Is New Year’s Day In UAE A Public Holiday?
New Year’s Day in UAE is a public holiday. All schools, colleges, public institutions and organisations remain closed on this day and make way for the joyous celebrations to take place. Work and all other public platforms resume from the second of January onwards.
In the UAE, all kinds of holidays are decided in accordance with the Islamic calendar. However, this is not the case with New Year’s Day as all commercial, private as well as public sector job holders in UAE can avail a paid holiday on January 1 so they can celebrate this day joyously with their near and dear ones. Regardless of whether they are UAE nationals, foreign workers or even tourists, everybody has a right to celebrate this day.
Everyone in the country seems to give a grand welcome to the first day of the Gregorian calendar which also consists of the list of Holidays 2024 followed in most countries. Let us now find out how people in UAE celebrate this event and wish each other Happy New Year. Now, before moving on to find some interesting trivia about New Year’s Day in UAE, let us first know the history of this day.
History of New Year’s Day in United Arab Emirates
As per the history of New Year’s Day in United Arab Emirates, it has been stated that It was in 46 B.C. that Julius Caesar introduced a new calendar which was solar basd and it was an improved version of the ancient Roman calendar, which was based on the lunar system that had grown old and expired over the years. Now, in 1582, the Gregorian calendar started a reform which restored January 1 as the first day of a new year.
Most of the Catholic countries started following the Gregorian calendar immediately, but it took some time to happen so in the Protestant countries. For instance, the Brits did not agree to adopt the reformed version of the calendar until the year 1752. That was the time when the British Empire and its American colonies celebrated their New Year and also the New Year’s Eve during the March.
Eventually, almost all people around the globe started following the reformed calendar only and picked new year’s day from the list of holidays, and this is how the tradition of celebrating New Year’s Day in the United Arab Emirates came into existence too.
How is New Year’s Day Celebrated in UAE?
Just like it happens in all the other countries, New Year’s Day in UAE is also celebrated with great joy and fervour. People come out of their homes to express their joy of bidding adieu to a new year and welcoming the new one.
Let us now find out what special things are witnessed in the United Arab Emirates on the day of New Year’s Day in UAE.
1. The global Village organizes the “Live our Heritage” Festival which is quite a spectacle to watch on the first day of New Year.
2. The United Arab Emirates has some world class malls, so many people also go out to shop on the very first day of the new year.
3. The Food in UAE talks about the rich Emirati delicacies, which is why most people also go out to enjoy a hearty meal with their loved ones.
4. Some folks also go out on Holiday Cruises to celebrate the New Year.
5. The night clubs on both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in Dubai are filled with party enthusiasts.
6. While fireworks remain limited to New Year’s Eve, some fireworks are seen on the day of New year too.
New Year’s Day Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Tue | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2020 | Wed | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2021 | Fri | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2022 | Sat | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2023 | Sun | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2024 | Mon | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
| 2025 | Wed | 1 January | New Year’s Day | National Holiday |
FAQs
1. Is New Year’s Day a holiday in UAE?
Yes, New Year’s Day in UAE is a public holiday and all institutions and organisations remain closed on this day.
2. How do they celebrate New Year’s Day in UAE?
People go to malls, dinners, lunch with their near and dear ones and celebrate New Year’s Day.
3. Is the New Year’s Day a Public Holiday in Dubai?
Yes, New Year’s day is also a public holiday in Dubai and all of the UAE.
New Year’s Day Celebrations In Other Countries
- New Year’s Day in US
- New Year’s Day in Australia
- New Year’s Day In UK
- New Year’s Day In Canada
- New Year’s Day Celebrations Around the World
We hope that you will like this article of ours on New Year’s Day 2024 in the United Arab Emirates. We wish you a very happy and prosperous new Year. Thankyou for connecting with us!!