So you may or may not know that it’s Diwali this week, the Hindu Festival of Lights.
Indian shops and restaurants are festooned with marigold garlands, and even the expat Aussie grocery store has a Diwali display:
But, of course, in good capitalist fashion, it’s almost the American Thanksgiving holiday, which means that it’s time to start thinking about… CHRISTMAS!
Of course, the Christmas tree is in a shop that’s staffed almost exclusively by Filipinos, who, I am told by a Filipino student, are famous for having the longest-running “Christmas season” in the world: it starts sometime in September and runs through January.
So start shopping now and beat the rush.
I’m surprised that there’s such an Indian influence in Abu Dhabi.
Lady Jennie recently posted..Recipe for Euro Disney Success
The Kerala Community Center has been in AD for decades, actually. There’s a huge Indian population – particularly southern India. Oh the food!!!
I’ve never heard of the Diwali festival but the lights and displays look lovely.
Jamie@SouthMainMuse recently posted..You’d Stoop to Pick Up a Nickle, Wouldn’t You?
The preschool where my kids went in New York had a Hindu teacher, who always did Diwali projects – so I know about Diwali, even though I am not quite sure what is being celebrated. It’s pretty, is all I know. Lots of lights and candles, lots of flowers…
I didn’t realize that there’s a Filipino community in Abu Dhabi. That’s pretty cool. I’m Filipino-American, but I did hear that Filipinos start putting up Christmas decorations in September! That’s way too early for my taste, but Halloween and Thanksgiving aren’t celebrated in the Philippines so it kind of makes sense.
Bee recently posted..Everything Here Is Mine
There is a huge Filipino community here – and it’s true, actually, that Filipino Xmas goes on for months, culminating, at least for the expat Filipino community, in a huge television special that is broadcast worldwide. It’s kind of a stunning phenomenon, actually.
I couldn’t find Thanksgiving paper plates and napkins at Walmart because they have all their Christmas stuff already. I even asked an employee, and there was none to be found!! It’s so frustrating.
I’m imagining that Diwali must be a beautiful time of year.
Ginny Marie recently posted..An Alaskan Trail
funny how this fast-forwarding of the seasons has become a global problem!!