuts and treats a plenty, that will be sure to give you all the festive feels!

Entry can be booked at www.mcgettigtans.com/winterfest

Keep up to date with all the Fan zone & Winterfest action here:

https://www.instagram.com/fanzonebymcgettigans/?hl=en https://www.instagram.com/winterfestbymcgettigans/?hl=en

MOTN Festival Returns to Abu Dhabi with 10 Days of Thrilling Activities for All the Family

The MOTN Festival, the region’s ultimate annual entertain ment festival, is returning to Abu Dhabi to bring thrills and excitement to families, foodies and festivalgoers.

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the event will include unique F&B pop-ups, immersive entertainment and interactive play ac tivities to the Corniche from 9 to 18 December 2022.

The Foodies’ Festival

The MOTN Festival will be packed with enriching interna tional concepts with an array of street food vendors spread across MOTN’s six distinct zones, allowing attendees to en joy a global food tour with delicious stops at every corner.

From the UK, the halal burger joint Patty&Bun will celebrate its 10th birthday with a special pop-up at MOTN’s Food Hub. Here, it will be serving up high-stacked burgers created with classic, simple and fresh ingredients from artisan producers in the UK.

Bringing a slice of ‘cupcake heaven’ to Abu Dhabi, the UK’s famous cake parlour Peggy Porschen will be in residency at the festival’s Shopping District this year. Expect an Insta grammable experience as the ‘prettiest café in the world’ brings its trailblazing cake creations to the region for the first time.

Australian brand Knafeh Bakery by the Bearded Bakers will be taking its favourite Middle Eastern desserts to the fes tival’s Inspire Space. The brothers, who take their family recipes from their mother Nabila’s roots in Jerusalem, will showcase their mouth-watering favourites for their first of ficial pop-up in the UAE. The Bearded Bakers will also give visitors a taste of their famously delicious cookies from their first establishment, Bar Biscotti, which pays homage to the flavours they grew up with.

Truffle Burger lands in Abu Dhabi at the festival’s Inspire Space with its classic burgers, which are a huge hit in the UK. From humble beginnings as a street food vendor, the

brand’s unchanged signature recipe has propelled them to four permanent restaurants across London.

The Curiosity Seekers’ Den

Expect the unexpected in the Inspire Space, where awe-in spiring experiences aim to heighten the imagination of vis itors.

The popular MOTN Funhouse returns in the Inspire Space with larger-than-life entertainment for everyone. This year, festivalgoers can break the fourth wall and become part of an immersive digital art installation by MOTN Funhouse x ANIMA. Designed to interact with visitors through a giant glowing sphere suspended from the ceiling, the installation explores the relationships between itself and its surround ings by using motion tracking technology to recognise the presence of viewers and make them part of the artwork.

This arresting sculptural installa tion was imagined by visionary artist Anderson Tegon, founder of Milan-based studio Pepper’s Ghost, whose most recent crea tive works include Aura, a digi tal art experience recognised as one of the top five immersive exhibitions in Europe.

The Inspire Space will also be the happening destination for trendsetters and fashion lov ers who can get inspired by London’s premier clothing streetwear store, Dukes Cup board, which will be heading to the Middle East for the very first time. Visitors can shop for some of the biggest internation al brands, such as Supreme, Cal vin Klein, Nike and Rolex, as well as Chicago Bulls merchandise and a range of vintage appar el. Founded in Soho, London in 2012, Dukes Cupboard has trav elled the world with pop-ups in New York, Amsterdam, Paris and Copenhagen, with several tem porary installations in Selfridges store as part of its ‘Project Earth’

campaign, which focusses on mak ing fashion more sustainable.

Live the CoComelon Experience

Kids can enjoy unforgettable edu cative and fun experiences in the Amusement Park with the huge YouTube phenomenon CoComel on. Families are invited to explore the world of CoComelon, where they will discover themed areas and interactive activities. They can sing along to the CoComelon nursery rhymes while playing mu sical instruments, rolling around on the ‘Floor of Lava’ and building with colourful sponge blocks. Little ones can also visit the Melon Patch Academy, play inside Old Mac donald’s Farm, or climb around the playground. There is also the chance to meet CoComelon’s fa mous mascot, JJ, to create great memories for all the family.

Ticket information

Tickets are now on sale through MOTN’s official ticketing partner at www.ticketmaster.ae. General admission tickets offer access to all free zones and attractions (AED

30 online and AED 35 at the door). Visitors can opt for an add-on bun dle that grants them full access to the festival with more than 26 ad ditional rides and activities in the Amusement Park and Thrill Zone, including CoComelon (AED 140). The MOTN Funhouse x ANIMA can be purchased as a separate bundle (AED 85).

The safety of all staff and visitors at MOTN is a priority, with the fes tival being organised under the Go Safe Certification, a unique programme launched by DCT Abu Dhabi to enforce global standards of safety and cleanliness at hotels, attractions, and venues across the emirate. The event will be open from 4pm to midnight during weekdays and from 4pm to 2am on weekends.

Visit www.motn.ae for more infor mation about the festival and fol low its social media channels for updates on festival timings, prices and latest news.

Ski Dubai to host first-ever Festive Fun Run on 10 December

Tickets are now available for 400-m and 1-km races on premieronline.com

It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year as Ski Dubai, in partnership with the Du bai Sports Council, is set to host the first-ever Festive Fun Run on Saturday, 10 December.

The coolest race of the season invites guests of all ages to dress in their festive best, put their best foot forward, and hit the 400-m or 1-km racecourse with a special appearance from Santa Claus himself. Suitable for all lev els and age groups, this promises to be a funfilled family day out. All jolly joggers will also receive a race pack with a timer and a Festive Fun Run participation medal.

