Rather than handing over yet another pair of socks, a sustainable – and fun – gifting optionis an exciting experience.
Instead of buying something for the sake of it, gift someone the chance to learn a new skill or try something out of the ordinary to make memories that will last a lifetime. As the saying goes, people will remember how you made them feel, so make your nearest and dearest feel loved and appreciated this festive season with a present that is anything but boring with these six experiential ideas.
Bear Grylls essential survival course
A half-day essential survival course is available from Dh325. Photo: Bear Grylls Camp
Ideal for the wild at heart, this intensive four-hour course will teach the basics of how to survive in the harsh terrain of Ras Al Khaimah. Covering essentials such as fire building and how to find food and water, it will take place at the Bear Grylls camp on Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, itself spectacular enough to get the heart racing.
Costing from Dh325 for children and Dh450 for adults, this is an ideal gift for anyone looking to do something adventurous and also makes for a great family bonding day out.
Buy a gift card that helps fund reef restoration, at Freestyle Divers. AFP
With the health of the sea so vital to life on Earth, anyone looking to help out will love this gift idea from Freestyle Divers in Dibba Port. Its REEFrame gift cards help fund the restoration of coral reefs, which in turn provide a precious home to a multitude of species.
Starting at Dh100 and going up to Dh5,000, the card is valid for 12 months and can be redeemed against various products, including training the recipient to become a reef restoration volunteer.
The Makers Society will teach newcomers basic woodworking skills. AFP
For people who like making things or like learning new skills, why not sign them up to a woodworking class at The Makers Society in Dubai? Specialising in teaching safe woodwork skills to complete beginners, right up to those who want an expert on hand to offer pointers, classes offer participants the chance to make a wooden toolbox and also provide in-depth training on machinery.
Gift cards range from Dh100 to Dh1,000, making this an interesting way to pick up a new skill and gain the confidence to tackle larger projects. This could be the gift that keeps on giving.
Supercars including Ferraris are available to drive at Dubai Autodrome. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Petrol heads will love a gift card from the Dubai Kartdrome which will allow them to drive around the track on a motorised kart at high speed yet safely. The Autodrome is next door, where enthusiasts can drive a high-performance BMW or Ferrari GT.
Gift card prices start at Dh50 for either option, rising to Dh1000, and are all valid for six months. It might be worth bearing in mind that Dh50 might not go far towards a drive in a supercar, but, that aside, this is a unique gift for car lovers and will offer a memorable day out.
Ithara is offering a kayak by moonlit tour in Abu Dhabi. Anita Denunzio / Unsplash
Romantics might want to consider gifting a guided tour kayaking through the Abu Dhabi mangroves by moonlight to their significant other this year. This will not only earn major brownie points, but means you get to enjoy the experience too.
Priced at Dh339 for two people, the gift card is available through Ithara and is valid for a full year. It involves joining a kayak tour through the mangroves to discover the mysteries of nature under the moonlight. Single and two-seater kayaks are available, and the two-hour trip offers a fascinating insight into the coastline around the capital.
Perfect for those who love getting a makeover, a brow lamination, eyelash tint or a Biotanix Brazilian protein hair treatment will make them feel properly pampered. All offered by The Den Salon, these start at Dh250 for the lash or brow treatment, inclusive of a tint, and go up to Dh950 for a hair treatment.
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
