Residents gather for Christmas carols in the Abu Dhabi desert

The event first started in 2006 and has become a successful annual affair

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Volunteers of St. Andrews Church are ever ready to help for the event. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Family set up their spots before the carol singing in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - People enjoy during the singing of Christmas carols by candlelight in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Young children participate in singing Christmas carols by candlelight in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - People enjoy during the singing of Christmas carols by candlelight in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The volunteers play their instruments for the Christmas carols. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - St. Andrews hosted Carols by Candlelight with a barbecue in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Families use the barbecues provided to cook the food items they brought. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Family set up their spots before the carol singing in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The stage is set up for the band to begin. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The singing of Christmas carols by candlelight started after dark in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Families use the barbecues provided to cook the food items they brought. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Young children participate in singing Christmas carols by candlelight in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Young children participate in singing Christmas carols by candlelight in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

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  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - The singing of Christmas carols by candlelight started after dark in the desert. Khushnum Bhandari for The National

Hundreds came together yesterday for Carols by Candlelight in the Desert, an annual event where people sing Christmas carols in the Abu Dhabi desert. The free event, which started with South African expats John and Hanneke Wilson in 2006, is supported by St Andrew's Church and its members in Abu Dhabi.

People also enjoyed a communal barbecue. "The main focus is bringing families together to experience not only the Christmas spirit, but also to introduce people to the beauty of the desert," the Wilsons have said of the event.