The Festive Fun Run is part of Ski Dubai’s Winter Wonderland, a magical seasonal line-up of activities for the whole family to experience the most wonderful time of the year, complete with real snow. From a Meet & Greet and Breakfast with Santa to lounging at the Snow Cinema, there’s no better place to make all your white Christmas dreams come true than at Ski Dubai.

Winner of the ‘World’s Best Indoor Ski Re sort’ for seven consecutive years, Ski Dubai regularly collaborates with the Dubai Sports Council to host fun and unique events giv en their shared goal to improve community wellbeing by promoting a healthy and active lifestyle and making snow sports accessible to everyone.

Tickets are now available at premieronline. com. Prices start from AED 20 (for kids ages 5-9) and AED 50 (for teens ages 10-17) to AED 100 (for adults ages 18-70). Registration closes on 7 December at 11:59 p.m. To learn more, visit skidxb.com.

Guests and families are invited to dust off their festive boots, make their list and check it twice as Yas Ma rina and Yas Bay Waterfront are set to host their collective festive extrav aganza, ‘Magic of Winter’ from 8th – 31st December. As temperatures drop by the water, guests can enjoy the alfresco season with unique fes tive experiences at both Abu Dhabi’s superyacht marina, Yas Marina and the capital’s leading waterfront des tination, Yas Bay Waterfront.

Rock around the Christmas tree as the Magic of Winter programme be gins with a breath-taking tree light ing ceremony across both destina tions on December 8th at 8:00pm. Guests choosing to arrive by public transport such as Careem can avail a 15% discount on all rides to Yas Ma rina and Yas Bay Waterfront with the code YASMARINA or YASBAY or opt for the newly launched Yas Bay Pub lic Water Taxi and expect to be wel comed by merry cheer.

Yas Marina will be adorned in red, gold and green, complete with a tra ditional Christmas tree and a meet and greet session at Santa’s Grotto, including a story time with his elves.

Snap the perfect Instagramable moment at the life-size snowglobe, while marvelling at the sparkling blue waters of Yas Ma rina. Guests can expect walkways decorated with traditional deer, candy canes, festive lights and more. Visit the toy window display located near the marina’s resident American sports-bar concept, Stars ‘n’ Bars and be transported to a scene straight of out of your favourite holiday movie.

Head over to Yas Bay Waterfront for a contemporary take on Christ mas. Located a stone’s throw away from Yas Marina, the destination has become an Abu Dhabi favour ite since its launch a year ago, offering guests the chance to im merse themselves in a never seen before festive winter experience.

At Yas Bay Waterfront, expect a captivating, yet modern take on the classic Christmas tree, com plete with cool winter colours, glit tery baubles and a life-size deco rative giftbox. Guests dining at any of the wide range of international and culinary concepts, and dy namic mix of licensed restaurants

and lounges at Yas Bay Waterfront are invited to pen a letter at Santa’s Post Office by the boardwalk for a merry surprise, along with every proof of purchase.

As the sun sets, follow the snowflake lane to the Winter Market located near The Emerging Man and newly opened ArtMarket, offering a unique artistic experience, this new concept operates as part coffee shop, and part saloon and visitors can enjoy music, art and wellbeing options, in addition to selecting the perfect gifts for your loved ones at the many cozy pop-up concepts.

No winter experience is complete without a festive parade so don’t miss out on hula hoopers, stilt walk ers, unicyclists, acrobatic performers and jugglers performing every week end from 3:00pm-8:00pm. Guests can be transported to the North Pole by simply following the elf footsteps, making sure you don’t miss a single magical experience brought to you by Yas Marina and Yas Bay Water front.

For more information, please visit https://www.yasmarina.ae/ or https://www.yasbay.ae/.

The Merriest and Jolliest Santa Run is back at Dubai Festival City

It’s time to count down the days for the most anticipat ed festive run of the season, the Dubai Festival City’s Santa Run! The Santa Run returns for its fifth year on December 10th at 8.30am in the Dubai Festival City Mall.

Organized by RaceME in asso ciation with the Dubai Sports Council, the Dubai Festival City Santa Run offers three distances — 1km, 2.5km and the more seasoned runners can register themselves for the 5km distance. Families can also bring their children aged 4-12 years old to run for free. Known as one of the most sce nic and fun running events, the Santa Run will start at Du bai Festival City Promenade overlooking Dubai Creek and the city skyline and finish at the Festive Market at Dubai Festival City Mall.

Registered runners will re

ceive a free Santa T-shirt, beard, and a Santa hat as well as par ticipants are also encouraged to get creative and come in their own Santa costumes to stand a chance to win one of the best dressed Santa prizes with a top prize of 1,000AED in Dubai Festi val City Mall Gift Cards. Dashing through the bay, families with the best decorated stroller could also stand a chance to win the ‘Best Santa Sleigh Rockets Stroll er’ category.

At the event, participants and their families are welcome to experience the Festive Market at the Race Village located in Du bai Festival City Mall, which will have plenty of giveaways for all ages to look forward to. A wide variety of refreshments will also be available at the market along with the opportunity to shop from various retailers.

Dubai Festival City is a vibrant, destination that brings visitors

and their families together to enjoy entertainment, hospitality, and leisure offerings. Residents across the UAE are welcome to come out as a family and encour age each other to get to the finish line at this year’s Santa Run.

Event Details

Date:

• Saturday, December 10th, 2022

• Start time: 8.30am

• Distances: 1km, 2.5km & 5km

• Venue: Dubai Festival City

The DFC Santa Run will open its doors at 7.30am for participants to collect their santa outfits and those interested to participate can register online at raceme.ae/ event/dfcsantarun.

For more details on Dubai Festi val City, please visit

dubaifestivalcity.com

Santa arrives at Ski Dubai to launch Winter Wonderland

The Christmas countdown has official ly begun! Families gathered together last night to witness the spectacular Christmas tree lights at Ski Dubai being switched on by Santa Claus following his arrival from the North Pole. The tree lighting ceremony marks the start of Winter Wonderland at Ski Dubai - a magical seasonal line-up of activities for the whole family to experience the most wonderful time of the year, com plete with real snow.

