While the rest of Fujairah was enjoying a lie-in on Sunday morning, Mohammad Janal’s day was already in full swing.
With a friend, the Bangladeshi set up an impromptu stall from a car boot on the road to Khor Fakkan.
The goods on offer? Flags, scarves, banners, stickers and sunglasses, all in the colours of the flag.
“Good business,” said Mr Janal, 48, as he bobbed his head energetically.
To the casual observer, he appeared to be a little late in trying to sell his colourful goods, as the city's roads, houses and cars all appeared to be fitted out with such paraphernalia, with the public's excitement clear to see.
Yet demand remained. Mr Janal sold flags to a customer in a black four-wheel drive, and dispatched a helper to tend to another car stopped on the side of the road.
Business was also good for Khalid Al Naqbi, who runs a water sports firm that offers parasailing and inflatable boat rides from Khor Fakkan’s Corniche Beach.
To commemorate December 2, the Emirati entrepreneur had ordered a custom-made parasail featuring the colours of the flag.
“I made a special order from the UK,” said Mr Al Naqbi, with the custom design increasing the price of the sail from about Dh6,000 to Dh10,000.
He had to wait three weeks for the order to arrive but said the end result, visible across the road from the Corniche, was worth it.
“People are happy and they are coming to take photos,” he said.
The colourful sail joined several others with patriotic messages, including one featuring the logo of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and one with the logo of Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai.
Among Mr Al Naqbi’s customers was Sanad Al Kabariti, 25. An Abu Dhabi resident for the past three months, the estate agent said he already felt part of the National Day celebrations. “I like it here, I love the UAE,” he said.
That sentiment was shared by Maryam Hassan, who was camping with her family on a beach between Khor Fakkan and Al Aqah.
The family, who live in nearby Sharm, had set up the most important part of their camp – a large array of flags that surrounded their SUV and a designated seating area for a picnic.
Dressed in shorts and T-shirts featuring the colours of the flag, her three youngest children were playing in the ocean with their father, Adel Al Zeyoudi.
Matching the theme of their camp, most members of the family were wearing celebratory scarves.
Ms Hassan, a mother of ten, needed few words to explain her feelings.
“It makes us very happy,” she said. “I love the UAE.”
vtodorova@thenational.ae
