The summer holidays may already seem like a distant dream but the good news is there is a long weekend just around the corner.
On Thursday, October 21, the UAE will mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, known as Mawlid Al Nabi, with a day off.
The occasion is not typically celebrated in the Gulf, but in Pakistan, Indonesia and Turkey, hymns or poems are sung or recited about the Prophet Mohammed's life at mosques and at home.
In the UAE, families and friends might spend the day together at a park or in each other's homes.
The holiday is one day only, but because it falls at the end of the working week, many will receive a three-day break.
It is the first of two remaining long weekends this year, according to the public holiday calendar for 2021 and 2022, approved by the Cabinet.
The longest – and biggest remaining holiday by far – will fall at the start of December, with a day off for Commemoration Day, which remembers those who lost their lives serving their country. That will take place on Wednesday, December 1.
It will be immediately followed by a further two days off to mark the country’s 50th birthday on December 2, meaning many people will have a four-day break.
The celebrations, which have been in the works for months, are expected to include fireworks, plus events at Expo 2020 Dubai and elsewhere.