Santa Claus is coming back to town, and guests will have a chance to meet him and his merry elves at his grotto from 01-25 December. A Santa Meet & Greet (AED 125) is the picture-per fect way to get in the Christmas spirit; the package includes a festive gift bag, signature hot chocolate and a photo to capture the special moment.

Start your day with a jolly good Breakfast with Santa (AED 125). Every morn ing (8-10 a.m.) from 01-25 December,

guests can mingle all the way with Santa and his elves while indulg ing in festive treats such as Snow man Pancakes and signature hot chocolate. Each ticket includes one breakfast dish and a beverage from a wide-ranging menu, as well as a souvenir photo.

Fancy getting active while dressed in your matching Christmas sweaters?

Take the whole family to the Festive Fun Run (AED 125) on 10 December. Perfect for kids and adults alike, the -4⁰C racecourse can be completed in (400m) for kids or (1km) for adults with a special appearance from Santa Claus himself. Suitable for all levels and age groups, this promises to be a fun-filled family day out. All jolly joggers will also receive a Santa hat and a commemorative medal.

Bundle up on the big screen with the Santa + Cinema Package (AED

200). Enjoy the magic of movies, snuggle up on lounge-style seating and indulge in Ski Dubai’s favourite movie snacks and chef-crafted meals – all surrounded by real snow.

Snow Cinema’s impressive movie line-up includes Arthur Christmas, Home Alone 1, 2 and 3, The Grinch and many other family favourites and Christmas classics with several screenings a day. For a more luxurious option, guests can book the VIP Chalet (AED 400 for two guests), which has cosy mountain lodge vibes and is adorned with holiday décor. The premi um package also includes a two-course meal, hot chocolate, popcorn, and VIP snow gear per person.

This is just a sneak peek of what Ski Du bai has to offer this year for its 12th fes tive season. For more information or to make a booking, visit skidxb.com. Family passes are also available. There is limited availability so advance online booking is essential.

5 TIPS FOR HOSTING A FABULOUS FESTIVE GATHERING

It is the season of events, large family meals and festive gather ings to celebrate the most won derful time of the year. Wheth er you are a pro at throwing an extravagant soiree or a newbie, it is absolutely natural to feel a little anxious while delving into the realms of entertainment, food and hospitality.

While ensuring every guest is taken care of with a tasteful spread on the table, it is also im portant for the host to be stressfree and in a jovial spirit, to cre ate lasting memories with the ones they love most.

Here are some important tips to keep in mind to help simplify, manage, and host a wonderful gathering whether big or small.

Create a list and al ways check it twice

Hosting a party is not an easy task. One needs to bear multiple things in mind – right from the décor to all ingredients needed for meal prep as well as the enter tainment, and the list goes on. It is important to create a checklist (and check it twice) to organise all the to-dos by week, day and hours leading up to the gathering.

The checklist can be as detailed as needed with specific instruc tions on how to place the cutlery, the type of glasses required for different cocktails or something as simple as the playlist for the evening.

Experiment alone but never at a party

While working on the menu for any party, always stick to recreating the classics and dishes that you’ve been complemented on before. Add your own spin on it with spices and layer ing textures to create a festive twist to your signature dishes.

Even though you might feel like exper imenting with recipes that you have previously watched on your favourite cooking show, it’s not always as effort less as they make it seem and might require a couple of tries till you per fect it.

If you are passionate about cooking, take the time to practise the recipes you would like to include for your next festive gathering.

Choose your serving style

Before curating your party menu, decide upon your serving style and set up as it will heavily in fluence the types and variety of food. For Instance, events that are usually for networking pre fer canapes that can hold up well without causing a mess.

On the other hand, if you’re host ing a large family get-together, opt for a buffet-style meal or fam ily-style meal — where people sit around a table and food is passed on platters.

chefs and independent caterers in Dubai, with some covering oth er Emirates too.

With over 20 years of hospitality experience, Chef Vanessa Bayma, is a well-recognised private chef in the industry who has worked with multiple HNWI and mem bers of royal families in both KSA and UAE, football and reality TV stars, as well as major corpora tions such as Mastercard and General Mills. Her projects know no borders as she has assisted clients in Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kyrgyzstan, Korea, South Africa, United States, and Europe including Spain and Italy. With Private Chef Vanessa Bay

ma and her personally handpicked and professionally trained CBC team, the host can sit back and relax as she conceptualises and manages the whole event, curates the menu and develops recipes customised to one’s theme and culinary preferences.

From small to large scale event man agement villas, residences and pri vate yachts, your very own Private Chef will take care of all your party duties, adding that extra sparkle to your buffet and taking few things off your plate.

For more information, please visit www.chefbayma.com, WhatsApp +971 58 860 4799 or email info@ chefbayma.com

As said by Apicius, a first century Roman gourmand, ‘We eat first with our eyes’; I truly believe that food plating plays a big role in how we imagine the food tastes which in turn has an impact on our overall experience.

Embellishing a plate before serv ing provides a visual element that creates an appeal towards food, adding that much needed and a special finishing touch.

It is important to create elements on your plate that fits with your aesthetic and enhance your presentation. For example, fresh herbs and infused oil make for an easy garnish; they not only add texture to your dish but also en hance the aroma.

For those who love hosting gath erings but are busy with shopping for the big day, kids’ recitals and the general chaos of the season, a simple solution to take the load off their shoulders would be to hire one of the many personal

Decorate your plate cause we eat with our eyes

Simple ideas can have a huge impact!

Private Chef Vanessa Bayma & Founder of CBC consultancy and events

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s Winterfest Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year

Ring in the season and gear up for a holiday celebration like no other with the return of Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s Winterfest. Featuring back-toback festive entertainment, family-friendly experiences and exciting new festive char acter appearances, guests are in for a treat at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi’s Winterfest run ning until January 8.

