Christmas Joy in the city of Peace

Your Guide in Sharm El Sheikh

Christmas Joy in the city of Peace

Snowflakes are falling slowly in the soft silence of the cold winter nights; the freezing darkness holds the secrets of the beloved old man with a white beard and a red coat, flying on his sledge with reindeers and a great big bag full of gifts for all of us.

Well, in the desert this is more like a dream that our hearts have about Christmas, but the holidays will arrive to us here in Sharm el Sheikh.

Maybe a little different, maybe a whole lot different, still we celebrate the feast of joy and love by every means and in all traditions.

The atmosphere of Christmas in Sharm each year is very different from the rest of the world, we decorate palm trees, Santa arrives on a camel … it seems we are in LaLa-Land.

We are very lucky to be in a city where religions live peacefully together and we can celebrate each other’s feasts all around the year, regardless of ideologies, in the name of kindness, generosity and love.

The traditions for celebrating Christmas are quiet different across the globe, and as Sharm is a multicultural environment, we have the freedom to mix celebrations and express the happiness of this feast.

We even celebrate twice – once on the 25th of December and on the 7th of January when the orthodox (Coptic) Christians have Christmas we do it all over again.

We have chosen three very different locations to paint a picture for our readers of how we celebrate Christmas in the desert.

Christmas in Little Buddha Bar

Although the parties never stop for the clubbers in this popular nightclub, their Christmas preparations started long before the feasts to welcome everyone for the perfect Christmas experience with plenty of surprises.

They dress the club in an elegant Christmas atmosphere which we can enjoy all month.

The moment we step into Little Buddha Bar, a tall, sparkling Christmas tree in red, gold and silver decoration greets the guests right beside a winter landscape all in white and blue.

  • The evergreen pine tree has traditionally been used to celebrate winter festivals for thousands of years. Pagans used branches of it to decorate their homes during the winter solstice, as it made them think of the spring to come. Christians use it as a sign of everlasting life with God. Red represents the infamous apple from the Bible, gold is the color of the Sun and light – very important in the dark winter and both are the colors of fire, that you need to keep you warm. Blue stands for the sky and heaven and white is often associated with purity and peace. –

The soft candlelight illuminates the interior festive decoration giving a sophisticated flair for the Christmas atmosphere.

The highlight of the month is naturally Christmas Eve; their team of chefs carefully thought of all the delicious details for an exquisite dinner for those who want to spend the evening with their loved ones in Little Buddha.

All the delicacies are available on Christmas day, as well.

On the menu as well as many other delicious dishes, one can choose from the Exotic Duck Salad or the Marinated King Prawn, the traditional Roasted Turkey, Fillet Mignon with creamy Sauce or even Parmiggiano crusted Norwegian Salmon.

For dessert there is Christmas pudding of course and (for the curious) a Glazed Fruit Cup with sparkling Cream. They also provide a la carte menu and after dinner it’s party time as usual in the nightclub.

Santa will come to the guests with little surprises and presents and all the while the resident DJ will serve you the soft tunes of Christmas.

It is highly recommended to book your table for this special evening and Christmas day- call 01145500032 to make a reservation.

The Big Switch On – SOHO Square

Although all the city of Sharm is twinkling with lights for Christmas, there is one place which can hardly be compared to any other when it comes to the sparkling illuminations for the feast.

SOHO Square has made it a tradition over the years to transform the piazza into a magical wonderland.

The Big Switch On to mark the start of the Christmas season happens on the 7th of December and during the holidays everybody can marvel at the magnificent glow of the Christmas lights.

The event is always watched by thousands of people and there are numerous exciting programs which follow.

The variety of the lights, colors and forms is immensely large, every inch of the square is decorated.

Huge white snowballs, big silver baubles, light curtains, snowflakes and canopies give a bright ceiling to the square and there are beautiful Christmas ornaments created with light.

