Ramadan means connecting with family and friends, and reaching out to show appreciation to those you care about. It is also a time to offer gifts to loved ones, as small tokens of affection.
Whether you are looking for ideas for bibliophiles or homebodies, we have searched for suggestions that are interesting, intriguing and ideal for a range of budgets.
For those drawn to the fascinating history of the UAE, why not give a book about Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father? Published by Assouline, this is a beautifully presented limited-edition tome that will be cherished for generations.
Night owls, meanwhile, will enjoy a portable Bluetooth speaker by JBL, for listening to gentle music.
Scroll through the gallery above for more gift ideas this Ramadan.
For the family poet, the classic Meisterstuck fountain pen by Montblanc will add beauty to even the most stilted of prose, while the matriarch of the house will appreciate a delicate gold-coloured watch by Marks & Spencer.
Beauty buffs will enjoy a gift box from Huda Beauty that counts down the final 10 days to Eid, with products to nourish the skin and even fragrance to spritz. Ounass, meanwhile, offers the Green Cedar perfume by Abel Odor, that is fresh yet woody.
A thoughtful gift this time of year is items for the home, and o'de Rose offers a set of six tea glasses and saucers by Sisal for Dh315, as a lovely keepsake, as well as glasses decorated with ikat patterns, by Les Ottomans, priced at Dh100 each.
Comptoir 102 offers scented candles by 19-69, and Zara Home has a good selection of scented reed diffusers for the home, including the lovely Cedar Wood.
Foodies will surely appreciate the filled date selection from Bateel, which comes in a pretty, painted wooden box, as well as a box of artisan treats from Sugargram for Dh165. For serving, Ikea offers a small tray perfect for carting tea and dates – and a steal for just Dh15 – while o'de Rose even have embroidered linen placemats, with olives or pomegranates, at Dh95 each.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
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