The theme park is set to daz zle all decked out in festive ornaments and cheer, wel coming the season yet again with the ever-spectacular sig nature festive tree, including captivating overlays, sparkling snow globes, fairy lights and festive wreaths at every cor ner. Inside the Welcome Plaza, friends and loved ones can col lect picture-perfect moments, immerse themselves in The Story of Winterfest, and com memorate their visit to the world’s leading theme park.

At La Piazza stage, guests can watch skilled sculptors in ac tion as they carve unique ice masterpiece inspired by the festive season. Once complet

ed, guests can enjoy the full col lection featuring the breathtaking ice sculptures.

The streets are filled with joy and all things festive as the Park’s roaming entertainment delight guests with a live performance of Italian band on the Italian street and the festive Poi performers lighting up the season with an un rivalled festive show.

What’s more, an exhilarating ice-skating spectacular will take place at the Red Theatre starting from December 1st, reciting the story of an Italian festive tale as skilled skaters, acrobats and aer ialists enthrall, thrill and amaze guests with a unique display of art.

Those looking to be mesmerized can head to Enzo’s house on the Italian street to watch a fascinat ing light and projection artistry, especially during the Tree Light ing Ceremony, offering guests the chance to celebrate the sea son with state-of-the-art lighting shows, projections, streamers and snow.

For a quick break, families and friends can practice their swings

at the Festive Trees and Tees, a racing mini golf course. Addition ally, kids can head over to the Green Zone to enjoy different arts and crafts at Holly Jolly Crafts or to Espresso Rosso to experience interactive activities at the Gin gerbread Factory.

Meet and greet opportunities will be available for guests to enjoy with the return of fan-favorite festive characters, including the Snow Globe Lady and Ginger bread Lady. This Winterfest, Fer rari World Abu Dhabi will be wel coming a new character, dubbed Befana, known for her generous acts in the Italian folklore as an old woman who used to deliver gifts for children in Italy on the feast of the Epiphany.

Located on Yas Island, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is home to a va riety of family-friendly rides and attractions. The park is located minutes away from Yas Water world, the world’s first and only Emirati-themed waterpark and Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, the world’s largest indoor theme park as well as CLYMB™ Abu Dha bi, the UAE’s ultimate adventure hub.

Masdar City Central Park in Abu Dhabi has been significantly expanded and reopened to the public. And to celebrate the relaunch of the muchloved, and award-winning, family recreation area, Abu Dhabi’s flagship sustainable community is hosting a month of fun-packed activities during the festive season.

Located in the heart of Masdar City, a short walk from the My City Centre Masdar Shopping Mall, Central Park now covers a staggering 51,000 square meters, enough space for more than seven football pitches.

The newly expanded park has been built in line with Abu Dhabi’s dedicated sustainability guidelines for community areas, known as ‘Estidama’. These stipulate the

use of sustainable materials and other efficiency measures in the building and running of recreational zones.

Following its renovation, Central Park is now Abu Dhabi’s first net-zero energy park, meaning it produces more power than it consumes thanks to its own solar panels, which also double up as pleasant shading.

Other ingenious sustainability features include a tower that collects water vapor from the air to help irrigate the park’s ornamental and edible gardens, a falajstyle water system and other water features for young visitors to enjoy, and sustainability messages throughout the park encouraging children to learn while they play. That is in addition to new playgrounds, food stalls and soon a dedicated gym.

“We’re thrilled to be reopening Masdar City Central Park in time for the festive season and humbled that our newly

expanded recreation area has already won a host of industry awards,” said Ahmed Baghoum, Executive Director of Masdar City.

“Communities are at the heart of sustainable development and what better way to express this than through a beautiful new park that both embraces and educates young families about sustainability. We can’t wait to invite people back to Masdar City Central Park, which is why we’ll be hosting a free family festival every weekend until December 25.”

Month-long festival to celebrate Central Park reopening

Entrance is free to the Festival at Masdar City Central Park, running from 16:00 to 22:00

Free family festival to celebrate reopening of expanded Masdar City Central Park

every Saturday and Sunday, from November 26 to December 25, and for the National Day holiday from December 1 - 4.

Sports, games, magic shows, handicrafts and live entertainment will be on offer, as well as a roving carnival and various UAE-themed activities to celebrate the long weekend for National Day.

Visitors will also be able to take their pick from a variety of food outlets, including Home Bakery, Fusion, Hunger Roaming and 1765, as well as several Emirati food vendors.

The full list of attractions at The Festival includes:

Football fever - All weekends

There will be a dedicated zone for football fans, including an Accuracy Skill Game challenging

budding pros to hit targets placed in goal. They can even play sitting down in a game of ‘sub-soccer’ or try their hand at one of the foosball tables.

Live entertainment - All weekends

Fans of children’s musicals ought not to miss two live shows themed on family fairytales. The first three weekends will host Alice & Friends, while the last two will feature the Snow Queen show. A singer, DJ and a magician are also planned throughout the festival.

Bounce around - All weekends

Children can take on no less than three bouncy challenges every weekend: the Fun for All Maze, the Warrior Jump, and a Frozen-themed slide.

Yoga sessions

Selected Saturdays and Thursdays

Looking to relax mind, body and soul? Join certified instructors from the Abu Dhabi-based Yoga ONE studio for free evening sessions from 16:00 to 18:00 on November 26 and December 1, 3, 10 and 17.

Abu Dhabi’s first net-zero energy park wins a host of sustainability awards

Originally launched in 2020, Abu Dhabi’s first net-zero energy park has collected a host of industry awards since being expanded. These include the MENA Green Building Council’s Sustainable Project of the Year and Construction Innovation awards; Small Project of the Year at the MEED Projects Awards 2022; and Sustainable Project of the Year at the MEP Middle East Awards.