There are over 250,000 individual bulbs which light up Soho Square’s Christmas, with over 2.5 kilometres of cabling. SOHO starts working on this special decoration for more than two months before the switch on.

What started in history with simple candles, in our modern times has become a spectacular light show in December in Sharm.

  • The tradition of using candles as light on Christmas came early into the Christmas traditions. They were used even before by pagans during ancient winter solstice celebrations as a way of remembering that spring would soon come. One of the earliest records of candles being used at Christmas is from the middle ages, where a large candle was used to represent the star of Bethlehem. Jesus is sometimes called ‘the Light of the World’ by Christians. In modern days we replaced the candles with electric light and now the variety of forms and colors have grown into beautiful creations. –

On the Big Switch On event, as well as the wonderful lights, there are attractions to be seen.

The Fiji Military Parade Band open the evening marching around the square, followed by fireworks while 24 snow machines turn the desert evening into a winter night.

International superstars Bonnie Tyler and Tony Hadley are on stage giving an unforgettable show.

On the 12th of December, they will partially repeat the show for the children, that will be the day of the Kid’s Switch on, where the program will be especially for the kids.

All during the month of December we can go and enjoy the Christmas lights, the little house of Santa, the famous spicy and hot gluhwein, one can ice-skate and the really brave can meet the freezing winter in the Ice Bar.

On Christmas Eve there will be a procession of the 3 Kings, as if they just stepped out of the Bible, under the bright Christmas lights of SOHO Square.

  • Boxing Day takes place on December 26th and it was started in the UK about 800 years ago during the Middle Ages. It was the day when the collection boxes for the poor, often kept in churches, were traditionally opened so that the contents could be distributed to the people. Boxing Day has now become another public holiday, a traditional day, where often sports are played, especially horse racing and football matches. –

On Boxing Day the passionate can watch the traditional football match in the Queen Vic Pub with drinks and exquisite food. Then everyone can take a rest before the big party at New Year.

 

Christmas in luxury – RIXOS Hotel & Resort

People who want to spend the feast in pampered luxury are going to Sharm’s numerous hotels and resorts.

One of the most impressive resorts in Sharm is the RIXOS in Nabq.

They welcome the guests at the entrance with decorated gardens leading to the hotel and at the reception there is a 10m tall, richly decorated, red and golden Christmas tree.

In the vast areas of the garden every little corner is lit by fairy lights, forming shapes and featuring the traditional ornaments of Christmas, such as snowmen, reindeers, bells and so much more.

The sweet fragrance of cinnamon sneaks in the air around the pastry shop from the fresh Christmas cookies, while the hot mulled wine is inviting from the bar.

Wandering around, you’ll find the gingerbread house of Santa, a little ‘Presepe’ with the story of the Holy Family, a magnificent ice sculpture of a reindeer; every corner is wonderfully adorned for the holiday. On Christmas day, Santa is found galloping on a camel to the beach to give little presents and surprises to the children and adults. Where else in the world can we meet the famous old man on the beach?

  • The true story of Santa Claus begins with St. Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara, in Greece. Through the centuries many stories help us to understand his extraordinary character and why he is so beloved and revered, as protector and helper of those in need. In many Western cultures it is said, that he brings gifts to the homes of the good children on 24th of December, the night before Christmas Day. He is dressed in a red coat with white fur and big black belt, wears a red hat rimmed with white fur, he  has white beard and a kind, joyous face and he arrives on a sledge pulled by reindeers and carries a bag full of gifts for children.  –

All the month the hotel has a magical atmosphere and when it comes to Christmas Eve, they prepare in the Zodiac Restaurant a rich and luxurious buffet, with traditional Christmas dishes.

The restaurant is open also for the public, at affordable prices, if you want to spend the evening in an elegant restaurant, it is recommended to reserve a place for Christmas Eve by calling 01151133222.

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , ,

Post Discussion

Be the first to comment “Christmas Joy in the city of Peace”