It’s time to capture wonderful memories with La Perle this festive season! With Show & Dinner packages start ing at 404 AED, witness enchanting performances and a delicious dinner at one of Al Habtoor City’s world-class restaurants.

Let La Perle take you on an aquatic dreamscape with wa terfalls cascading mere inches from the audience, fire lighting up the stage, and aerialists defying gravity as they soar through the air and dive from jaw-dropping heights into the pool at centre stage. La Perle is a tale that cap tivates the passionate, the creative, and the visionaries with the drive to go beyond the imaginable. Rekindle child-like wonders with La Perle in this one glit tering package for a truly unforgettable experience!

La Perle performs two shows nightly at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays. Regular tickets start from 259 AED.

Ticket bookings: La Perle performs two shows nightly at 6:30 pm and 9:00 pm from Tuesdays to Saturdays.

Please visit www.laperle.com, or go through the dedicat ed Box Office: 800 LAPERLE (800 517 373) / +971 4 437 0123, boxoffice@laperle.com or via PlatinumList.com.

Let us look at the traditional meaning of the word Retire. It was originally used in the mili tary sense. That is “to withdraw to a place of safety or seclu sion.” It was taken into English from the French language - ‘re’ (back) and ‘tirer’ (to draw).

In the good old days, there was a time when youngsters would get into the organized work force in their early to mid-twen

NEED OF THE HOUR A MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKFORCE

ties, and exit the workforce in their late fifties, or at best, early sixties. This would cover a work span of approximately 30 plus years.

Several interesting things are now happening at the same time.

At the startup stage, kids even in their late teens are getting into the workforce. As parts of the world move towards better

affluence and development, men and women are choosing to stay single, or get married late, or have very few or no children based on the lifestyles they wish to pursue. The world continues to undergo a mas sive demographic transforma tion. Because of advances in the world of medicine, average lifespans are increasing, and globally, the number of people aged 60 and over is projected

Niranjan Gidwani, Consultant Director – Texub | Member UAE Superbrands Council | Charter Member Tie Dubai | HBR Advisory Council

to double to more than 2 bil lion in another 2 decades. That will be approximately 25 per cent of the global population. And those 60 and over will outnumber children under the age of 5.

Populations around the world are going to look very different in the next few decades.

While leadership and mentor ing coaches train the world to look at solutions within the problem, this is one area where not much thought has gone in to convert a perceived problem into an opportunity area. Soon the workforce is likely to include people from as many as five to six gener ations. Whether it is the area of development of products and services, how innovation is unlocked, how office spaces are designed, or whether it is talent recruitment.

For some reason, the message is completely ignored. We are clearly able to see that there are hardly any global decision makers who are young in gov ernments. It is these very same elderly people who create 2030-40-year vision plans for countries. And some of them do a terrific job. And yet, the same decision makers and cor porate leaders have probably not realized the unprecedent ed ways that aging is going to change the rules of the game.

Strangely, all articles across the world talk about this as a looming crisis. Not as an op portunity area.

Yet, if one were to look around, whether it is in the world of corporate or govern ment, these so-called elder lies provide emotional stabil ity, complex problem-solving

skills, nuanced thinking, and institutional know-how. Their talents complement those of younger workers, and their guidance and support en hance performance and inter generational collaboration.

While some older adults most certainly do suffer from disa bling physical and cognitive conditions or are otherwise unable to maintain an active lifestyle, while many others chase the dream of an ear ly retirement to just sit back and live what is their idea of enjoyment, far more are able and inclined to stay in the game longer, disproving as sumptions about their pros pects for work and productiv ity. In fact, women who are in their late fifties and beyond have probably met most of their family obligations by that age.

These men and women are by and large of a generation who are motivated, knowl edgeable, adept at resolving social dilemmas, and care more about meaningful con tributions and less about self-advancement. There are many who wish to leave a dif ferent kind of legacy. They are more likely than their young er counterparts to build so cial cohesion, to share infor mation and organizational values. And surely less likely to keep changing jobs for the sake of small increments.

Today it is considered as so cially unacceptable to ignore, ridicule, or stereotype any one based on their gender, race, or sexual orientation. Strangely, it seems to be still acceptable to do this to peo ple based on their age.

Young workers can most certain ly benefit from the mentorship of older colleagues, and a strong team always combines the ener gy and speed of youth with the wisdom and experience of age. Most such intergenerational or ganizations have better survived the ups and downs of business and geo-political cycles.

Ignoring the realities of the de mographic shift which is hap pening globally is no longer an option. Pro-active governments, and senior leaders will need to put the issue front and center. This will take guts and per sistence. This transformative movement to realize the poten tial of the 21st century’s chang ing demography will be the next big test for government, corpo rate and HR leadership.

Government-public sector-pri vate sector partnerships would require a lot of close collabo ration and expertise and ex perience of those who have witnessed several upturns and downturns.

It is becoming more appar ent that just leaving material wealth as a legacy is proving in adequate. 70 percent of global SMEs create almost 70 percent of corporate employment. It is here that a better legacy can be left behind to sustain better em ployment.

With the combined issues of geo-political turmoil, mutating business models, rapid shift to online, likelihood of more fre quent pandemics, and de-glo balization, all happening at the same time, Multigeneration al teams would stand a better chance of corporate, country and employment success.

Celebrate in style: Pottery Barn & Pottery Barn Kids launch new holiday season collections

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn

Kids have unveiled their new Holiday Season Collections to inspire cosy moments at home with loved ones and extra special touches to get everyone into the seasonal spirit. The holidays are a busy time. Pottery Barn and Pot tery Barn Kids have made shop ping more convenient than ever with new collections available instore and online.

Pottery Barn’s Holiday Season Collection features three differ ent design themes: Refined Rus tic, Luxe Neutral, or everyone’s fa vourite, Holiday Classics. Refined Rustic features warm woods, aged leathers, burnished metals with pops of colour to elevate laid-back spaces. Luxe Neutrals is inspired by winter greenery, featuring touches of gold to add sparkle to spaces. The Holiday Classics range features new takes on everyone’s favourite tradi tions, with colourful plaids, play ful pillows and notes of red and green.

Deck the Halls

Soft table linens, holiday-themed accessories, adorable new orna ments and cheerful statement pieces help build picture-perfect moments together. Welcome guests to a cosy, comfortable home with the Carmel Grand Sofa; perfect for year-round comfort, with its wide, structured square arms paired with down-blend cushions, offering an extra-indul gent lounging experience.

Entertain in style over the holi days, with the must-have Cham bray Tile Dinnerware Collection, featuring global-inspired designs in tranquil tones. Each design is hand-painted by in-house artists,

so the stoneware pieces retain the unique brushstrokes and de tails from the original handmade artworks.

Add a spot of seasonal cheer with Stewart Plaid Fur back throws. These versatile, soft blankets work draped over a couch, fold ed at the foot of a bed, or stored in baskets on the side of an arm chair. Set against Pottery Barn’s Curtain Rain String lights, they are sure to bring in the festive vibe.

Create memories with kids Pottery Barn Kids has everything to create an extra special holiday season. Make baby’s first holiday magical, with adorable gifts and keepsakes. The super-soft Bunny Baby Hooded Towel in classic an imal silhouettes and Sherpa Baby Blankets are ideal for to keep them warm on the go. Older kids can join the magic, with match ing ultrasoft PJs for the whole family. Crafted in a silky cotton blend in a classic red-and-white plaid, these holidays-themed PJs will make for memorable family pictures.

The Belden Twin-Over-Twin Bunk Bed is that perfect holiday surprise for siblings, presenting the ideal solution for shared or small spaces. The platform and

bunk beds are crafted in solid wood and feature extra storage.

Located at The Dubai Mall, City Centre Mirdif, Dubai Hills Mall, Dalma Mall, Yas Mall and Gal leria Al Maryah Central, Pot tery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids stores are designed to make hol iday season shopping an enjoya ble experience, with inspiration al lifestyle displays dedicated to every space in the home.

The Design Studio service, which offers complimentary in-store design services, allows custom ers in-store to further person alize their shopping experience with the assistance of specially trained associates who are al ways eager to help customers add an increased personalized touch as they embark on their new shopping journey.

Pottery Barn and Pottery Barn Kids strive to deliver exceptional comfort, quality, style and value to all their customers through time-honored designs, world class service and product offer ings, and the new holiday collec tions are no exception, as they bring style and enduring designs to customers, encouraging them to invest in quality pieces that stand the test of time.

89% of parents agree the Education system needs change to prepare the workforce of future

To be a better fit for the future and prepare the next work force, 89% parents agree that the current curriculum, system, and classroom need to change. That’s according to a new sur vey conducted by Cambridge International-backed school, My Online Schooling.

MOS, one of the first British on line education schools in the re gion, conducted its first edition of the research survey, polling 500 parents in the UAE to get an insight on the evolved needs of parents and trends in the educa tion sector.

Key themes from the survey in cluded reforming classroom and curriculums to focus more on mental health, hybrid learning, extracurricular activities, and high school fees.

Shifting focus in classrooms and curriculums

When asked what changes par ents would like to see in the classrooms and curriculums, 56% parents stated they want ed more focus on mental health and well-being, followed by renewed focus on developing softer skills such as empathy and confidence voted by 50% parents, and 49% of parents de sired a greater focus on STEM subjects.

These needs of parents are aligned with UAE government’s new educational goals and changes, announced in May, of prioritising mental health and continued focus on teaching STEM subjects to nurture the future workforce.

Hybrid Learning

While most schools in the country have returned to traditional in-person learn ing, research results show that parents are still keen on hybrid learning models and the flexibility it offers. The survey also found that 40% parents want more focus on a hybrid model of education, which allows parents flexibil ity with their and their chil dren’s schedules. In addition to flexibility, extra-curricular activities were also important to parents with 37% of look ing for further focus on sports and performing arts.

Rising School Costs

Unsurprisingly, the rising costs of living have also impacted the education sector and in return, the parents. While the Dubai government has frozen private tuition fees for three years in a row, high education costs remain a concern for parents.

My Online Schooling’s survey shows that 87% parents are concerned that rising school fees will mean that their child could miss out on receiving a decent quality of education in the future. In fact, over half (52%) of parents surveyed said that cost of schooling fees is the biggest factor that affects their school choices. Other vital factors that im pact the decision, as per par ents, include proximity of the school to home (42%), the school’s performance in STEM subjects (38%), extracurric ular activities offered (29%), and KHDA ratings (29%).

Commenting on the results of the study, the school’s found er, Tom Crombie, comment ed: “The pandemic shaped new behaviours across sec tors, and at home alike with mental health and empathy taking the centre stage. The survey results are unsur prising as parents are more informed of their children’s needs as well as the learning environment, they would like to place their child in.

While the education ecosys tem is transforming globally, I want to commend the UAE government’s efforts on im plementing the necessary changes and bringing the conversations around mental health and innovation at the forefront.”

“At My Online Schooling, we are mental health advocates and do not believe in the one-size-fits-all approach. Hence, we offer extra sup port to students through anxiety, social skills and role model classes to ensure stu dents are getting adequate support and developing the right soft skills for the future.

Along with this, we are committed to providing the leaders of tomorrow with high-quality education that focuses on innovation by lev eraging technological tools that further enhance the cur riculum and classroom deliv ery. Our aim is to offer our students with an engaging and interactive experience in the class that shapes the leaders of tomorrow.”

ChoirFest Middle East 2023

RETURNS FOR ITS BIGGEST AND BEST EDITION IN THE EVENT’S DECADE-LONG HISTORY

Backstage butterflies, side stage excitement, and unforgettable memories are only a few of the emotions for those lucky singers taking part in ChoirFest Middle East 2023 (ChoirFestME). This year the region’s premier choral festival has joined forces with the UAE Ministry of Education to extend its youth competition across all seven emirates, bringing the joy of singing to thousands of students across the country.

Seasoned attendees and participants of ChoirFestME can expect some thrilling changes this year. The UAEbased festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary by welcoming public schools from across the host nation for the first time. Not only that, but the winners of the UAE Youth Choir of the

Year will also receive an all-expensespaid trip to Gangneung, South Korea sponsored by the Ministry of Education, to compete in the World Choir Games 2023.

Founded in 2013 by The Fridge Founder and Director Shelley Frost, and renowned composer, Joanna Marsh, ChoirFestME is an oasis for choir communities in the Middle East and beyond, giving adult and youth choirs the platform to showcase their talents. Building on this tradition, the 10th anniversary edition will introduce the participation of international adult choirs for the first time, positioning the event and the wider UAE as a hub for the global choral community.

Shelley Frost, Founder and Director of The Fridge, commented: “ChoirFestME reflects the warmth, generosity and values of tolerance that

define the UAE. This is more than a choral festival; it is a unique event that uses the power of music to celebrate the cultural diversity of its host nation and the wider Middle East. Our mission is to provide passionate musicians and aspiring vocalists of all ages with a platform to showcase their talents, promoting positive cultural exchange between all sectors of society. We are immensely grateful to our partners at the UAE Ministry of Education and the cultural local authorities for facilitating the countrywide expansion of our youth competition, allowing us to reach a larger and more diverse audience than ever before.”

As part of ChoirFest’s aim to promote unity and tolerance, each year ChoirFestME sponsors choirs from war torn or disadvantaged nations, bringing them to the UAE and helping them realise their dreams of having their voices heard by their peers and industry experts. Previous years have seen choirs from Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan join the line-up, thanks to the support of our generous sponsors.

ChoirFestME 2023 will welcome its thousands of participants in February, with a broad range of activities including workshops led by experienced vocal trainers, regional concerts, inter-

emirate competitions and memorable performances by visiting choral groups. Participants of all ages will have countless opportunities to explore different choral repertoires, sharpen their ensemble singing and, above all, have fun!

Thanks to ChoirFestME 2023’s expanded scope, the upcoming Emirate Youth Choir of the Year competition will see junior, middle, and senior choirs compete in heats across all seven emirates. The winners of each competition will represent their emirate at the National UAE Choir of the Year finals, which will be held in Sharjah in May. For the adult choirs, their competition will centre around a Gala Concert for Choir of the Year in the spectacular Dubai Opera. As the largest choral festival in the Middle East, ChoirFestME has provided a platform to share the jitters and joys of performing for more than 20,000 choral singers from 500 school choirs, over 90 adult ensembles, and 45 visiting choirs over the past decade.

All choirs interested in participating at ChoirFestME 2023 are invited to register their application online now at https://choirfestme.com/ choir-registration

Hala Madrid! Dubai ParksTM and Resorts to open the World’s first Real Madrid themed park

Dubai Parks™ and Resorts and Real Madrid C.F. have signed an exclusive multi-year partnership, which will see the first-ever Real Madrid themed ex perience open at the largest theme park destination in the Middle East.

Real Madrid, the football club with the best Honours list, was named FIFA’s Best Club of the 20th Century. Dubai Parks™ and Resorts is the first theme park destination in the world to an nounce a major partnership with Real Madrid.

The new experience aims to engage football and sports fans, families and children of all ages, enabling guests to immerse themselves in the culture of the world’s greatest football team. Vis itors will enjoy audio-visual displays, interactive experiences, playable gam ing interactions, and unique attrac

tions inspired by the spirit, passion, and success that make Real Madrid the Club of the Century.

Set to open in Q4 2023, designs are being finalised. It will include a range of Real Madrid inspired attractions such as a museum, rides, football skill games, food and beverage out lets, and unique retail options fea turing memorabilia from across Real Madrid’s successful history.

Further details will be announced over the coming months, including more information on the signature rollercoasters, unique events, and interactive sports and thrilling expe riences that will become part of the new destination.

Fernando Eiroa, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Holding Entertain

ment, said, “We are thrilled to add this ambitious project to Dubai’s thriv ing entertainment and leisure offer. We are delighted that Real Madrid has chosen Dubai Parks™ and Resorts as their preferred partner as we con tinue bringing the best international entertainment brands to the region.

Real Madrid is a megastar of world football and one of the world’s most recognised sports teams, with an un matched track record of success and millions of passionate supporters from every corner of the planet. We look forward to engaging sports fans, families, and children in new and ex citing ways and supporting an active youth community across the UAE. This project is in consonance with our vi sion to contribute to enhancing Dubai as a leading tourist destination.”

Top 12 Reasons

Why Budapest is the Ultimate WINTER WONDERLAND

City to Visit this Winter 2022

Hungary’s capital city Bu dapest, with its centuries old history, baths & spas, stunning architecture and thriving arts, culture, de sign and culinary scenes, is wonderful to visit any time of the year. However, from November through to the New Year Budapest, locat ed at the heart of Europe, reveals itself as a fairytale winter wonderland ready to captivate all that visit. Fully opened to Middle

East visitors, here are the Top 12 Reasons to make Bu dapest your destination of choice this winter:

Vörösmarty Square Christmas Market

Winter in Budapest would not be complete without visits to its numerous and famous Christmas Markets located around the city. The Vörösmarty Square Christ mas Market is the city’s larg

est. Bathed in twinkle lights and decorated in Christmas ornaments to the hilt, this year the Christmas market will remain open from the 4th November right through to the 31st De cember 2022. Taste the traditional Christmas dishes of Hungary on offer including such fa vourites as stuffed cab bage, fish soup, chimney cake, or buy beautiful

handcrafted gifts for your loved ones from the many vendors, craftsmen and women. There are lots of festive puppet shows held throughout the day and evenings with a Bethle hem scene created for the small ones guaranteeing every visitor is suitably in vigorated with the Christ mas spirit!

Basilica Christmas Market

One Christmas Market is never enough, and fortunately just next to Vörösmarty Square is an other Christmas market to explore, located at the foot of Budapest’s second tallest building, the Basil ica. With the Basilica as a backdrop, be prepared to take Instagramable-perfect snaps. In addition to the food vendors, and mer chants offering a lot of festive arts and crafts, an ice-skating rink has also been created adding per fectly to the winter-won derland scene.

Ice Skating Rinks around Budapest

Ice-skating is a Christmas tradition for Budapest locals with ice rinks located throughout the city. The most famous is the skating rink in front of Vajdahun yad Castle in the City Park, which is best experienced at night. The castle is beautifully lit up, and the

air is fully fragranced with the smell of roasted chest nuts being steaming by the rink. Skates are easily rented at the site, so you can celebrate Christmas like a local!

Pro tip #1: Walk along the beautifully lit Andrássy Av enue, which ends at He roes’ Square and the skating rink in the City Park. Pro tip #2: If you’d like to try out other skating rinks, there are also festive skating rinks in the main squares in Óbuda and in Újpest.

festive cheer especially in Szentendre or Gödöllő!

Szentendre’s charm cap tivates all, with its cozy cafés and restaurants. The city hosts a Christmas market, and is home to a Christmas Museum.

Gödöllő is also close to Budapest, and is proud ly home to Sissi Castle and the unique Christmas House which are both great attractions to vis it with the whole family. https://karacsonyhaz.hu/

Walk around in the major cities around Budapest (Szentendre, Gödöllo)

Festive celebrations are not just limited to the cap ital, with Budapest’s near by satellite cities also pro viding a great opportunity for new discoveries and

Budapest Thermal Baths

After a day of walking the city and Christmas mar kets it always great to know that relaxation and rejuvenation is never far away in Budapest thanks to its many world-famous spas.

Széchenyi Spa is the larg

est thermal spa in Budapest and unique for its large out door settings. Rudas Spa at the foot of Gellért Hill, has a roof top hot pool offering stunning panorama views of the city. Also at the foot of Gellért Hill is the Gellért Baths, one of Buda pest’s oldest and most famous baths. There are more than 1,500 thermal springs found throughout Hungary, each with its own unique proper ties and settings to enliven the soul.

Sledding in Normafa

Normafa, located on the Buda side of the city, is a popular hiking spot offering one of the most beautiful snowy win ter landscapes. In addition to enjoying a refreshing stroll, you can also go sledging, eat homemade strudel and even go up to the lookout tower on Mount János, where deli cious roasted chestnuts tempt visitors. For children there’s a playground, and for couples and those with a sweet tooth, the nearby Szamos Szepkilátás Patisserie makes the perfect

end to any Normafa excur sion.

Christmas Trams with Twinkle Lights

Christmas Trams are a Buda pest institution and favour ite of Budapest residents. Covered in twinkle lights and running throughout the city, they only make their appear ance in the lead up to Christ mas and make for a great In stagram moment.

Snowy, frosty walk

beautiful than to walk around Budapest Cas tle at this time of year. Strolling through the snow-covered cobbled streets, taking in the sights of Buda Castle, Matthias Church, as well as the recently renovated Riding Hall and St Stephen’s Hall, a morning or afternoon out is best capped off with a visit to Hunga ry’s oldest confection ery house, Ruszwurm Confectionery, for a decadent cake and hot cup of tea or coffee.

Pro tip: Although the Chain Bridge is closed, you can still enjoy a beautiful view of the winter landscape from the ca ble car from the Chain Bridge to Buda Castle.

Christmas Shopping in Budapest

Christmas is a time for spoil ing loved ones (and your self!), with surprise gifts and presents. Shopping in Buda pest is always great, but dur ing Christmas there is even more on offer. At the fairs you can buy expertly handcrafted

around Buda Castle

There are few things more

goods, bags and products from Hungarian craftsmen and women.

At Vörösmarty Square there is Fashion Street and Váci Street, where high street fashion brands and bou tiques shops line up one after the other. For those looking for high-end luxury brands, Andrássy Street is the place to go.

Here the latest collections and selections from brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Burberry can be found. Adding to the excite ment and charm Andrássy Avenue is especially beau tifully lit during the festive season, so one can enjoy the illuminated surroundings between shop visits.

Christmas in the Opera House

Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker has for decades been an essential part of celebrating Christmas at the Hungarian State Opera House. The fairy-tale ballet continues to enchant and mesmerize audiences year after year.

However, with the Opera House having recently undergone ex tensive renovations, this year, more than ever is expected to bedazzle and be a spectacular experience not to be missed.

Spectacular Cafés

Budapest’s café houses are world-famous – and rightly so! Whether it be between visits to Christmas markets, shopping sprees, or even city walks, the day can always be broken up with visits to a Budapest café, which truly are an experience unto themselves.

Delicious cakes, light bites, cof fees, teas and hot chocolates are all on the menu, served in

the most elaborate and gor geous settings. If your time is limited, be sure to at least in clude New York Café, argua bly one of the most beautiful restaurants in Budapest.

Dinner Cruise on the River Danube

The best way to experience Budapest’s many architec tural wonders is from the River Danube that runs right through it. And the best way to do that is as a dinner cruise aboard a luxury catamaran.

With Budapest’s landmarks all decorated and lit up for the season, and live piano music providing a musical serenade, Budapest is ready to spellbound visitors as they enjoy a sumptuous festive dinner, one to be remem bered for many Christmas’ to come.